A kind lawyer has become a minor celebrity after letting his client pay for his services in crabs, as he was short on cash.

Lawyer Noel Allen Bose of Sorsogon City in the Philippines took to Facebook on 16th June to reveal that a client had paid him in crabs, as he could not afford his appearance fee for a court hearing.

He posted a photo of himself dressed in formal attire outside the courtroom holding his briefcase in one hand and a bundle of crabs in the other.

The post quickly went viral, racking up 103,000 reactions and 31,000 shares to date.

The altruistic lawyer also kept his newfound followers updated, posting a photo of the cooked crabs in a pot on the hob.

He thanked the netizens for their kind comments, writing: “Crabs make the stomach full, but your reactions to this post are making my heart fuller.

“I also want to thank the lawyers who work for the government and the private sector. They don’t often post about their work and its challenges, but they’re so hardworking and dedicated in their promise to help fellow Filipinos.”

According to his social media profiles, Bose has his own law office and also lectures in his capacity as a professor at the Bicol College School of Law in the Municipality of Daraga.

He also describes himself as Warhammer 40,000 enthusiast, a “metalhead” and a “gamer”.