DEAN CESAR L. VILLANUEVA

ATENEO DE MANILA

LAW SCHOOL ROCKWELL CENTER, MAKATI

HOW TO ENSURE DOING

WELL IN THE

2015 BAR EXAMINATIONS

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

They are not a

They are not a

They are not a

They are not a

QUIZZES

PERSONALITY TEST

BEAUTY CONTEST

TEST OF FAITH OR RELIGION

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

COMPREHENSION OF BASIC LEGAL

RULES AND PRINCIPLES

Key to successful Bar Exams Preparations:

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?

FIVE (5) READINGS FOR A

REVIEWER FOR EACH BAR

SUBJECT

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:

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

(B) SECOND BOOK FROM 1:30 TO 6:00

(C) THIRD BOOK FROM 7:00 TO 11:00

(Morning)

(Afternoon)

(Evening)

- FROM MONDAYS TO SUNDAYS -

2015 BAR EXAMINATIONS SCHEDULE OF READINGS

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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 (Pao, 2004)

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

FOURTH SUNDAY:

29 November 2015

8:00 am to 10:00 am REMEDIAL LAW

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!