BAR GUIDE
Before anything else, congratulations on finishing law school. After years of hard work, you
made it. Welcome to the next hell (Kidding!). Just a preliminary note that by reaching this point
you are already capable of passing the bar examination and you now only have to prove it by
making it to the exam proper. It is just another exam for you to pass good luck dear barrister.
Materials:
Political Law
• Nachura
• Albano
• Sandoval Notes (from Albano Review Center)
Labor Law
• Ungos
• Chan
Civil Law
• Rabuya
• Jurado
• Aquino
Taxation Law
• Dimaampao
• Ingles
• Lumbera Lecture
Commercial Law
• Aquino
• Sundiang
• Dimaampao
Criminal Law
• Boado
• Prosec notes
Remedial Law
• Riguera
• Riano (All)
Ethics
• Memaid
Schedule:
Pre-Bar: 3 weeks per subject in general.
There is approximately 5 months given to a barrister to prepare for the bar exams. In my
experience it was from June to October. This is how I managed my time:
For the first two months: (June to July)
Rapid reading of 1 book per week
June Week 1 Riano
June Week 2 Riano (half of this week was still used for
rem) Memaid (Ethics)
June Week 3 Boado
June Week 4 Dimaampao
July Week 1 Dimaampao
July Week 2 Rabuya (Civ 1) Aquino (Civ 2)
July Week 3 Ungos (All books)
July Week 4 Nachura
So bale 1 field of law per week except ethics na d ko binigyan ng time tapos ung extra days
nilagay ko sa remedial law at civil law. Ito ung fast reading ko para lang may sense of familiarity
sa topics based sa syllabus. So that’s June to July. Ung arrangement ng fields of law ay
kabaliktaran ng pagkasunod sunod sa bar so (1. Rem; 2. Crim; 3. Comm; and so on) para ung
pinaka first subject ung huli ko aaralin
For the next three months (august to october)
2 weeks per field of law tas pag maaga ako natapos ibibigay ko na yung time nay un for another
field of law. Second set of books gagamit ko usually mga Q&A books na to. Yung schedule ko
depende kung kalian may mock bar exam yung jurist. So kunyari alam ko sa Sunday may civ
mock bar ischesched ko na matatapos ako sa civ before that Sunday para sakto. Pero hinuli ko
poli para fresh.
Magandang practice din yung mag sulat ka ng legal forms paminsan minsan (once a week) para
malpractice handwriting mo at maaral mo ethics.
Reminders during pre-bar
1. Determine your pacing
It’s really tempting to study all the time especially during the first few weeks after you
graduate. Probably mag scheschedule ka up to the hour per each day until November. I
actually saw some people with an excel sheet where they scheduled their study time
meticulously. You can do that if it works for you but for me it gives me unneeded
pressure. Understand that a lot can happen in the five month preparation and there is a
really high chance that you can’t follow you schedule to a tee. If you notice, the
schedule I made is vague and dependent on the review center. I modified it repeatedly
according to the needs of the situation. The best thing to do is to study the schedule of
your review center of choice and plot it out accordingly, but give buffer times and
margins of error.
2. Determine your learning style
Understand the concept of auditory and visual learners. What method resonates most
with you. Reading and listening to lectures is fine but think about which one is more
effective for you. Personally, I remember more through discussions and talking with my
friends about the subject matter, meaning I am an auditory learner. Most of the time
during the pre-bar I am listening to lectures and discussing with my friends because I
knew that during the exam that would be what I would remember.
3. Do not compare with others
It’s very tempting to ask others “ano na naaral mo?” just to gauge if you’re doing
enough. It is really not advisable because you have different schedules and different
masteries of subject. Some people will take longer in one subject than others because
they have difficulty in that subject.
4. Create notes or have a go to notes for all subjects
Personal notes can actually help a lot because the notes you make for yourself are made
in such a way for you to recall easily. However, if you are not the type who make notes
choose one source (preferably the one you’ve been using since law school) and always
have them on hand during the whole review process. Modify them with additional
learnings you think you will need in the bar exam.
5. Do not Shotgun the bar
“babasahin ko na lang lahat” is not advisable. You have to study smart because a 5
month period is both a long and short amount of time. It’s long because it will test your
resilience and it’s short because it’s simply not enough to cover everything you tackled
within so many years. Finishing a subject that you took for months within a few hours
will be common. Can you imagine tackling everything in credit transaction within a few
hours. Just to put in perspective Civil law has almost 10 subjects and each subject has
their own mountain of jurisprudence. The bar review is for you to review or to have a
checklist in your mind na parang “ah ok alam ko na to” (pag d mo alam isipin mol ang at
least alam mo na). Choose you materials and how you spend your time wisely. Don’t
take too long in one subject just because you feel it’s not enough, study smart.
6. Cooperate with others
This depends on whether you made your schedule with a group of friends or not. If you
did, try to schedule having productive study sessions with them by having discussions
once a week. If not, try to reach out to people in you review center to discuss. Even if it
is online, try to still reach out as this is part of the process. Honestly, during the bar
review when I don’t understand a concept (or if nakatulog ako haha) I would ask my
friends in the same table to explain or I would approach the lecturer (super bait ng
lecturers) and I remembered these instances during the bar exam clearly.
7. Practice Answering Bar Exam Questions
Try to practice answering bar exam questions often and time yourselves. Write using the
pen and writing style you will use in the bar exam proper. Follow a certain format in
answering the bar exam. The Jurist Method is a good style in answering the bar exam
questions. (FLAC method works din) Do not make your answers too long but make them
substantial.
8. Rest and take your vitamins
Resting is a challenge for most people during the bar review because everyone is on
edge but know the importance of it. If you get sick, especially during our circumstances
now, it would be the most detrimental thing for your review. Have a steady supply of
vitamins and eat properly and drink lots of water. More time is wasted when you don’t
take care of yourself. Take care of your health especially your mental health. Pag d ka
masaya habang nag rereview or hindi ok mood mo d mo yan maalala sure na sure. Don’t
frustrate yourselves. Be smart about your diet 😊😊
The month before the bar exam
At this point the pressure is on since only a number of days stand before you and the first exam.
Most likely super pagod ka na rin kasi hindi mo sinunod ung last reminder sa previous section at
hindi ka nag pahinga. Here are some things that you should prepare:
1. Go to materials
You should have your own complete notes or a set of notes chosen which you can
review for pre-week. Note that you have 1 week for 2 fields of law when deciding on
what notes you will use. Also, you will most likely be bombarded by other notes at this
point so do not get overwhelmed.
2. Pre-Week Lecture Schedules
You should have decided on whether you will attend lectures and at what review center.
3. All accommodations with regards to the Bar
You should have already flattened out the details with regards to where you will stay at
the night before the bar exam, your food during the bar exam and such other technical
aspects.
Do not panic and rush things at this point. Try to relax a bit more during this month as the next
month will be very grueling.
BAR MONTH
If you have made it this far congratulations since most people give up before reaching this
point. Just a few more reminders:
1. Do not frustrate yourselves on what you haven’t read and focus on what you know.
2. Prepare all necessary materials especially the requirements for taking the bar exam and
the ball pens. (Please don’t bring food that spoils easily sa bar exam…deliks)
3. On deciding on what notes to use consider what type of notes you understand the most.
4. Do not try to read every notes that you get and do not get frustrated when you can’t
finish everything.
5. The last minute tips are read in such a way as if may checklist lang sa utak mo checking
kung alam mo na dapat mong malaman.
Having a solid support system is a big advantage at this point. I was lucky enough to have the
full support of my family, especially my sister, to the point that she would stay with me the
night before the bar exam and quiz me on the subjects. I was supported to the point that all I
have to do was take the bar exam.
The first exam is very challenging especially for those taking the exam for the first time because
the pressure is intense. However, you get use to it as the weeks progress. Around week 3 you
will most likely feel exhausted. During the Mondays, it will be quite difficult for you to study so
it can be allotted as a rest day.
DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED if nahirapan ka sa isang exam. You can still pass. The important
thing is you finish all the bar exams. BUT DO NOT EVER BECOME COMPLACENT just because you
had a good exam, every exam is different with different examiners do not let your guard down.
FAQ
“kailangan ko ba umattend/ making sa lahat ng lahat ng lectures?”
A: Depende sayo kung auditory learner ka mas advisable yun kung hindi naman mamili ka na
lang ng lecture
“Pano ako pipili ng lecture”
A: Ask those who have taken the bar exam or gather information on who is a good lecturer.
“Ano magandang review center”
A: Depende kasi yan sa bar exam pero ung most important consideration is ung center na
convenient para sayo na makakaaral ka.
“Kailangan ba mabasa ko lahat?”
A: Hindi possible wag mo na subukan
“Pano ko malalaman alin dapat basahin ko?”
A: use the materials most familiar to you
“Importante ba na marun through ko lahat ng previous bar exam questions?”
A: Not really but they can be used as practice exercises. Have other people judge how you
answer so you know what to improve on
“Kailangan ko ba basahin yung memaid?”
A: The memory aid is substantial but quite long. Just consider the fact that if you will use it, it
will take a lot of time to finish
“Kailangan ba cursive?”
A: nope, pero kung dun ka sanay baka mas ok yun ang gamitin mo
May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears
-Nelson Mandela
