List of Law Schools in Metro Manila
The practice of law in the Philippines requires someone to have a Juris Doctor (JD) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree. Law education in the country is monitored by the Legal Education Board (LEB), enacted into law by virtue of Republic Act 7662. They are the ones who set the requirements to get into law any of the country’s law schools, including the list of courses your degree should have in its program.
If you’re looking to be a law practitioner in the country, here’s a list of schools which you should look into:
University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law
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One of the oldest law schools in the country (established in 1911), the UP College of Law takes pride as one of the top institutions for studying law. In order to be admitted to their JD program (formerly LL.B.), one must take the Law Aptitude Examination or LAE. For more information on the LAE, visit lae.law.upd.edu.ph.
Ateneo Law School
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The Ateneo Law School, established in 1936, was the first law school in the country to adapt the Juris Doctor program in 1991. For details on how to get into the Ateneo Law School, visit ateneo.edu/aps/law. Please note that the Ateneo Law School does not accept transferees.
San Beda College of Law
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Apart from being the alma mater of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the San Beda College of Law has long been praised for producing some of the best lawyers in the country. Its graduate school, the San Beda Graduate School of Law, remains the only institution in the country to offer a Doctor of Juridical Science program in the country. Visit www.sanbeda.edu.ph/est1901/col-home.html for more information.
San Sebastian College – Recoletos Manila (SSCRM) College of Law
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SSCRM College of Law started in 1953 and has continually produced quality lawyers throughout its more than 60 years of existence. Thinking of enrolling in their Juris Doctor program? Visit law.sscrmnl.edu.ph/admission/ to learn more.
University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Civil Law
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With the country’s oldest institution for higher learning comes one of the oldest institutions for learning the subtleties of law. The UST Faculty of Civil Law has been around since the time of the Spanish occupation, having been established in 1734. For admission information to UST Law, please visit ofad.ust.edu.ph.
Arellano University School of Law
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The third oldest law school on this list, the Arellano University School of Law was established and named after the first Filipino Chief Justice, Cayetano S. Arellano. It also forms the nucleus of Arellano University, and has been among the top law schools in the country. They offer the traditional LL.B. degree. For admission details, visit www.arellanolaw.edu.
Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute of Law
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The FEU Institute of Law gives everyone access to quality law education with the promise of an affordable law education for all. It’s also one of only five universities to have produced a Supreme Court Chief Justice. They also partnered with De La Salle University Graduate School to offer what is probably the country’s only JD-MBA (Master of Business Administration) program. For admission details, visit www.feu.edu.ph.
Philippine College of Criminology – Manila Law College
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The Manila Law College, now a part of the Philippine College of Criminology, is the oldest stand-alone law school in the country and the first-ever Filipino School of Law. First established as Escuela de Derecho de Manila in 1899, it was established by none other than Don Felipe Calderon, the same man who drafted the first Philippine Constitution. It’s now found within the Philippine College of Criminology. For admission information, please call 02-734-5700 or 02-733-1607 loc. 117.
De La Salle University (DLSU) College of Law
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One of the youngest law schools in the country, the DLSU College of Law is an ever-expanding law school that includes a multi-disciplinary curriculum following the mandate of the Supreme Court and the Commission on Higher Education. Once located at their main campus along Taft Avenue, the DLSU College of Law can now be found at the University Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. For admission information, please visit law.dlsu.edu.ph.
