Hurdling the Bar

Next month will be a battle month for barristers. During my review, I called it as Four Sundays of Insurrection. It was an uprising on my part because I was going to face the "foe" I pledged to confront since the first day of my Law school.

Studying Law is a very jealous mistress.

During my first year I married my girlfriend Troie and by operation of law she is now my wife. My two daughters were born during my Law school and my son was concieved during my review.

On how I survived Law school, I took the advice of my professors.

Judge Anacleto Debalucos told us that a law student is synonymous to a runner. If a runner can run 10 km then it is easy for him to finish a 5-km marathon. A law student must make it a habit to have long hours of studying.

Dean Jonathan Capanas taught me his concept of mind mapping, making some mind illustration about the subject matters of the law.

In Sun Tzu's Art of War, he says the control of a large force is the same as the control of a few men; it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers. Thus, a 932-page Sta. Maria book in Persons and Family Ralations is similar with the 203-page Catipay Guide Notes in Labor. Just divide it according to subjects and put your own markers.

Attorney Jude Fernandez always reminded me to read and master the basics, and that answers should be concise.

As to my review:

1. I assessed myself of my weaknesses and strengths per subject. It is important to determine our capacity.

I was supposed to have my review together with my friends in UP Diliman.  I backed out for three reasons:

a. I will miss my children and my wife;

b. I was not familiar with Manila. I did not want to spend my time thinking what to say if I want to eat utan bisaya; and

c. I did not want to change my routine.

I was enrolled in the Recoletos Bar Review but only attended one session.

Sometimes my daughters would knock at the door of my study room and cry "We  miss our tatay, please come play with us, tatay."  Now that was the time for me to have a break.

Not attending the review was a  risky decision, a caveat to all barristers.

2. A realistic study plan. My review started on April 1. The Bar exam was scheduled on October 2012 so I had only six months to review.

I only stayed in Manila from September to October. I did not deviate from my study plan.

3. I read only my books and notes. For example in Legal Ethics, aside from my book I read my project under the class of Judge Kit Enriquez: Compilation of Cases in Legal Ethics. I would only get confused if I have too many sources.

During the exam, there is now the presumption that all the examinees know the law and its intricacies. It is now a matter of how the examinee will put into writing his legal knowledge and make it understandable to the examiner. Hence, a handwriting that is neat and legible is a must. But write in a fast and careful manner. Since I was not confident with my handwriting, I ensured that it was capable of being read, so I occupied the lines in my answer notebook instead of the traditional two lines and used a pen with heavy stroke.

After the exam, I thought it was time to relax but I was wrong. There was this question: when will the Supreme Court release the results? I would wake up in the middle of the night after a dream about the exam. The feeling is indescribable thinking about the uncertainty of the results. The six months of waiting was pure  agony.

When the results came out, My wife and I just shouted and cried tears of joy. I felt like I was the only child of God: 1. My wife and I were having a son; and 2. I passed the bar. It was the sweetest victory.