Supreme Court Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez is urging lawyers to be trendy in terms of technological advancement to prevent stagnation, stressing that they need to keep up with the technological developments worldwide.
Speaking at the oath-taking of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Capiz Chapter Officers for 2021-2023 at San Antonio Resort, Baybay, Roxas City last 17 September, Lopez underscored tha everyone should embrace and adapt to modernizations especially since "we are living in a continuously evolving environment wherein technology is an integral part of our daily lives."
He shared some of the technology-driven initiatives of the Judiciary — allowing the conduct of fully remote videoconferencing hearings; the launch of the Judiciary ePayment Solution; the accreditation of Ninja Van as the first accredited courier service of the Judiciary; and the promulgation of the 2020 Rules on Remote Notarization and the Rules on the Use of Body-Worn Cameras.
Lopez also challenged the IBP to devote their time to the country's legal aid clinics, saying the important role for legal aid was recognized by the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, adopted by the General Assembly in 2012.
