ATENEO DE MANILA

LAW SCHOOL
ROCKWELL CENTER, MAKATI

HOW TO ENSURE DOING

WELL IN THE
2015 BAR EXAMINATIONS
DEAN CESAR L. VILLANUEVA
DEFINE YOUR MEANING OF “SUCCESS”:

“It will dictate the nature of

your passion and devotion,
your dedication in the next
Seven (7) months.”
KEY TO “YOUR SUCCESS”:

“Know the EXACT NATURE

of the
2015 BAR EXAMINATIONS”
WHAT THE BAR EXAMS ARE NOT:
They are not QUIZZES
They are not a PERSONALITY TEST
They are not a BEAUTY CONTEST
They are not a TEST OF FAITH OR RELIGION
They are not a TEST ON THE HIGHEST AND MOST
DIFFICULT ISSUES IN LAW
THE 2015 BAR EXAMINATIONS ARE:

EIGHT (8) SETS OF EXAMINATIONS ON:

90% - BASIC, FUNDAMENTAL LAWS,
RULES AND PRINCIPLES
9% - COMPLEX ISSUES OF LAW

1% - CONTRACT DRAFTING / PLEADING

PURPOSE OF THE BAR EXAMINATIONS:

To determine who among

6,000+ candidates “are
qualified to practice law in
the Philippines.”
“WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO PRACTICE LAW?”

Those who can demonstrate

“Working Knowledge” of the
rules and principles in 8 chosen
fields of law.
WHAT IS “WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW”?

Knowledge of statutory
provisions, doctrines and
principles on General Fields
of the covered laws.
NATURE OF ESSAY-TYPE EXAMS:
“. . . dedicated to measuring the candidate’s
skills in writing in English, sorting out the
relevant facts in a legal dispute, identifying the
issue or issues involved, organizing his
thoughts, constructing his arguments, and
persuading his readers to his point of view.
The essays will not be bar subject specific.”
- B.M. 2265, 18 January 2011
NATURE OF MCQ-TYPE EXAMS:

THE MCQ PORTION OF BAR

EXAMS ARE ON BASIC RULES
AND PRINCIPLES, NOT ON
SPECIALIZED NOR ESOTERIC
LEGAL PROVISIONS.
MCQ I: LAW & RECALL:

“2.1. Measure the candidate’s

knowledge of and ability to
recall the laws, doctrines, and
principles that every new
lawyer needs in his practice;”
MCQ II: LAW & ANALYSIS:

“2.2. Assess the candidate’s

understanding of the meaning
and significance of those same
laws, doctrines, and principles as
they apply to specific situations;”
MCQ III: LAW & PROBLEM SOLVING:

“2.3. Measure his ability to

analyze legal problems, apply
the correct law or principle to
such problems, and provide
solutions to them.”
IF IT IS THAT SIMPLE AND OBVIOUS, WHY ARE THE
BAR EXAMINATIONS THE MOST DIFFICULT
GOVERNMENT EXAMS IN THE PHILIPPINES?

THE FIELDS OF LAW ARE SO WIDE AND

EXPANSIVE, THERE IS HARDLY TIME TO
INVESTIGATE THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES.

THE EIGHT EXAMINERS ARE “MASTERS OF

THE UNIVERSE!”
WHO ARE THE “MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE”?

EIGHT (8) LAWYERS

• Justices
• Judges
• Leading Practitioners
• Law Professors
THREE MAIN DIFFICULTIES OF THE BAR EXAMS
 Key to successful Bar Exams Preparations:

“COMPREHENSION OF BASIC LEGAL

RULES AND PRINCIPLES”
HOWEVER:
 Too large a field to cover for each subject
 Too short a time to prepare
 Too closely spaced together are the 4 Sundays of
examinations
THERE IS A PROVEN
FORMULA THAT
WORKS
PRINCIPLES IN BAR EXAMINATION
PREPARATION (BAR REVIEW PHASE)
 Bar Exams are essentially an INDIVIDUAL JOURNEY;
involve INDIVIDUAL PREPARATION and UNDERTAKINGS

 HARD WORK is an important component, but by itself

would not work, and may even prove FATAL
 All the good preparations mean nothing if you get SICK
 All the hard work would mean nothing if you have OTHER
PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS
PRINCIPLES IN BAR EXAMINATION
PREPARATION (BAR REVIEW PHASE)
 If you do not properly PACE YOURSELF, you would peak
too early and lose out
 If you do not properly phase yourself, you may get both
physically and psychologically too tired or too worked-
out, that you become progressive less prepared
 It is always good that GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE
 COMMON SENSE, FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION, and
DISCIPLINE are good companions
WHAT IS THE KEY TO THE BAR EXAMS?

WHAT IS THE SINGULAR AIM OF A BAR

REVIEWEE?

WHAT IS THE SURE FORMULA “TO DO

WELL” IN THE BAR EXAMS?
 If you accept intellectually, psychologically and morally that the
BAR EXAMINATIONS are an exam on your comprehension of
fundamental rules and principles, but that the fields are just too
broad and expansive, then the sure and tested formula is simply:

FIVE (5) READINGS FOR A

REVIEWER FOR EACH BAR
SUBJECT
YOUR ONLY TRUE ENEMY AFTER THAT IS:
SIMPLE BAD LUCK
FIVE READINGS !!!@#$%^&*???

Yes, FIVE (5) Readings.

THREE Readings, for those who are LAZY.

PROVEN DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN READINGS

FIRST READING - Hazy recall, if any; no

comprehension; like wasting
too much time for so little
benefit.

“Just do it because it has to be done.”

“Do not ask and expect from FIRST READING

what it can never ever yield: Comprehension
and Understanding.”
PROVEN DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN READINGS

SECOND READING - Sparks begin to happen, light

is becoming better, certain
things start to become clear.

“There is a psychological and intellectual awakening.”

“SECOND READING stage would begin to indicate

that proper Hard Work can work, and you have given
yourself moral and intellectual competence to move
forward to do the job.”
PROVEN DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN READINGS

THIRD READING - Certain things begin to stick, many

things begin to fall into place, and
even when you do not want nor
intend to, you begin to comprehend.

“YOU HAVE JUST ACHIEVED

REBIRTH; YOU ARE READY TO
CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN.”
PROVEN DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN READINGS

FOURTH READING - Against everything you ever expected

or ever thought, ideas and concepts
begin to stick like glue in your mind;
definitions and enumerations just
seem to fall in place.
“You have truly achieved Comprehension.”

“Congratulations!
“(a) You are now one of the Best;
“(b) You can now achieve miracles you thought you never
could.”
PROVEN DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN READINGS

FIFTH READING - Everything you read has now become

almost “absolute” in terms, as though
you have photographic memory.

“YOU HAVE BECOME A MASTER

OF THE BAR UNIVERSE.”

“ALMOST ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE NOW FOR YOU.

EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD HUMANLY DO, YOU
HAVE DONE. THE REST IS ALL UP TO GOD.”
BUT FIVE READINGS !!!@#$%^&*???
Today, I tell to it can be done.
The key is simply quantitative achievement that
ushers in the most important qualitative aspects:
Comprehension and Mastery.
Mechanically do FIVE Readings for each Law Field,
and “THE FORMULA WILL WORK,” whatever is your
aim for the Bar Examinations.
DO A SCHEDULE OF READINGS

DIVIDE EACH DAY INTO THREE PERIODS:

(A) FIRST BOOK FROM 7:30 TO 12:00 (Morning)
(B) SECOND BOOK FROM 1:30 TO 6:00 (Afternoon)
(C) THIRD BOOK FROM 7:00 TO 11:00 (Evening)

- FROM MONDAYS TO SUNDAYS -

 2015 BAR EXAMINATIONS
SCHEDULE OF READINGS

EXCELLENCE
SURE THING
JUST DO IT

SPARKLE

SEEDED
POLITICAL LAW REVIEW
(Nachura, 2009; Bernas, 2004)
CIVIL LAW REVIEW
(Jurado, 2009)
REMEDIAL LAW REVIEW
(Regalado, 2009 ed.)
COMMERCIAL LAW REVIEW
(Villanueva, 2015 ed.)
CRIMINAL LAW REVIEW
(Boado, 2008 ed.)
LABOR LAW REVIEW
(Alcantara, 2009 ed.)
TAXATION REVIEW
(Dimaampao, 2008 ed.)
LEGAL ETHICS & LEGAL FORMS
(Paño, 2004)
 NOVEMBER 2015 BAR EXAMS SCHEDULE

FIRST SUNDAY: 8:00 am to 10:00 am – POLITICIAL & INTERNATIONAL LAWS

08 November 2015 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm – LABOR & SOCIAL LEGISLATION
SECOND SUNDAY: 8:00 am to 10:00 am – CIVIL LAW
15 November 2015 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm – TAXATION LAW
THIRD SUNDAY: 8:00 am to 10:00 am – COMMECIAL LAW
22 November 2015 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm – CRIMINAL LAW
FOURTH SUNDAY: 8:00 am to 10:00 am – REMEDIAL LAW
29 November 2015 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm – LEGAL ETHICS & LEGAL FORMS
 ILLUSTRATIVE PLOTTING OF READINGS
BAR REVIEW PERIOD: 209 DAYS – 04 MAY TO 28 NOVEMBER 2015

POLITICAL LAW
First Reading – 18 days, 04 – 21 MAY (Mornings)
Second Reading – 18 days, 22 MAY – 08 JUNE (Mornings)
Third Reading – 16 days, 09 – 24 JUNE (Mornings)
Fourth Reading – 16 days, 25 JUNE – 10 JULY (Mornings)

October Reading – 14 days, 25 – 31 OCT (A.M. & Evenings)

Pre-Week Reading – 6 days, 02 – 07 NOV (Mornings)
Read the Constitution on that Saturday

LABOR LAW
First Reading – 15 days, 25 JUL – 08 AUG (Afternoons)
Second Reading – 15 days, 09 – 23 AUG (Afternoons)
Third Reading – 12 days, 24 AUG – 04 SEPT (Afternoons)
Fourth Reading – 12 days, 05 – 16 SEPT (Afternoons)

October Reading – 7 days, 25 – 31 OCT (Afternoons)

Pre-Week Reading – 6 days, 02 – 07 NOV (Evenings)
CIVIL LAW
First Reading – 20 days, 11 – 30 JULY (Mornings)
Second Reading – 20 days, 31 JULY – 19 AUG (Mornings)
Third Reading – 18 days, 20 AUG – 06 SEPT (Mornings)
Fourth Reading – 11 days, 07 – 17 SEPT (Mornings)

October Reading – 14 days, 18 – 24 OCT (A.M. & Evenings)

Pre-Week Reading – 6 days, 09 – 14 NOV (Mornings)
Civil Code and Latest Cases on Saturday

TAXATION LAW
First Reading – 15 days, 13 – 27 JULY (Evenings)
Second Reading – 15 days, 28 JULY – 11 AUG (Evenings)
Third Reading – 12 days, 12 – 23 AUG (Evenings)
Fourth Reading – 12 days, 24 AUG – 04 SEPT (Evenings)

October Reading – 7 days, 18 – 24 OCT (Afternoons)

Pre-Week Reading – 6 days, 09 – 14 NOV (Evenings)
COMMERCIAL LAW
First Reading – 22 days, 04 – 25 MAY (Afternoons)
Second Reading – 20 days, 26 MAY – 14 JUNE (Afternoons)
Third Reading – 18 days, 15 JUNE – 02 JULY (Afternoons)
Fourth Reading – 18 days, 03 – 20 JULY (Afternoons)

October Reading – 14 days, 11 – 17 OCT (A.M. & Evenings)

Pre-Week Reading – 6 days, 16 – 21 NOV (Mornings)

CRIMINAL LAW
First Reading – 18 days, 05 – 17 SEPT (Evenings)
17 – 18 SEPT (Whole Day)

Second Reading – 18 days, 19 – 24 SEPT (Whole Day)

Third Reading – 18 days, 25 – 30 SEPT (Whole Day)

October Reading – 14 days, 11 – 17 OCT (Afternoons)

Pre-Week Reading – 6 days, 16 – 21 NOV (Evenings)
REMEDIAL LAW
First Reading – 24 days, 04 – 27 MAY (Evenings)
Second Reading – 22 days, 28 MAY – 18 JUNE (Evenings)
Third Reading – 20 days, 19 JUNE – 08 JULY (Evenings)
Fourth Reading – 20 days, 01 – 05 OCT (A.M., P.M.,
Evenings)
October Reading – 20 days, 06 – 10 OCT (A.M. & Evenings)
Pre-Week Reading – 8 days, 23 – 28 NOV (A.M. & P.M.)
Revised Rules of Court and Latest Cases

LEGAL ETHICS & LEGAL FORMS

First Reading – 4 days, 21 – 24 JULY (Afternoons)
October Reading – 4 days, 07 – 10 OCT (Afternoons)
Pre-Week Reading – 4 days, 23 – 28 NOV (Mornings)
Read Code of Ethics and Forms

01 NOVEMBER 2015 – TAKE THE WHOLE DAY OFF!

WATCH A MOVIE! GET DRUNK!
GO TO THE BEACH! . . . . . . . . !@#$%58*
 MAY THE 2015 BAR
EXAMINATIONS BE A
TRANSFORMATIVE LIFE
EXPERIENCE!