Ambulance chasing

used to describe attorneys who, upon learning of a personal injury that

might have been caused by the negligence or the wrongful act of another,
immediately contact the victim for consent to represent him or her in a
lawsuit in exchange for a Contingent Fee, a percentage of the judgment
recovered.

Purpose of the prohibition:

1. It stirs up litigation with resulting burdens on courts and the public;
2. Supports perjury.
3. Defrauds innocent persons by judgments, upon manufactured causes of
actions.
4. Defrauds injured persons having proper causes of action but ignorant of
legal rights and court procedure by means of contracts which retain
exorbitant expenses and by settlement made for quick returns of fees
against the rights of the injured persons.

Duty not to encourage lawsuits (Lawyers Duty to Society under Canon 1)

Rule 1.03. A lawyer shall not, for any corrupt motive or interest,
encourage any suit or delay any man’s cause.

Republic Act No. 10706(Seafearer’s Act)

SEC. 3. Prohibition on Ambulance Chasing . — It shall be unlawful for any
person to engage in ambulance chasing or the act of soliciting, personally
or through an agent, from seafarers, or their heirs, the pursuit of any claim
against them employers for the purpose of recovery of monetary claim or
benefit, including legal interest, arising from accident, illness or death, in
exchange of an amount or fee which shall be retained or deducted from
the monetary claim or benefit granted to or awarded to the seafarers or
their heirs.

JERRY M. PALENCIA, vs. ATTY. PEDRO L. LINSANGAN,et. al

“A lawyer in making known his legal services must do so in a dignified

manner.[37] They are prohibited from soliciting cases for the purpose of
gain, either personally or through paid agents or brokers. [38] The CPR
explicitly states that "[a] lawyer shall not do or permit to be done any act
designed primarily to solicit legal business." [39] Corollary to this duty is for
lawyers not to encourage any suit or proceeding for any corrupt motive or
interest.[40] Thus, "ambulance chasing," or the solicitation of almost any
kind of business by an attorney, personally or through an agent, in order to
gain employment, is proscribed.[41] ”