In
March 2011, I finally decided that I am going to take the Bar in November so I
planned my life, my study schedule for the next 8 months to cover the eight bar
subjects:
Political
Law
Labor
Law
Civil
law
Taxation
Commercial
law
Criminal
law
Remedial
law
Legal
Ethics
and
in my time, writing Legal Opinion and Legal Memorandum were also included and
would cover 40% of the Bar grade.
Beginning 2011, the High Court already
issued bar exams syllabus that limits the scope of the Bar examination in each
subject. Given the coverage and the
limited time, preparing the study plan is a must with goal set to finish the
syllabus with comprehension. I took into
consideration the schedule of the Pre-bar review lectures so that it would be
synchronized with my “game plan”. I attended the lectures so as to confirm
my understanding of what I have read. I
also participated in the mock bar administered by the university to check what
I have learned.
So I started my Pre-bar review on
April 8. (8 being a lucky number in Feng Shui.
I had to distribute the 204 days left from the pre-week days:
Date
|
Subject
|
Duration
|
First Reading (Codal and Books
Annotation)
|
||
April
8-April 28
|
Remedial
Law
|
20
days
|
April
29- May 1
|
Legal
Ethics
|
3
days
|
May
2- May 29
|
Commercial
Law
|
27
days
|
May
30 –June 12
|
Criminal
Law
|
14
days
|
13
June – July 3
|
Civil
law
|
20
days
|
July
4-July 17
|
Taxation
|
13
days
|
July
18-July 24
|
Labor
Law
|
6
days
|
July
25 – August 14
|
Political
law
|
20
days
|
Second Reading (Codal Provisions
and Memory Aid)
|
||
August
15- August 30
|
Remedial
Law
|
15
days
|
August
31- September 19
|
Civil
Law
|
20
days
|
September
20- October 4
|
Commercial
Law
|
15
days
|
October
5- October 14
|
Criminal
Law
|
10
days
|
October
15-16
|
Legal
Ethics
|
2
days
|
October
17- October 21
|
Taxation
Law
|
5
days
|
October
21-October 27
|
Political
Law
|
7
days
|
October
28 – October 30
|
Labor
Laws
|
3
days
|
Above
schedule was inclusive of mock bar, MCQ exercises (simulated bar under time
pressure) and of course, engaging to some personal errands and needs. This was never been an overnight planning. It also subjected to several adjustments.
My pre-week was devoted reviewing
for notes during the pre-bar and Pre-Week notes given by the university,
accompanied with Codal.
On Bar exam day proper, no more
notes and no more reading but a complete submission to Above of my bar
preparation. My Game Plan is over. Its now the execution of what I have planned
eight months ago… This was my “Game Plan” in my pursuit to the Bar.=)
