What are competencies needed to thrive and succeed in litigation or trial practice.

1. Preparedness
2. Attention to detail
3. Connect with the judge and jury
4. Persuasively demonstrate knowledge, confidence, and sincerity.

Can the above-mentioned competencies be developed as early as law school? If no,

why not? If yes, how?
Yes, these competencies can be developed as early as law school. Professors in
law school taught us to come to school well-prepared, to read cases word for word, to
avoid skimming, to pay attention in class etc. which are a good start to develop such
skills in future trial practice. During our first semester in law school, we had our event
about how trial lawyers do when they have litigation. Those lawyers told us to go court
well-prepared. Well-prepared means that taken the necessary depositions, marshaled
the exhibits, made detailed notes of argument, and prepared outlines of questions for
witnesses etc.

Atty. Eduardo Gaanan – Corporate Lawyer

1. What made you choose your field of law?
 Because I was good in a debate when I was high school and college. My
father is also a lawyer.
2. What skills are needed in your field of law?
 Persuasive Reasoning because you must convince the person and it will
also achieve the clarity of the conversation.
3. Describe a typical work day?
 One word “Rush” especially when you have many cases to do in a day
and there is always deadline to meet.
4. What are the challenges that you face in a modern-day practice?
 With the advent of gadgets, they are trying to use electronic filing now
which is good because unlike before they are just using registered mail
which leads them to cheat like they will change the date etc.
5. Did law school adequately prepare you for the practice of law?
 Not enough. A practice is learned by experience. Law school is just a
basic. A practice itself is the experience that will teach you.
6. Is there disconnect/inconsistency between law school and actual law practice?
 As I said, only the basic that the law school teach. There is no disconnect.
Law school gives you the basic and practice gives you experience. There
is a good exposure in the practice.
7. Any tips on how law student can prepare for the bar exams?
 Stock knowledge. The more knowledge you have the better. Like if you
can memorize the codals then memorize it. So, when you take the bar,
you can just answer on what you remember. Just remember, you cannot
depart from the law. Just keep reading because there is always changes
like new jurisprudence.
8. How do you think law schools can better prepare students for the practice of law?
 More practicum like court attendance
9. What advice can you give to students as they prepare themselves for the legal
profession?
 Exposure in the court proceedings. If you have nothing to do or if you have
your free time, go to court, attend hearing and observe how lawyers do
their job like cross-examinations.
10. What aspects of law practice in our country need to be improved?
 It is not the law because our law is ok. The only problem is clogging of
dockets because we have so many cases. It could be better if before the
cases will filed, they should do summary hearing if the case is worth to go
for a trial or not like in America.
11. Any tips on how a lawyer can stay honest despite the rampant corruption going
on in our country?
 That is very simple, “Follow the law” because that is what your job all
about.
12. What do lawyers feel after losing a case?
 Well, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and we should live with
that. I never feel frustrated in losing a case so far because I know myself, I
am doing my job very well and I also exerted my effort. However, I feel
bad for my client because there are some clients who doesn’t cooperate
well like they give insufficient evidence and sometimes there are
manipulation that leads to losing the case.
13. Where did you first work after you passed the bar?
 Private practice. I am already exposed since my father is a lawyer.
14. (If private) Did you ever consider working for the govt?
 Never because of corruption.
Atty. Janis Lape – Litigation and Real Estate Lawyer
1. What made you choose your field of law?
 It was my childhood dream to become a lawyer. Then when I became a
lawyer, I inclined to do the litigation and real estate property because it is
in demand right now. We do not know if this will still become a trend or in
few years another demand will also come up. So, for now both litigation
and property law.
2. What skills are needed in your field of law?
 Drafting of contracts, due diligence on the property and supervisions of
legal works.
3. Describe a typical work day?
 Less busy in the morning because most appointments will come from
lunch onwards to afternoon. So, what I do, paperwork in the morning,
meetings at noon time, and clients visit in the afternoon.
4. What are the challenges that you face in a modern-day practice?
 Clients who are demanding of your time, so much questions that they
want to put on their corporate contract that will lead to inconvenience in
the future. So, we have to address their concerns to satisfy them also.
5. Did law school adequately prepare you for the practice of law?
 I think I can put it like 40% because practice is totally different than what
you learn from the school. The one that you read is not actually the one
that is being apply. Those are only ideal and give you next step but in
actual, there are still intricate details to do before you can do the next step
6. Is there disconnect/inconsistency between law school and actual law practice?
 Its not inconsistent but the one you get or the theory you get from school
is not intensive as the one you acquire in the practice. In practice, you will
be able to encounter situations which were not inform or not aware during
your law school days.
7. Any tips on how law student can prepare for the bar exams?
 Read ahead of time and keep your notes from the beginning so that you
can just go back to your notes during the review. So that you will not
anymore acquire new materials which you were not yet made to read
before. So, while you are still in first year, compile all your notes.
8. How do you think law schools can better prepare students for the practice of law?
 They should let students do legal advice or offer some legal aid while they
are still in law school. There are NGO’s who are providing legal aid
services, they can act as volunteer like to prepare affidavits for the witness
that being catered to the NGO. So, they can partner with the IBP and PAO
to do the volunteer work. They can also observe how lawyer do their job.
9. What advice can you give to students as they prepare themselves for the legal
profession?
 They must ask themselves what they really want to do because there are
several fields that they can do or what they are good at.
10. What aspects of law practice in our country need to be improved?
 I think the public assistance on clients, the public service because of too
much clients and volume of the cases they lack energy and time to devote
on them.
11. Any tips on how a lawyer can stay honest despite the rampant corruption going
on in our country?
 Personal conviction. Personal belief that if you stick to your principle, you
will not be corrupted.
12. What do lawyers feel after losing a case?
 Feel guilty and ashamed to your clients. But you have to segregate your
personal life and to your professional life.
13. Where did you first work after you passed the bar?
 Before I pass the bar, I already work paralegal. So, when I passed the bar,
I was just absorbed in the same office.
14. (If private) Did you ever consider working for the govt?
 Yes, because you will appreciate their work like they have so many cases
to entertain. You will also get envious seeing them that they are well-
respected.