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Block F Primer (Dean Bau)
Block F Primer (Dean Bau)
st
1 Semester
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• Persons and Family Relations by Atty. Mel Sta. Maria
Grade Range:
• 70s—80s
• Grade breakdown:
o Recitation: 1/3
o Midterms: 1/3
o Finals: 1/3
• Do not rely on the “curve,” especially if the grade range in the block is too
far apart. Therefore, always make sure you pass the recitations and
exams.
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Understand the codal provisions by heart; it would be better if you
memorize them.
• Recite only the relevant facts, issues, and ruling.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Midterms:
• The exam is commonly essay and enumeration.
• Pay attention on the topics that are emphasized in class because these
are the ones that will appear in the exams. The usual topics are, legal
separation, annulment, psychological incapacity, family home, property
regimes, and marriage.
• Read the book again. Master the requisites of the topics mentioned above.
Finals:
• *see Midterms
• Unlike the midterms, the finals is purely an essay exam.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
• Chairman Bautista will start the semester by consulting you on the
breakdown of grades. The class may opt for graded recitations or not.
• If the class opts to have no recitation grades, thus making the grade
breakdown 50% midterms and 50% finals.
• He usually lectures with PowerPoint presentations, which are provided
before class.
• Read the cases he cites.
• Also share your insights or ask questions.
• He dislikes answers that have no legal basis.
• Get a copy of his book, which juxtaposed the Philippine Constitution with
the U.S. Constitution.
• Also, stay updated on current events.
• Chairman Bautista is known to fail the bottom 10 of the class. However,
for Batch 2017, he surprisingly passed 95% of the class.
• He makes you think and apply the doctrines of the cases. You are not
limited to what you read.
• Never piss him off.
• Always have the following ready every meeting:
o Cheetos (regular flavor, do not give him jalapeño)
o Bottled water
• Make him happy by throwing parties for Christmas or a sem-ender party. If
you can afford Blue Label, give him one.
• Your beadle should constantly remind him that you have class at this time.
He is very busy and elections preparations are already on the move. Your
beadle should always have his PowerPoint presentations (.jpg format)
ready in a USB. Make sure that the presentations are in order.
• Never place non-Consti books on top of your desk; this will piss him off.
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• His book
• Bernas Primer
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Grade Range:
• 70s to high 90s
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Read his PowerPoint presentations in advance.
• Read the cases mentioned in the slides.
• Relate each article of the Philippine Constitution to the U.S. Constitution.
• Always be prepared to criticize how the Philippine Constitution was
written. He always says that the Philippine Constitution is verbose.
Midterms:
• His exams are mostly composed of MCQs, true or false questions, and
essay questions.
• For MCQs study some Bar questions and his sample exams and also
those from Fr. Bernas.
• For true or false, if false, cite jurisprudence.
• For essay, he prefers long but substantiated answers.
Finals:
• *see Midterms
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
• His classes are a mix of lectures and recitations based on the Criminal
Law annotation by Luis B. Reyes.
• Make sure to sit in front during his classes because he has a really soft
voice.
• The class beadle has to make sure that he has a microphone and a bottle
of water before the class starts.
• He does not assign cases for recitation but he requires you to make
digests for 16 assigned cases, which will be submitted at the end of the
semester.
• He holds recitations in rounds. A student will only be called once or twice
for the whole semester, so make it count.
• If he is discussing a topic, listen carefully because he gives his own
insights, which may come out in the exam.
• Do not talk with your seatmates during his class; he once walked out of a
class because some students were noisy.
• Roughly 10 students fail his class every year, so make sure you study
hard all the time.
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• Reyes Book
• San Beda Memory Aid for Criminal Law
• 1968 Reyes Reviewer
Grade Range:
• 60s to very high 90s
• Recitation grades: 1(highest) – 5(lowest)
• Grade Breakdown:
• He only accepts appeals grounded on mathematical errors in computation.
o Recitation: 1/3 of final grade
o Midterms: 1/3 of final grade
o Finals: 1/3 of final grade
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• If you want to ace recitations, try to memorize the codal provisions and
know the Latin terms. Be confident and listen to his question carefully.
• Almost all his questions are based on the Reyes book.
• Write handwritten notes because he allows you to glance at them during
recitations.
Midterms:
• To prepare for his exams, study his sample exams. Sometimes he repeats
questions from his previous exams. Also study the 1968 Reyes Reviewer,
but this has to be kept secret from him, otherwise he will not base exam
questions from it anymore.
• Exams usually comprise of both essay and multiple-choice questions.
• Remember to follow instructions during examinations; otherwise your
answers will have no merit.
Finals:
• *see Midterms
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• The Idea of Law by Dennis Lloyd
Grade Range:
• 80s—mid 90s
• He will not hesitate to give you a hundred, if you deserve it.
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Read his assigned readings.
• Prepare questions for him before class.
• Keep up with current events and have a stand on the matter.
Midterms:
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Finals:
• Unlike the midterms, his final exams have more new questions.
• *see Midterms
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
• She starts her class with 15 minutes of meditation. She is almost always
late, thus expect class time extensions and make-up classes.
• Unlike your major subjects, preparation for her class will be a breeze. You
are only asked to read and reflect on the assigned readings.
• She encourages participation in class discussions because she values
your opinion on the topic discussed. She sometimes asks questions about
the reading assignment, just to check if you have read them. However,
these recitations are not as heart pounding as those in your major
subjects. Most of the time, you volunteer to recite.
• Memorize the lawyer’s oath and expect a quiz about it.
• She gets creative with her requirements and she expects you to give your
best output. Her requirements include mind maps, reflection papers,
debate, and moot court, among others.
• Read the readings for class discussion; so you will not be overwhelmed
come exam time. If you cannot read it ahead of time, divide the readings
among yourselves and compile it as a reviewer.
• As a final requirement, last year she required a comprehensive group
report, complete with quantitative or qualitative data about an aspect of
the legal profession. You will be asked to submit a written report and to
present it in class. This will be time consuming and a bit of a hassle, as it
will coincide with finals week. Make sure you prepare ahead of time.
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• Assigned readings
Grade Range:
• 80s to low 90s
• She passed everyone last year, but do not get too complacent because
she fails students.
Preparation for:
Recitations:
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
• Recite a lot and take down the dates when you recited because
sometimes she forgets to put a grade on your class cards.
• Tell her what she wants to hear. She’ll tell you she’s open to opposing
views but those who contradict her tend to get lower grades.
Midterms:
• She does not repeat exam questions and her exams are usually in essay
format.
• Answer the exams based on the reading assignments and cite these
readings to get a higher grade.
• It is also important to know her stand on issues surrounding the legal
profession. In order to get good grades, use her stance on a particular
matter to answer exam questions.
Finals:
• *see Midterms
• Last year, there was no final exam, a comprehensive group report was the
final requirement.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• Ateneo Law Journal citation guide
• Assigned readings/cases
Grade Range:
• mid 80s and above
• He did not fail anyone last year. This may be an opportunity to pull up your
QPI, so do not be lax. He will base the grades on your and your recitation.
He gives heavier weight to papers, as this is a research class.
• Grade breakdown:
o Recitation: 1/3
o Midterms: 1/3
o Finals: 1/3
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Read the citation guide.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Midterms:
• He will be asking you to write a paper in lieu of a midterm exam.
• Follow the proper format for citations in the citation guide.
• You submit your paper online in your class’ Facebook group, so there is
no hassle for printing. Meet the deadline, it is already convenient for you,
there are no excuses left for late submissions other than cramming.
Although, he accepts late papers, there will be deductions on your paper.
Finals:
• *see Midterms
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Block 1F
2nd
Semester
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
• The second semester is not easier than the first. But you will notice that
you got better.
• Studying is still your top priority, but you are now able to balance it with
your other activities.
• By this time, you now have a grip of your study habits and strategies.
However, since your professors are different, try to tweak your study
habits and strategies to the teaching style of your professors.
• Atty. Chan-Gonzaga’s exams, together with Atty. San Pedro’s, will be the
bane of your 2nd semester existence. You will probably have more time to
study—use it. But don’t burn out.
• Focus more on Obligations and Contracts. Not only that it is five-unit
course, but also because your professor Atty. Joseph San Pedro is
notorious for his 80% finals rule. It means that 80% of your grade in this
five-unit subject will be determined by your final exam, which is no piece of
cake.
• However, do not disregard your other subjects. These subjects will help
you pull up your QPI. They can also save you from getting kicked out of
law school.
• Know the rules on J.D. scholastic responsibility and the sequencing of
subjects to better prepare and strategize for the upcoming semesters.
• Now that you have known your block mates better, make your bond
stronger. Cooperate in block activities, share your materials, and
encourage each other. Stop the crab mentality. After all, you have the
same goals: to survive law school, pass the bar, and be lawyers for
others.
• Challenge yourself to do better than your performance last semester. Start
setting goals for yourself. Whether it is being part of the honor roll, or
simply not having a grade lower than 80, it will go a long way. Goal setting
motivates you to study better and perform better in class. Just don’t be too
competitive. Compete against yourself.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
• Tradition holds that he does not accept gifts, but last year he did. Make
him like your class. Be funny. Entertain him. Show off. Plan surprises (last
year we sang a song and wrote a poem for him). Even our prayers were
creative. But don’t give him BS, he sees through that.
• He will say that the bottom 10 of the class will fail. But last year, only five
to ten people fail his class, and it was not unfounded because they people
actually failed the class. He will tell you to step on your classmates. Do not
believe him. He is just being sarcastic. Instead of being a crab, help each
other. He won’t weed anybody out if everybody actually passes.
• The best way to help each other is to take turns in transcribing his
lectures. The transcription will help you review for the exams, so do this
from the start of the semester.
• Generally, if you know what great teaching looks like, you’ll love him.
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• No textbooks required for his class, but these might be helpful:
o Civil Code Obligations and Contracts by Tolentino
o Obligations and Contracts by De Leon
o Obligations and Contracts by Paras
• 1F 2013-2014 transcription a.k.a. Trojan notes
• 1f 2014-2015 transcription
Grade Range:
• 70s to high 80s
• Grade breakdown:
o Recitations: 10%
o Midterms: 10%
o Finals: 80%
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Read the original cases religiously. They’re not very long and they’re
pretty interesting anyway. Put in the work.
• Read the transcripts for you to know his comments on each topic. He
sometimes repeats his comments and jokes. Besides, you will enjoy
reading the transcripts because his jokes are funny, some jokes are green
but you are old enough for it anyway.
• Digests are also helpful in spotting the important ObliCon concepts. If he
asks about concepts only, the digests alone will probably help you survive.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Midterms:
• His midterms is purely essay.
• This is usually a giveaway exam; the quizzes were harder than the
midterms.
• Some questions were lifted from sample exams.
• Read your transcripts and memorize the requisites and exceptions to
ObliCon concepts.
Finals:
• The final exam was almost impossible to finish. It was 50% essay and
50% MCQ.
• Read the transcripts and the original cases from the start of class because
here is where your reading and your paying attention in class would pay
off. Some questions are framed as some of the cases you have discussed.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
Recommended Books/Reviewers
• Bernas casebook
• Green book: Commentary by Fr. Bernas (comprehensive)
• Primer by Fr. Bernas (summarized)
• Codal
• Jech Tiu digests (recitation ready digests)
• The New Order a.k.a. the minion digests (comprehensive digests; longer
than the Jech Tiu digests, but incomplete toward the end)
• CROMBONDS reviewer
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Grade Range:
• 70s—high 80s for recitations
• 80s for exams
• Grade breakdown
o Recitations: 40%
o Midterms: 20%
o Finals: 40%
• She only accepts appeals for computation errors. However, you
probably have to wait a long time for the results of your appeal.
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Be confident and only give important facts.
• Know by heart the rationale and the doctrine of the case.
• Provisions must be recited in verbatim
• If she catches you unprepared, she will ask specific details on the case.
• For quizzes, make sure to read all the cases assigned even if you are not
on deck. She bases her questions on cases that are yet to be tackled in
class.
Midterms:
• Exams types are usually essay, multiple choice questions, identification,
and/or true or false.
• Questions are tricky. Read them very well before answering.
• In studying cases, familiarize yourself with the definition of the terms
mentioned. Atty. Chan-Gonzaga gives these seemingly unimportant terms
as bonus questions in her exams.
• Know the development of doctrines in jurisprudence and learn how to
apply them in different situations. Most of Atty. Chan-Gonzaga’s questions
are situational.
Finals:
• *see Midterms
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Memorize the legal provisions in verbatim.
• Know the elements of each crime.
Midterms:
• Answer every question. Do not leave blanks even if you do not know the
answer because he gives partial points.
• He likes it when you list down the elements of each crime.
• He emphasizes on legible handwriting. It will affect your exam score.
• His exams are usually long and they require deep analysis, so manage
your time wisely.
Finals:
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
• *see Midterms
Teaching Style:
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• Introduction to Logic by Irving Copi and Carl Cohen
Grade Range:
• 80s—mid 90s
• He will not hesitate to give you a hundred, if you deserve it.
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Study the book.
• Memorize logic equations.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Midterms:
• Master his sample exams. He usually repeats his questions. However, he
adds new questions or he changes the exam type, so do not get too
complacent.
• Exams are usually in essay, multiple choice questions, or true or false
format.
• Try to memorize definitions from the assigned readings, especially the
ones he emphasizes in class. He gives perfect essay points to those who
are able to answer in verbatim.
Finals:
• Unlike the midterms, his final exams are problem-solving types.
• During the exam, he allows you to have a codigo written in blue ink. Your
codigo should be written in one legal sized bond paper. Fit all your notes
there. Include the Latin terms of the logical fallacies.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• Elements of Style by Strunk and White
• Plain English for Lawyers by Richard Wydick
• Regina Iustitae exercises reviewer
Grade Range:
• 70s—low 80s
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• The exercises are the equivalent of recitations for his class.
• Study the books he assigned.
• In writing for his class, always go straight to the point. Be concise.
Midterms:
• For his exams, he will only ask you to submit a paper.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Teaching Style:
Recommended Books/Reviewers:
• Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action by Thomas Massaro
Grade Range:
• 80s—mid 90s
• He will not hesitate to give you a hundred, if you deserve it.
Preparation for:
Recitations:
• Read his assigned readings.
• Prepare questions for him before class.
• Keep up with current events and have a stand on the matter.
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com
Midterms:
• Master his sample exams. He usually repeats his questions. However, he
adds new questions or he changes the exam type, so do not get too
complacent.
• Exams are usually in essay, multiple choice questions, or true or false
format.
• Try to memorize definitions from the assigned readings, especially the
ones he emphasizes in class. He gives perfect essay points to those who
are able to answer in verbatim.
Finals:
• Unlike the midterms, his final exams have more new questions.
• *see Midterms
Ateneo Orientation Seminar Committee 2015
20, Ateneo De Manila Law School, Rockwell Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati, 1200 Metro Manila
Alsorsem2015@gmail.com