My Bar Planner

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.=) 

 

My Journey To BAR

March 26, 2012, Manila, Philippines

My journey to the legal profession started when I entered law school.  Law school is a very jealous boyfriend or first husband (pardon with the gender common name.  I remember my first Professor who described law school as such.  He said that entering law school with ultimate goal of becoming a lawyer is like a long engagement and your oath taking as a lawyer is your marriage to the profession) or It requires your 101% focus, loyalty, commitment, time management and discipline to study the law.  As mentored by professors and those reviewing for the bar then, as early as first year, you should be trained to read 50-100 pages a day. Why? You need to read as many as 50-100 cases per meeting (Lucky enough, the longest case I read was around 20-40 pages? Not sure, but definitely, not 400-1000 page in one case) and you also need to read the codal and explanation of the law authorities in various law books. Why you need to read those cases, codals and law books?  You need to prepare for recitation every meeting.  You should be able to answer each questions by the Professor with legal basis in order to pass more or less 50% of the passing grade.  The other 50% will be coming from major examinations (verbal or written).

Law school is another 4-year/5-year course, plus one year of review and more or less 6 months waiting period for the release.  After all the years of studying the law, labor, sacrifices, hardships, heartaches and tears, I can say, its all worth it. My journey to the bar was never been easy.  It was really like a camel passing through the eye of a needle.  I am thankful I always had my father’s[1] back who pushed me hard to study and never stop believing in me that one day I would finally fulfill my dream to be a lawyer.

The most important lesson I learned in my journey to the Bar was that we might have failed at times but maybe those were only “delayed victory” because God wanted it in His own perfect time. Keep the faith in Him and trust no other but God.  When my grades were handed to me and saw them, I cannot really believe the grades I got. The Lord is really Great! He let me not just passed the bar but almost and nearly had topped it! 

To all who were been part of this journey (be it good ones or not so good ones), my forever gratefulness.  To God, belongs all the Glory!

(Whatever you prayed for, believe and it will be given to you, Matthew 21:22)

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[1] My dear father died 4 months after I passed the Bar. Today his 40th day in Heaven