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 candidates
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 candidates

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 candidates

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 workedout, 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

- FROM MONDAYS TO SUNDAYS -

(Evening)

2015

BAR EXAMINATIONS

(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

(Pao, 2004)

EXCELLENCE

SURE THING

SEEDED

POLITICAL LAW REVIEW

SPARKLE

JUST DO IT

SCHEDULE OF READINGS

NOVEMBER 2015 BAR EXAMS SCHEDULE

FIRST SUNDAY:
08 November 2015

8:00 am to 10:00 am

POLITICIAL & INTERNATIONAL LAWS

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

LABOR & SOCIAL LEGISLATION

SECOND SUNDAY:
15 November 2015

8:00 am to 10:00 am

CIVIL LAW

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

TAXATION LAW

THIRD SUNDAY:
22 November 2015

8:00 am to 10:00 am

COMMECIAL LAW

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

CRIMINAL LAW

8:00 am to 10:00 am

REMEDIAL LAW

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

LEGAL ETHICS & LEGAL FORMS

FOURTH SUNDAY:
29 November 2015

ILLUSTRATIVE PLOTTING OF READINGS

BAR REVIEW PERIOD: 209 DAYS 04 MAY TO 28 NOVEMBER 2015

POLITICAL LAW
First Reading
Second Reading
Third Reading
Fourth Reading

18 days,
18 days,
16 days,
16 days,

04 21 MAY
22 MAY 08 JUNE
09 24 JUNE
25 JUNE 10 JULY

(Mornings)
(Mornings)
(Mornings)
(Mornings)

October Reading
Pre-Week Reading

14 days,
6 days,

25 31 OCT
02 07 NOV

(A.M. & Evenings)

(Mornings)

Read the Constitution on that Saturday

LABOR LAW
First Reading
Second Reading
Third Reading
Fourth Reading

15 days,
15 days,
12 days,
12 days,

25 JUL 08 AUG
09 23 AUG
24 AUG 04 SEPT
05 16 SEPT

(Afternoons)
(Afternoons)
(Afternoons)
(Afternoons)

October Reading
Pre-Week Reading

7 days,
6 days,

25 31 OCT
02 07 NOV

(Afternoons)
(Evenings)

CIVIL LAW
First Reading
Second Reading
Third Reading
Fourth Reading

20 days,
20 days,
18 days,
11 days,

11 30 JULY
31 JULY 19 AUG
20 AUG 06 SEPT
07 17 SEPT

October Reading
Pre-Week Reading

14 days, 18 24 OCT
6 days, 09 14 NOV

(Mornings)
(Mornings)
(Mornings)
(Mornings)

(A.M. & Evenings)

(Mornings)

Civil Code and Latest Cases on Saturday

TAXATION LAW
First Reading
Second Reading
Third Reading
Fourth Reading

15 days,
15 days,
12 days,
12 days,

October Reading
Pre-Week Reading

7 days,
6 days,

13 27 JULY
28 JULY 11 AUG
12 23 AUG
24 AUG 04 SEPT

(Evenings)
(Evenings)
(Evenings)
(Evenings)

18 24 OCT
09 14 NOV

(Afternoons)
(Evenings)

COMMERCIAL LAW
First Reading
Second Reading
Third Reading
Fourth Reading

22 days,
20 days,
18 days,
18 days,

04 25 MAY
26 MAY 14 JUNE
15 JUNE 02 JULY
03 20 JULY

(Afternoons)
(Afternoons)
(Afternoons)
(Afternoons)

October Reading
Pre-Week Reading

14 days,
6 days,

11 17 OCT
16 21 NOV

(A.M. & Evenings)

(Mornings)

First Reading

18 days,

05 17 SEPT
17 18 SEPT

(Evenings)
(Whole Day)

Second Reading
Third Reading

18 days,
18 days,

19 24 SEPT
25 30 SEPT

(Whole Day)
(Whole Day)

October Reading

14 days,

11 17 OCT

(Afternoons)

Pre-Week Reading

6 days,

16 21 NOV

(Evenings)

CRIMINAL LAW

REMEDIAL LAW
First Reading
Second Reading
Third Reading
Fourth Reading
Evenings)

October Reading
Pre-Week Reading

24 days,
22 days,
20 days,
20 days,

04 27 MAY
28 MAY 18 JUNE
19 JUNE 08 JULY
01 05 OCT

(Evenings)
(Evenings)
(Evenings)
(A.M., P.M.,

20 days,
8 days,

06 10 OCT
23 28 NOV

(A.M. & Evenings)

(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
Pre-Week Reading

4 days,
4 days,

07 10 OCT
23 28 NOV

(Afternoons)
(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!