Bar Topnotcher Ivan Maxino Bandal

CEBU, Philippines - Physics professor and chair of the Physics Department of Silliman University, Dr. Hope Maxino Bandal, cried upon learning that her son, Ivan, not only passed the 2011 Bar examinations, but made it to the Top 6. “I consider it an abundant blessing for our family. The Bar exams is still considered the toughest of all national exams. I would have been very happy if Ivan passed. But God gave us a bonus, and for that, we are truly grateful,” enthused Dr. Bandal. Older son Jason, a licensed electrical engineer, likewise passed the Bar the previous year while the Bandals’ eldest son, Michael, is also a lawyer.

The day after the results were released, Ivan’s father, RTC Branch 34 Judge Rosendo B. Bandal Jr., turned 64. He claimed this was his most memorable birthday ever. “The family basks in Ivan’s success. All his hard work has paid off,” shared Judge Bandal, who comes from a lineage of achievers. (The Maxino clan members are also predominantly lawyers.) Ivan’s paternal grandfather, Dr. Rosendo P. Bandal, is a Doctor of Civil Laws. An aunt, Rosario B. Bandal, is a retired RTC judge, while Ivan’s grandmother, Dr. Fermina Balite Bandal, was a Gintong Ina national awardee.

Atty. M. Mikhail Lee L. Maxino, dean of the College of Law of Silliman University, who is a first-degree cousin of Ivan and placed 12 in the 1986 Bar exams, gave this advice to Ivan: “In order for people to respect you and take notice of you, just top the bar.” Atty. Maxino said that one must be an exceptional student to hurdle such a gruelling exam. “The student has to possess the qualities of discipline, excellent communication skills, and the power of analysis to prepare for the Bar. Of course, the school and the faculty play a big role.” Among the many individuals Ivan consulted while reviewing was Mikael’s father, Atty. Marcelino Maxino, who was a topnotcher in the California, (USA) Bar and an examiner/corrector for many years until his retirement not too long ago. Ivan’s brother, Jason, also gave him useful tips, not to mention Ivan’s former classmates in the other law schools he attended in Manila.

We e-mailed questions to Ivan, who was in Singapore for an annual planning activity of the law firm he is now affiliated. By the time this comes out, Ivan would have been home to Dumaguete to share his victory with his family and friends, including joining a city-wide parade and a testimonial gathering for him as well as for the rest of Silliman graduates who passed the Bar. Incidentally, the last time a Silliman University graduate topped the Bar was in 2001, or 10 years ago, in the person of Sillimanian Amabelle Grace Mascardo of Bais City who, like Ivan, also graduated with a Mass Communication degree.

CMG: Your feat, while not exactly surprising given your being an outstanding student, has brought euphoria to Sillimanians and Dumaguetenos from all over. Congratulations! Where do you attribute this phenomenal success?

Ivan M. Bandal (IMB): I attribute everything to GOD from Whom I draw strength in everything I do and from the unwavering support which my family has always given me. My Mom and Dad have never stopped believing in me. They supported me all the way in achieving my goals. I was shocked and surprised when I learned I was number 6. It is because I found some of the subjects very hard to the point that I was so afraid I’d get disqualified in some of the subjects (the usual rule is that if one would get a grade below 50% in any subject, he or she gets disqualified from passing).

CMG: Preparation for the Bar is both tedious and time-consuming. Where did you take your review? Tell us about your daily regimen.

IMB: I reviewed at the San Sebastian College Recoletos Review Center. I chose the said review center because my brother, Atty. Jason, who took and passed the Bar exams a year before I did, told me that the review center is very good and prepared him well for the exams. Also, I’m quite familiar with the director of the Review Center, Dean Willard Riano, because I read his books while I was still a law student. I found his books very comprehensive and up-to-date. He is a very good author so I knew he would be a very good review director also. I altered my sleeping habits while I was reviewing. I study at night from 7 p.m. up to around 7 a.m. I sleep from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., then study again from 12 noon to 7 p.m. I read a lot. But, I focused on just two materials per subject. One reviewer and one book. Quality, I believe, is more important than quantity. So I tried to master the materials I read. I made sure I was also enjoying my review. So I found time to have fun and relax. I was at the mall almost every week. I watched movies with my girlfriend, Honey, when we had the time to do so.

CMG: This is the first batch of barristers to have undergone the combination of multiple choice questions (MCQ) and essay questions. Can you share with us how you found the exam? Would you recommend this new setup or technique?

IMB: Multiple choice exam is harder than the essay type. This is because you cannot justify your answers. You have to choose the right answer among the four choices given. So, your understanding of the questions should be the same with how the examiner understands the question. That’s the hard part. To arrive at a correct answer, your interpretation of the question should be similar to the interpretation made by the examiner. It wasn’t easy. Almost all choices appeared to be correct. I would recommend multiple choice type of Bar exams. It is easier to answer if the questions are made well and if the choices are very clear.

CMG: You come from a family of lawyers. Was law your choice after finishing Mass Communication? How helpful was your undergraduate degree in your preparation?

IMB: I always wanted to be a lawyer since I was a kid. I know being a lawyer would enable me to contribute more to society. Being a lawyer would enable me to have a better understanding of the issues affecting my country and my community. With better understanding of the issues, I’d know how to respond to them. My Mass Communication degree enabled me to hurdle the Bar exams successfully! I’m very proud of being a Masscom graduate! It played a big role in my success. It was while I was a Masscom student at Silliman University that I improved my writing skills. My Masscom teachers prepared me well for the Bar exams. And, for that, I’d always be thankful to all of them. 40% of the Bar exams involves writing (memorandum writing and legal opinion writing). That is on the fourth Sunday. Being a lawyer involves a lot of writing. A lawyer would write pleadings; he should be able to write these well to convince the court that his argument is correct.

CMG: What is the most challenging aspect of your preparing for the Bar?

IMB: The most challenging aspect of my preparation was mostly emotional stress. I was afraid of failing in the Bar. Perhaps, it’s also because of that fear that motivated me to study well. The seven-month (April to October) preparation is simply not enough. There are so many things one would need to study. The emotional, psychological, and physical stress are things one would need to hurdle as he or she prepares for the Bar. The four Sundays were very challenging. We had to prepare for three subjects during the first and third Sunday. The days leading to the exam itself is not enough to prepare for three subjects. On the first Sunday, I almost lost consciousness during my exam in Political Law. That was the first exam for that day. The night before I was not able to sleep and so the stress and fatigue was probably the reason I almost lost consciousness. I stopped answering the MCQ for Political Law for about 5 minutes. But, I never gave up. I took deep breaths. I did not tell the proctor that I was about to faint. After so many months of stressful preparation and hard work, giving up was simply not an option. I recovered after about 5 minutes. The fourth Sunday of the exam was more challenging because I was having loose bowel movement (LBM) at that time. Thankfully, my stomach cooperated during the hours I was answering the exam (memorandum writing in the morning and legal opinion in the afternoon).

CMG: What advice can you give to law students both in hurdling the Bar and, hopefully, to be among the topnotchers?

IMB: If one would like to pass the Bar exams, you should prepare for it the moment you enter law school. It took us four years to study law and we only have a few months to review everything we learned! That is so stressful! Then, trust in yourself and pray to GOD all the time. Stay focused. Don’t get distracted if other reviewees would say that their materials are better. The best material is the one that you have. You only need to master it! And, after every subject’s exam, don’t waste time discussing your answers. Prepare immediately for the next subject’s exam.

CMG: You worked in the Supreme Court as a news analyst while you were studying law in San Beda, then UP. Then, you decided to transfer to Silliman. Why?

IMB: It doesn’t really matter from which law school you graduated. You just have to make the most out of it and work hard to achieve your goal. So, it really is up to you, the student! Your success is determined by your attitude in law school. One should always strive for excellence.

CMG: Are you now employed?

IMB: Yes, I am employed with Salvador and Associates (S & A) Law Firm starting January this year. It is among the country’s top tax law firms. Our office is at the Philippine Stock Exchange Tower in Ayala Triangle in Makati. We primarily focus on taxation and commercial law. While waiting, all underbars in our firm had the position of legal assistant. Now that the results are known, our positions are as junior associates of the firm.

CMG: What are your plans now?

IMB: I’d stay put in the firm where I am currently working. I’m learning a lot in S & A. I know it’s only the beginning of my career as a lawyer. I have yet a lot to learn about my profession. But, I’d want to engage in litigation practice. (FREEMAN)