Correction, Your ALS community is, and wil always be, in your corner. And this show of collective support from your ALS community as you prepare, post-law school, for the bar exams, formally kicks off wit A MESSAGE FROM DEAN JOSE MARIA G. HOFILENA Even as you haven't quite shaken off the jubila- tion and relief from your successful completion of your backbreaking law studies, here are your friénds from the Ateneo Law School (ALS) sitting you down and reminding you of two very import- ant things. First, that the bar exams are just around the corner. Exactly where that corner is, however, we can't say for now. But trust me, its there: Second, that your ALS community is just around the corner. this primer put together by Palladium. Indeed, you are anything but alone as you prepare for your bar exams May the well-meaning recommendations in this compendium, culled from real life experiences, help you discover what works best for you. And as you leaf through its pages, visualize an entire ALS communi- ty. students, faculty. administrators, alumni—cheering you on hysterically with your every step, confident that armed with an Ateneo education in law as your Bedrock plus the tips and tricks shared with you by this primer and fortified by your own disciplined determination, you will succeed and be the next contribu- tor of helpful advice for next year's Palladium primer. DUC Ly Megan B. Marcos Jonathan Peter A. Gregorio Bernadette Gabrielle R. Encarncacion ‘Yedda Marie Joy I. Diaz Romano Rene Daniel M. Santos Lauren Isabel Sy Ong Luis Miguel F. Ocampo Mikko Al Rashid E. Ringia Daniel Y. Daguman, Jr Khalela John D. Talion Lorena Lalen Q. Cruz Lyndon N. Montez Marion lya D. Merilles Robyn Kristyn S. Bangsil Alyanna Marie T. Manalang Hanston Ong Balonan Editor-In-Chief Associate Editor Managing Editor Junior Associate Editor Junior Managing Editor Features Editor Arts and Culture Editor News Editor Legal Editor Layouts Editor Photography Editor Photography Editor Multimedia Editor Online Content Manager Externals Relations Manager Office and Circulations Manager CONTRIBUTORS Sean Borja Anton Jess Lim M. Fajardo Daniel Fordan Chris Co Elaine Wong Nico Pascual Kat Gaw Marianne Macarilay Haydn Tan) Leo Abot Alvin Tan Paolo Banadera Jonas Cabochan Isabelle Poblete Madz Ong Aimee Garcia Paolo Bautista Ted Ballesteros The unauthorized use and distribution of this material is prohibited.BA PRI BO ees YAR) Cer ce) NAME, Biel ea Nd God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things | cannot change, the courage to change the things | can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen. tLe te Nise Ca Cy LEO ABOT General Tips Senior Year Preparation. Take your bar review Subjects seriously. This would offen be your last Chance to catch up on your "weak" subjects during law school. You should aim to have zero backlog by the time you graduate. While i sim possible to feel fully confident about any of your subjects, strive at least to be secure in having an adequate grasp of the subject material, and aim to fill in the missing pieces during bar review Proper. Know What to Study For. Secure a copy of the bar syllabus issued by the Supreme Court for each Subject as soon as possible. While review- ing for the bar, | placed a check mark on each line/item to indicate that | had covered that topic. | would also scribble some notes on the syllabus (e.g. requisites/elements) for easy review. Bar Review Materials. Use your last year in law school to survey for potential materials during bar review. As much as possible, it is best to use the same materials you used in class for bar review. Itis very difficult to use completely new materials for bar review (even if it's the Same subject matter) Once you have selected your bar review materi- als, gather them in one place and as much as possible don’t add to them while you review. Alot of time that can be used to review can some- times be wasted on just looking for the right ma- terials. By the first month of bar review | had more or less completed gathering my materials and placed them all in four boxes. The most im- portant material for me was the codal. | heavily annotated my codals for all subjects during the review. When it was time for pre-week, it was almost purely codal for me plus the shorter ma- terials. | also had a few notebooks where | would write jot down some notes, especially on con- cepts that are hard to understand.iL le Nae Na Ce Cy Study Schedule and Daily Routine. Plan ahead how you want to allocate your bar review months for studying. While initially | had planned to do at least two reads, | ended up doing just one read of all my review materials prior to pre-week. But | made sure that that one read Was a very good read where | had understood and retained the subject matter, such that it would be easier to recall them during pre-week | also tried to stick to a daily routine to ensure that | was making progress every day. Review Venue. Choose a place where you are most comfortable studying and where you can lessen distractions. | studied in the APS Library because | felt most comfortable there and that was where | regularly studied during my four years in law school. | imagined it would be diff- ult adjusting to a new environment and it might affect my review performance Mock Bar Exams. | took some mock bar exams mainly to test my endurance to see if | could take an exam for four hours straight, and to sharpen my test-taking skills (in terms of accuracy, re- sponsiveness, organization, penmanship, elc).1 did not take mock exams for all subjects though because | felt like using the time to review more. | kept my mock bar exam-taking to a minimum so that I wouldn't get too exhausted or anxious about my performance Rest and Stay Healthy. Make sure to leave ad- equate time forrest; Get enough sleep, eat prop- erly, and exercise. i did not study at ail on Sun- days because | designated that as my rest day. | also made sure not fo study anymore once | got home from school Pray. | always made sure to pray and ask for God's help. during bar review. Nourishing my spiritual life during this very’ anxious period helped me to be at peace and to study without worrying too mych about taking the bar exams. | strived fo attend mass everyday while reviewing tLe te Nise Ca Cy Daily Routine Mondays to Fridays 8 hours of study per day 8:00 am — Wake up; Excercise 9:00 am Shower and Breakfast 9:45 am_—_ Travel Time to School 10:15 am Study (2 hours) 12:15 pm Mass 12:50 pm Lunch 1:30 pm Study (3.5 hours) 5:00pm — Merienda 5:30 pm Study (2.5 hours) 8:00 pm Travel Time to Home 8:45 pm Dinner 9:15pm Relax 14:30pm Sleep Saturdays 5.5 hours of study per day 8:00am — Wake up; Excercise 9:00am Shower and Breakfast 9:45 am_—_ Travel Time to School 19:18am Study (2 hours) 12:15pm Lune 1:00 pm Study (3.5 hours) 4:30 pm — Merienda 5:00 pm Mass/Family time/Relax 11:30pm Sleep Bar Review Materials Political Law Constitutional Law * Cases from Dean Cande PoliRev syllabus + Bernas Primer + Nachura Political Law Public Corporations, Admin, Election Law + Agra slides Public International Law + ASIL PIL Reviewer jachura & Gatdula PIL armiento PIL,iL le Nae Na Ce Cy Labor Law Labor Law 1 + Azucena red book 1 + Atty. Manuel slides Labor Law 2 + Azucena red book 2 + Atty. Manuel slides Social Legislation + Ateneo MAGIS Summer Reviewer Special Laws Civil Law Persons and Family Relations * Sta. Maria Persons Property “Paras Property Obligations and Contracts * Balane ObliCon Succession + Balane Succession Special Contracts & Others * CLV Sales outline + CLV Agency and Partnership outline + Miguel Sanchez Torts reviewer (based on Atty. Jess Lopez syllabus) + Cases from Atty. Jun Pilares Conflicts syllabus + Ateneo MAGIS Summer Reviewer Land Titles) + Rabuya Civil Law Reviewer (Conflict of Laws) +Cred Trans codal Taxation Law Taxation 1 * Ingles book + Bello slides Taxation 2 *Ingles book + Bello slides tLe te Nise Ca Cy Commercial Law Negotiable Instruments Law + Sundiang Commercial Law Reviewer + Atty. Jacinto Jimenez notes Insurance + Sundiang Commercial Law Reviewer * Atty. Jacinto Jimenez notes Corporation Law * Quimson Corporation Law (codal) + Sundiang Commercial Law Reviewer + Sanchez reviewer (based on CLV outline) * CLV Notes (Revised Corporation Code) + Atty. Jacinto Jimenez notes Securities Regulation * Quimson Corporation Law + Sundiang Commercial Law Reviewer * Atty. Jacinto Jimenez notes Transportation Law + Sundiang Commercial Law Reviewer + Abafio tables * Atty. Jacinto Jimenez notes Banking * Sanchez reviewer (Dean Hofi syllabus) + Sundiang Commercial Law Reviewer Intellectual Property Law * Miguel Sanchez reviewer + Cases from Negre syllabus +Negre slides + Sundiang Commercial Law Reviewer Anti-Money Laundering Act * Sundiang book + Atty. Jacinto Jimenez notes Criminal Law Criminal Law 1 * Reyes book 1 + Vilia-ignacio lecture notes Criminal Law 2 * Reyes book 2 CampaniaiL le Nae Na Ce Cy Remedial Law Civil Procedure *Riano CivPro 4 +Riano CivPro 2 + Riguera Primer-Reviewer 1 + GSA cases Criminal Procedure *Riano CrimPro + Riguera Primer-Reviewer 2 + GSA cases Evidence + Riano Evid + Riguera Primer-Reviewer 2 + GSA cases Special Proceedings + Magdangal De Leon SpecPro book + Riguera Primer-Reviewer 2 Legal Ethics + Ateneo MAGIS Summer Reviewer ISABELLE POBLETE Mind-set is Key | think the most important thing you have to re- member when reviewing for the Bar is to mindful that you have time- time to study, time to relax, time to work out and time to spend with family and friends. Of course, a considerable amount of your time will be spent reading and sitting but | hink the most important thing you need to get fight before starting is to have a good mind set. This will dictate your choices in the upcoming month. Remember, you have time. When I say this, | don't mean to say that you should be complacent, You cannot be compla- cent. What | mean is, do not let the fact that you have to study dictate every aspect of your life during this period. Looking back, | feel if| kept this mindset, i would have had a more enjoyable bar review experience. So do the things you usu- ally do: workout, see friends (though to a lesser extent), watch Netflix (one episode lang!), sleep (at least 8 hours!). tLe te Nise Ca Cy If you are able to integrate these little bits of hap- piness into your fe instead of depriving yourself of them completely, | think you will be happier, have a more refreshed mind when it comes to study, and you'll actually enjoy your time review- ing. Do not try to change your study habits too drastically, Do what works for YOU. Apart from having a good mind set, before you start making your schedules and choosing what books to read, you should take some time to re- fiect on who you are as a law student Think back on how you studied during the four years. I'm sure you'll read this often in this primer, but really, you have to do what works for you: Remember, the last 4 years was not just about learning the law. In the 4 years of law school, you have formed a unique way of study- ing that allowed you to survive. It would be unwise to drastically change that now. You will have to make minor adjustments, of course, but ultimately, everyone has different study habits. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Think back on all the subject you took. List down what subjects you know you did well in, or you have a good grasp of, and those that well, you didn't (for example, if @ prof was pure samplex, syempre you'll study samplex lang mostly diba). is is important as it should be a factor in how you divide your time in studying. If you have a Good foundation in a certain subject, then re- Viewing it will be much easier. Do not follow trends/chismis too much. | think this was something | took too Seriously during bar review. While you're reviewing, you'll hear a lot of chismis about what books are good, who the examiners are etc. That's fine, everyone likes hearing this kind of chismis but don’t bank onitso much. Itis very distracting, time consum- ing, and honestly, a waste of money to buy books and reviewers just because there is “chis- mis" that a certain author is an examiner this year.iL le Nae Na Ce Cy Stay Healthy. Again, this is very important. Itis dificult to study when’ you're sick! Take ‘your vitamins, get enough sleep (remember, you have time), work out. Studying while having a bad cough or runny nose is very difficult, | think these five points are very important for a bar reviewee more than a specific schedule out- lining exactly what | did. What | did worked for me and may not work for you. What | think, uni- versally applies 10 all bar feviewees 1s a 900d mindset, | promise, you, staying stressed and worried the entire time is not helpful. | learned that the hard way, | realized | was most produc- tive on the days I did something else Nonetheless, here are a few things I did while re- viewing that worked for me: 1. Codal is Key | cannot stress this ENOUGH. CODAL. IS. KEY. | know codal may be boring but the bar exam is, really the bare minimum ‘of what you_should know as a lawyer, right? CODAL. IS. KEY. Master and understand the codal of each sub- ject, especially for CIV, TAX, REM, and ETHICS. ersonally, | like writing notes beside a codal provision So what | did was | photocopied all the rex codals ofthe bar subjects based on the order ofthe syllabus. | asked Blessing to place a good 1.5 margin for each page so that there would be room for notes. | think, before going into books and reviewers, your first read should be all the covered codals of the bar subjects. That way, when you read books na, you have a foundation and can recall where in’the codal that specific discussion is. During my second read, | would be reading a book, with the codal beside me. | would Scribble down notes on the margins from the books that help explain the codal, or are im- portant to understand the codal. This is what | read during pre week and it helped a lot. 2. Master one or two books, do not try to review everything Again, this is an offshoot of trends. During bar review, you'll hear a lot of advice as to what is a “good reviewer” or a good book. That's all well and good but honestly, will you be able to re- member everything? No. tLe te Nise Ca Cy Mastering one or two books is your best bet be- cause once you go back, you'll recall your first read and understand it better. 3. Online Lectures help with weak subjects always knew that Tax was my weakest subject. To address this, | knew I had to listen to lectures. I realized through out law school | was an audito- ty leamer (| understand better when | Near it then read on it after). Lectures really help for subjects you're kind of iffy about since lecturers inject simple explanations and examples to help you understand. When you're reading, you'll re- member these examples and it will be easier. (for Tax. highly, HIGHLY recommend Atty. Lum- era of Jurist bar review) 4, Important Jurisprudence Honestly, | think you shouldn't worry or read this &i maybe October or the month before your exam. They're just tiny little details that add to your overall understanding of the basics. Of course the exams will have questions based on Jurisprudence, but | really think you should un- dersiand the basics before any of this. You'll honestly forget these if you read it months before so better to read it when the exams are near and you have a good grasp of the foundation. 5. Number of Reads honestly does not matter one bit I'll be very honest; | made a schedule of how | would divide my time, but I did not end up follow- ing it lol. | was never the ‘schedule-y" type so | guess that why I couldn't stick with it: In the end, my goal was really just to make sure | covered everything in the syllabus, and understood it so | don't think this write up ‘will be much help for those who want a very clean and set out sched- ule (2. number of hours on a subject, number of reads), | think | was able to do 4 reads of every- thing, but that’s a “loose* 4 reads. But it really does not matter how many reads you do. What matters is what you remember and un- derstand. Don't be impressed by the number of reads someone does, it does not indicate that they are doing better off than you are. It just means that you do things differently.iL le Nae Na Ce Cy Lastly, these are the materials that | think worked for me. | won't list all the things | read because | don’t want this write up to end up as a sort of checklist of things you have to read. I'm just let- ting you know ‘that | thought these materials were the most helpful. Poli: CODAL Dean Cande's cases Bernas Primer (even if its not updated, itis very foundational, supplement it with Dean Cande’s cases and | think you should be good) Labor: CODAL CHAN (highly recommend, | think its very com- plete) Civ: CODAL (the exam was really mostly CODAL since there are So many subjects in CI PARAS BOOKS (long, but | like that the format is in bullet points. It helped with annotating import- ant provisions in the codal) Tax: CODAL Cumbera Lectures (she's really good, | swear) Ingles Supplement to the Train Bello Slides Comm: GODAL (again, Comm is very codalin the exam) Sundiang Book Crim: CODAL Beda Memaid REM: CODAL RIANO (long, but | think it's the most complete) Riguera (| don't think you should read the entire Riguera, just dog ear the pages that he indicates Leonen cases of recent casés. Its helpful that he indicates who the ponente is) ETHICS and FORMS: CODAL CODAL CODAL!! Ateneo Reviewer (seriously.) tLe te Nise Ca Cy TED BALLESTEROS Bar Review _ The only materials | read for the first time during bar review were the San Beda Red Book and the San Beda Covered Cases. All my other materi- als, | already read in law school \ chose to read reviewers over textbooks since | prefer to read at least 2 different materials per subject. Textbooks take time to read while re- viewers are straight to the point and directly give me the information | need. | didn't attend online lectures since | absorb in- formation better when I read it rather than hear it, | took mock bar exams after my first read so | would know where | needed to adjust, | read each subject 4 times (excluding pre-week) Daily Schedule Monday-Saturday B00 f Wake Up; Breakfast 9:00 Shower/Get Ready 10:00 Study 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Study 700 Dinner 800 Unwind/Get Ready For Bed 10:00 Sleep Sunday - Rest Time Table (109 Study Days from June 18 to October 26) First Read - Poli to Ethics (68 days Total) + Political Law: 10 Days * Labor Law: 7 Days + Civ Law: 49 Days + Taxation Law: 6 Days + Commercial Law: 10 Days + Criminal Law: 7 Days + Remedial Law: 6 Days + Legal Ethics: 3 DaysiL le Nae Na Ce Cy Second Read - Ethics to Poli (12 Days Total) * Political Law: 2 Days + Labor Law: 1 Day + Civil Law: 2 Days + Taxation Law: 2 Day + Commercial Law: 1 Day + Criminal Law: 1 Day + Remedial Law: 2 Days + Legal Ethics: 1 Day Third Read - Poli to Ethics (23 Days Total) + Political Law: 3 Days + Labor Law: 2 Days + Civil Law: 5 Days + Taxation Law: 2 Days + Commercial Law: 4 Days + Criminal Law: 2 Days + Remedial Law’ 4 Days + Legal Ethics: 1 Day Fourth Read - Ethics to Poli (6 Days Total) + Political Law: % Day ‘Labor Law: % Bay” + Civil Law: 1 Day + Taxation Law: 1 Day + Commercial Law: 1 Day + Criminal Law: 1 Day + Remedial Law: % «Legal Ethics: 4 Bay Materials Political Codal - First and Third Read Sandy Crab - First and Third Read Jack Notes - First and Third Read Agra Slides (2018) - First and Third Read ASIL PIL Reviewer - First and Third Read ‘Ateneo Reviewer - First and Third Read Beda Red Book - Second and Fourth Read Beda Covered Cases - 2nd and 4th Read Labor Law 1. Codal - First and Third Read 2. San Beda Memory Aid - First and Third Read 3. Beda Red Book - Second and Fourth Read 4, Beda Covered Cases - 2nd and 4th Read PNOTAYNS tLe te Nise Ca Cy Civil Law Codal - First and Third Read ” Bersons Kat Gaw Reviewer- 1st & 3rd Read ” Property Kat Gaw Reviewer- 1st & 3rd Read Succession Champ Reviewer - 1st & 3rd QbliCon Kat Gaw Reviewer - 1st & 3rd Read Sales CLY Outline (2016) - ist & 3rd Read Agency CLV Outline (2046) - 1st & 3rd Credtfans Block D Transcript - 1st & 3rd Land Titles Delos Angeles PPT - 1st & 3rd Torts JLopez Digests - First and Third Read 10. Beda Red Book (2019) - 2nd and 4th 11, Beda Covered Cases (2019) - 2nd and 4th OmNOnRoNs— Taxation Law 1. Tax 1 Bello Slides - First and Third Read 2: Tax 2 Montero Slides - First, and Third Read 3. Beda Memory Aid) (2018) = 1st & 3rd Read 4 DRAIN Supplement Ingles) - 1st & 3rd 5. Beda Red Book (2019) - 2nd and 4th 8 Boda Covered Gases (2019) nd and 4th Commercial Law Codal - First and Third Read Insurance Hotilena Slides -First and Third Corp Kat Gaw Reviewer - First and Third legre Slides (2018) - First and Third Aieneg Reviewer (2018) - First and Third Beda Red Book (2019) - 2nd and 4th Beda Covered Cases (2019) - 2nd and 4th Noosons Criminal Law 4. Codal - First and Third Read 2. Beda Memory Aid (2015)- First and Third 3. Beda Red Book (21 19) ~2nd and 4th 4, Beda Covered Cases (2019) - 2nd and 4th Remedial Law 1. Codal - First and Third Read 2. CivPro Bar Review (De Leon) - 1st & 3rd 3. SpecPro Bar Review (De Leon)- 1st & 3rd 4. CrimPro Bar Review (De Leon) - 1st & 3rd 5. Evidence Bar Review (De Leon) ist & 3rd 6. Beda Memory Aid (2016) - 1st & 3rd Read {, Beda Red Boak (2019) - 2nd and 4th 8. Beda Covered Cases (2019) - 2nd and 4th Legal Ethics 1” Codal - First and Third Read 2. Ateneo Reviewer (2018) - 1st & 3rd Read 3. Beda Red Book (2019) - 2nd and 4th 4. Beda Covered Cases (2019) - 2nd and 4thiL le Nae Na Ce Cy Pre-Week 1. | browsed through everything but read the codal thoroughly. : 2; [rested every Monday morning and started fr studying for the afternoon subject afternoon to Tuesday. 3.1 studied the morning subject from Wednes- day to Friday. om Monday Pre-Bar Exam Day 1. [rested every Saturday morning 2. If the last minute tips arrived on’ Saturday, I'd finish reading them. Otherwise, I'd read them ‘Sunday morning before having breakfast. 3. | limited myself to reading two last minute tips (including Ateneo's). Post-Bar 1. didn't want to discuss the answers nor did | want to know the suggested answers. 2. In fact, | still don’t know the suggested an- swers. Tips 1. Personal - There is no right way to study for the bar. The last thing you want to do is abruptly adjust your study style and copy someone else's to be ‘better The study style of other people work for them but not for you. You should stick to what you're most comfortable with and where you know you'll be most efficient. 2. Quality - Studying longer hours does not nec essarily translate to belter results. Whenever your mind feels tired (i.e. when you're staring at a page for the past half hour), then its time to rest. Otherwise, you'll just be wasting time and energy. Bar review is a marathon, not a sprint. Although you. should pace yourself, you shouldn't stop moving and keep your mindset fo- cused on the goal fo pass the bar. You must maintain an aggressive mentality all throughout while studying efficienty and smart at the same ime 3. Enjoy -You should have fun during bar review. Do what you have to do to: (1) get going to start your day: and (2) recharge for the next day (e. exercise, Netflix. go on a date, or whatever floats your boat), You have. to give yourself time to lave fun on the side. Bar review should not feel like a punishment, tLe te Nise Ca Cy 4, Peak - You must be your most confident and peak self exactly when pre-week arrives. You Should plan your bar review carefully to achieve this so you won't peak too early or foo late. For example, | know that | need to read the materials 4 times to be at my peak. If | read less, I'll feel like Im not prepared. 1 read more, Il fee tke | over studied and overthink the exam. This is why I planned my schedule in a way that I'll be able finish exactly 4 reads when pre-week arrived. FROM THE BATCH Paolo Bautista Here are some general guidelines that | plan to observe during the upcoming bar review: 41, Study in an ergonomic workspace. Prolonged sitting in an uncomfortable position can cause back pain. Also, book stands, laptop stands, etc. might help improve your posture. It will be easier to Study and learn if you are comfortable. 2. Eat well and exercise. 3. Find ways to relax and minimize stress. 4, Fact-check your review materials. 5. The choice of what to study and how to study is a personal decision. Don't be bothered if others do it a different way. Different things work for different peopie. 6. Here is a tip from Justice Leonen’s twitter ac- count: “The coming bar examinations will test the applicant's basic competence to be a starting lawyer. Thus, read the actual text of the provi- sions of relevant laws. Do the hard work of studying deliberately, patiently and with focus.” 7. Stay healthy. 8. Enjoy your coffee but get some sleep.iL le Nae Na Ce Cy Jonas Josh Cabochan Well, my first tip is more of a disclaimer, and it's that a sludy/productivity schedule and routine is an extremely personal set-up that should be tai- lor-suited for each individual. The exact number of hours of work or study and the organization of What will be tackled in a given day, week, or month should be determined at the discretion of the person working, In short, this won't be an outline of exactly what I'll be planning to do but rather tips for you to consider when tailoring a study schedule I'll highlight a few main points, namely Rest, Ex- ercise, and Planning Rest This is probably the most overlooked aspect when talking about productivity. It's really import- ant to respect this part, since it's possible to read and study for 14 hours for a day, but to sustain that for months or even weeks without burnin out is next to impossible. Overworking yoursel can lead to burnout, which decreases motiva- tion, fatigues you, and affects your ability to retain what you read. The goal is to peak by the time Bar month comes along (which, as of the time I'm writing this, is still an unknown month), So yes, respect your time to rest and relax. First thing that should be tackled here is sleep. Always get enough sleep. During my time in Law School, I'd average 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and even 8-10 hours a night during exam season. This was something | never skimped on, because after going real hard atthe books and in class, | knew that my brain needed the rest. NO ALL-NIGHTERS to read or study. | can count with 1 hand the number of all-nighters | did in law school, and they were only to write papers. The effect of an all-nighter can actually last a week, and is not conducive in a heaithy study routine. Next is to give, yourgelf about a day off at least once a week. After Saturday classes, | wouldn't touch any study materials until Sunday, after noon, just to refresh my mind and prep if for the upcoming week tLe te Nise Ca Cy When I do study, | don't go,at it for 4 oF 5 hours straight. | actually study in 25 to 30 minute inter- vals, with a 5-minute break in between. This is what works for me since it allows my mind to pro- cess what I've read and not overload with infor- mation in 1 go. You can modify this to be like an hour if you want, but just don’t go overboard with how long you vant to study without taking a breather. duality hours trump quantity for me. You can check out Pomodoro or other productivi- ty apps (e.g. Forest) to help time this if ever. During ECQ, | had a dedicated stop, time for work/study. this forced me to really dial in on what | was reading and focus with a burning in- tensity if | wanted to finish my goal for the day This also meant that my sleep schedule would stay consistent, which helps in building a routine. Exercise OK, Im not the most jacked guy ever, but | stil do some exercise to take care of my'body. Do some physical activity everyday, because it im- proves health and cognitive function. During ECQ and when there were a few weeks withouit online classes, | did a bit of a test run on myself with regard to Scheduling for Bar review, and | found out that | tended to have a drop in productivity during the mid-afternoon (which | will attribute to “brain fog’). also found out that exercising when | experience this brain fog was the best way to get rid of it, probably because your mind take a break from all that reading | personally do Ashtanga Yoga as my workout, which | would recommend to any as it also helps develop strength and mindfulness, but really, any exercise or workout routine would be more beneficial than having no exercise routine at all Just don't be sedentary! Plannin, James Clear in Atomic Habits said this: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” So, a routine is more im- portant just simply having goals. Now, when you plan a routine, this encompass. es not only study schedule, but everything you do in general.BAR S FROM THE LATES’ fi ey PERSONAL NOTES Jonas Josh Cabochan For studying | always ike to tackle the subject's tim not too good at the start. This way, my fresh mind is handling subjects/topics that I'm not too familiar with, so retention would be better. | also leave my phone at another side of my room when | study, so I'm not tempted to chec! it. However, you can opt to put it in Do Not Dis- turb mode so notifications from messages or IG don't keep bombarding you For exercise, | like to workout either between study sessions in the afternoon, or in the eve- ning after | finished everything. This part de- pends on how productive | am during the day and how intense the brain fog is as well Speaking of time, we have a lot of time to pre- pare, but in the seme vein, more opportunities 0 wurnout. We can't really follow the study sched- ules of bar candidates in the past due to our unique circumstances. Therefore, take it easy on trying to review as much as possible in the be- ginning Try to plan out the week at minimum, but again, devote a day or 2 to relax and recuperate. If you don't follow your schedule exactly, don't beat yourself over it, Manage expectations and adjust accordingly. If you feel ke you're in a bit of a rut, take a break, workout, or read the sub- ject/s you enjoy learning about for a bit For more productivity tips, check out YouTuber ‘Thomas Frank. He has a’channel dedicated to improving productivity and developing routines, and all his content is backed by good research.colts od BAR REVIEW LIFESTYLE Note: The answers here are based on a survey with respondents being 2016-2018 bar takers. The answers contained here are the most re- peated answers by all respondents. Is exercise and eating healthy crucial during bar review? The review requires a healthy mind and a healthy body, Your performance is greatly affect- ed by your health. You need to balance your mind or else you might go crazy by the second month if you just focus on studying all day. ‘The bar review will become repetitive especialy halfway to November. To avoid sluggishness, try eating healthy and going to the gym. It will pre~ vent Sickness and relieve stress. Do not overdo working out, though, because the main goal is still to Study'our butts off. Do not forget to take vitamins as welll Remem- ber that getting sick during bar review can derail you from your timeline. What is the ideal bar review routine like? The ideal bar review routine involves jumpstart- ing your day with a morning workout. You can opt to do so at night if you are having trouble sleeping, You have to pracice, sleeping early and waking up early, though, to adjust your body clock to the normal waking hours during the bar month. This will also train your brain to function early, which will make it easier for you to remem- ber what you've studied during the bar. During review, your routine would depend on your Study sive, I you're the type to study 10 jours straight, taking breaks only to eat or then good for you! But if taking a lot of breaks in between works better for you, then that's okay too. There are those who choose to entertain themselves by watching Netflix to relax in be- tween study sessions. Your study routine should fit you, so assess yourself before making a schedule: What is the average number of studying hours spent per day? 6-10 hours, You will have good and bad days. During the bad days, just rest and relax. Do me- chanical stuff or entertain yourself first. SUGGESTED BOOKS AND REVIEWERS/NOTES POLITICAL 1, Nachura, 2: Bernas Primer 3: Jack notes 4. Magis pre-week LABOR 4. Chan 2. Atty. Manuel lectures (pre-week) 4. Blue Tips CIVIL, 1, Aquino 2: Codal (pre-bar) 3. Rabuya (for fast reader) 4. Sta. Maria (Persons) 8, Paras (Property) 6 Ateneo pre-week lectures CRIMINAL 1. Reyes (Book 1) 2: Campanilla (Book 2) 3. Beda Mem-aid 4. Jurists pre-week lectures REMEDIAL 1, Riano books 2. Riguerra . 3. Jurists pre-bar lecures (GSA for civpro) 4. Jurists pre-bar lecures (Tranquil for crimpro) 5. Tranquil lectures and notes 6. Magdangal de Leon notes TAXATION 1. Ingles 2. Bello slides 3; Lumbera jurists lecture 4. Magis (pre-week) COMMERCIAL 1. Sundiang 2: Jack notes 3. Jurists lectures for pre-bar 4. Magis and Ateneo lectures (pre-week) ETHICS 1. Ateneo summer reviewer 2: Magis, 3: Blue TipsBA PRI Pe) DT STRATEGIES How many reads should be my target? The recommended number of reads is at least 2, with the second read focused on mastery and memorization. If you're a slow reader because your first read already involves memorizing, 1 {ood and solid read is enough. What is the best order of studying the differ- ent bar subjects? ‘Study your weak or heavy subjects first, Your reads ‘should gradually get narrower. While doing your frst fead, mark those, that you think you have mastered already during your daily rind So you will have more time to focus on those you do not know by heart for the second read. Mark also those topics that you find very difficult to understand. For the second read, do mirroring of the bar sub- jects. Tackle first your difficult topics. Everythin, should click by pre-week. Also, read the codal side by side during the first and the second read 80 by the time of the bar, you've already mas- tered the codal. Lastly, after studying a subject, always take practice tests. This is very important. CYS rr Would you recommend going to a review center? Yes. Mock exams are very helpful. All respon- denis recommended going to a review center. FOR THE TOPNOTCHER SEAN BORJA BAR MATERIALS Political and International Law Codal 2: Nachura 3. Carlo Cruz notes 4, Jack notes 5. Notes from 1st year / digests 6. PIL: ASIL Reviewer 7. Previous bar exams Labor and Soci 1. Codal 2: Chan Labor reviewer 3. Azucena red books (what | did was to “do ear” pages with doctrines or explanations thai were not in Chan, so that during pre-week, all | had to do was study Chan, and then go to all the Gog;eared pages in Azucena for fast skimming) 4, Manuel lectures (recent jur. + preweek) 5. Social Legislation: Jurist handouts 6. Previous bar exams Legislation Civil Law (may forever sa Civ huhu) 1. Codal Rabuya for overall understanding Persons/Family: notes from 1st year based on ‘Sta Maria book Property: Paras Succession: Balane Oblicon: Uribe lectures Sales: CLV outline, notes from 2nd year Agency, Partnership, Trusts: CLV outline, notes from 2nd year Lease: just used codal + Rabuya 10. CredTrans: just used Rabuya 11. Torts: case matrix from 3rd year 12. Land Titles: Jurist lecture 13. Albano recent jur 14. Ateneo recent jur 15, Previous bar exams © SNOAR oN Taxation Law 1. Codal 2. Ingles book 3; Bello slides with annotations from 4th year 4. Jurist lectures _ 5. Albano recent jur 6: Previous bar examsFOR THE TOPNOTCHER FOR THE TOPNOTCHER ETE OTN SEAN BORJA BAR REVIEW TIPS Commercial Law 1. Codal 2: Nego, TR, LoC: Sundiang, BarOps Rev 3. Transpo: Perez, Sundiang, BarOps Rev, digests from 3rd year 4, Insurance: Perezlll Then supplement with Sundiang, BarOps Rev 5. Corp: CLV Outline 6. AMLA: Jurists, BarOps Rev 7.IP: Jurists, Sundiang, BarOps Rev 8. Banking: Jurists, Sundiang, BarOps Rev 9° SecReg: Jurists, notes from 4th year 10. FRIA: Sundiang, BarOps Rev 11. FIA: BarOps Rev 12. E-commerce Act: Jurists lecture 13. Previous bar exams riminal Law Codal Campanilla Books 1 & 2 for overall understanding Crim2: Notes from 1st year based on Reyes SPL: Beda mem aid Jurist recent jur Campanilla lectures Previous bar exams Ci § 2 3 4 5. 6 7. Remedial Law 1. Codal with annotations from class 2) Riguera (all 3. Blane (Gite, GrimPro, Evidence) 4, Festin (SpeoPro) 5. MDL SpecPro Outline 6 Jurist lectures 7. Tranquil preweek 8. Previous bar exams Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises 1. Codal 2: BarOps Reviewer 3. Ethics: Lolo Hofi lectures + recent jur 4. Practical Exercises: JLo notes ani re-bar lecture jeda recent jur SLEEP. Get at least 8 hours of sleep everyday 50 that your mind can recover. It's not true that ‘sleepless nights’ are the way fo go because it's unsustainable and, worse, opens you to burning out ~ which you stiould avoid at all costs! SCHEDULE. Create a daily schedule (6am wake up, 7am exercise, 9am study etc etc.) as you see fit and stick to it. Additionally, you might want to create an ‘overall schedule’ where you plan the number of days you'll read for a certain Subject. As for me, I planned three readings which I'tried to spread across the 4-5 months of review. So, for example, for my first read, Poli was 5 days, Labor was 4'days, Ciy was 18 days, and so on. No, | didnt actually get to finish all 3 readings for all 8 subjects, but planning ahead helped me see the bigger picture, and helped me gauge what | could do and how fast | needed to study. STUDY THE RIGHT MATERIALS, | suggest sticking to materials which you ‘think have worked for you in law school. You don't need to use brand new materials for all the subjects of the bar. For example, | remember sticking to my handwritten crim notes back in law school the week of the crim exam, because | just had no time to cram anything élse. Studying what you already have will also help you cement what you already know. As for subjects where you think jou have no background (for example, IP law, ecReg, etc), perfiaps consider doing lectures first so that when you start doing codals, they will be easy to digest. ANNOTATE THY CODAL. When you hit your pre-week, chances are you will only have a limit- ed amount of time to study. So you really have to have a ‘trusted material’ that is concise but also comprehensive enough. For Civ, Comm, and Rem especially, | remember being kapit codal For other subjects, codal is still important but maybe you can have another “trusted material” (such as @ book). For you to be efficient during the bar, write whatever you can leam/pick up from the longer materials to either your codal or your “trusted material’ so that you never have to go back to the longer materials on your second ead onwards. Get small post-its to paste on your codal or trust- ed material, so that you have space to write on.FOR THE TOPNOTCHER ETE OTN DO NOT GET BOGGED DOWN BY HUN- DREDS OF MATERIALS. In relation to my earli- er point, there will be so many times when you will hear about a new material that you never read before. Relax, do not panic. Assess if the material is really worth reading. If yes then con- sider picking it up. If not, then drop it. You have a limited amount of time'and spreading yourself too thinly won't do any good! RECOMMENDED ORDER OF STUDYING A) codals (if unfamiliar subject, do lecture and annotate your codal while listening) B) books, then annotate your codal (or, alterna- tively, your “rusted kapit material’) so’that you never have to read the book again C) jurisprudence (and not just the 2018 cases) MOCK BAR. | only did some subjects because | ran out of time (Jurists: Tax, Comm, Crim, Rem), but from my experience useful naman to gauge how much you learned! GET YOURSELF SOME BAR BUDDIES. | won't advise doing the bar review alone. You need constants who will help you and motivate you throughout the entire season. You need to remain sane, after all! SANCTUARY. Remember to get inner peace For me, | would hang out with friends / family once in’a while, | would watch movies or get a drink (pero wag naman always ha! just enough to remain sane haha). | also made sure to visit Gesu at least once a month (or as needed), Basta do whatever it takes to make sure your soul remains as calm as possible while review- ing. Save the panic/hysterialadrenaline rush for November! EAT HEALTHY. Wala lang, gusto mo ba malaga tumaba sa bar. You want fo come out of it with a glow, or a least whatever glow you can muster. heka. Seriously though, eating healthy also means a healthy body (and youl need to take care of that if you want to thrive in those 5 months). But don't deprive yourself of anything you might want if you're REALLY REALLY crav- ing (ie., sweets!) FOR THE TOPNOTCHER SEAN BORJA PRE-BAR STUDY SCHEDULE 6:00 am wake up 8:90-7:30 am gym 7:30-9:00 am breakfast, shower etc. 9'00-12:00 nn stud) 12:00-1:00 pm lune! 1:00-5:00 pm study 5:00-6:00 pm dinner 8:00-9:00 pm study 9:00-10:00 pm wind down, get ready for bed 10:00 pm sleep PRE-WEEK STUDY SCHEDULE 1) Same, but no gym and less than 8 hours of seep on some (but nol ALL) days, 2) You have 6 days to study until Sunday. Try to gauge how many days you will need for per sub- ject. For me, | did 3/2, with the Saturday being my ultra cram day for blue tips or any last minute lecturesimaterials you need to see. 3) KAPIT CODALIMOST TRUSTED MATERIAL. DAY BEFORE EXAM 1) Chances are, you will be bombarded with a barrage of new materials (Albano notes, last minutg tips) and | suggest you stick $0 one or two. Don't waste time being overwhelmed be- cause unfortunately you don't get the luxury of time at this point. Relax, breathe, and read the additional materials you think you really REALLY need to read, and then rely on your own codalitrusted material 2) SLEEP. You will need all the rest you can get, Swear. Do not risk falling asleep during the exam. 3) BLUE TIPS. Read them. AFTER EXAM 1) Eat dinner, breathe, sleep. Do NOT even bother studying after the Bar on Sunday. If you find that you can't get yourself to read on Monday morning, consider doing videos/lectures ust so youre being productive. ) Do NOT check if your answers are correct or ywrong (unless you's the kind of person whe AB- SOLUTELY needs it for your peace of mind). Do your best to just move forward. Number of reads: 3 + bar weekaad FOR THE TOPNOTCHER ETE OTN What subject to read first? | don't believe there is one “best order” of study- Ing the subjects, If it helps though, | did Rem to Poli for my first read, Poli to Rem on my second read, and then Rem to Poli on my third read (so that when | hit November, Poli and Labor were fresh in my mind). Order of study materials 1) Codal + longest books you have. Annotate your codal with post its and side notes already so you dont ever have to re-read those iong books. If you're enrolled with jurists, watch the lecture videos for the subjects you have ab; solutely no background on (like banking and IP terme}, 2) Codal + shorter materials (like Bar reviewers! + lecture videos for some subjects you nee more help in. 3. Codal + re-read the shorter ma- terials so you can master them, For all the reads, your CODAL is your best friend FOR THE TOPNOTCHER DANIEL FORDAN PRE-BAR MATERIALS Commercial Law 7, Jurists Lectures 2) Jurists Mock Bar 3. Past Bar Exams Remedial Law 1, Codal 2. Jurists Lectures 3. Riguera Notes 4 Jurists Mock Bar 5. Past Bar Exams Criminal Law 1, Sandoval Pointers in Criminal Law 2. Jurists Lectures 3. Jurists Notes. 4, Jurists Mock Bar 5. Past Bar Exams Civil Law 1, Balane Notes 2. Jurists Lectures 3. Jurists Notes 4. Jurists Mock Bar 5. Past Bar Exams Taxation Law 1, Lumbera Lectures 2. Jurists Lectures 3. Lumbera Notes 4, Jurists Mock Bar 5. Past Bar Exams Labor Law 1. Manuel Lectures 2) Chan Reviewer 3. Jurists Mock Bar 4. Past Bar Exams Political Law 1, Bernas Primer 2. Jurists Lectures 3. Jurists Notes 4. Jurists Mock Bar 5. Agra Lecture 6. Past Bar Exams Ethics 7. Jurists Lectures 2. Jess Lopez Lecture (Forms) 3. Jurists Mock Bar 5.Past Bar Examsaad FOR THE TOPNOTCHER FOR THE TOPNOTCHER PY TSDyOY DYN ey PRE-WEEK MATERIALS Commercial Law 1. Sundiang Reviewer 2! UP Preweek 3. Jurists Preweek Lectures 4, Jurists Preweek Notes Remedial Law 1. Riguera Preweek Lectures 2: Riguera Notes 3. ALS Survey of Jurisprudence Criminal Law 1. UP Preweek 2. Jurists Preweek Lectures 3. Jurists Notes 4 ALS Survey of Jurisprudence Civil Law 1. Jurists Lectures 2! Aquino Reviewer Taxation Law 1. Lumbera Preweek Lectures 2. Lumbera Preweek Notes 3. ALS Survey of Jurisprudence Labor Law 1. Manuel Preweek Lectures 2. Jurists Preweek Lectures 3. Jurists Notes 4, ALS Survey of Jurisprudence Political Law 1. UP Preweek 2: Jurists Preweek Lectures 3: ALS Survey of Jurisprudence Ethics 1. Jurists Preweek Lectures 2. Ateneo Preweek Hofi Lecture ON THE DAY MATERIALS Commercial Law 1, Blue Tips 2: Jurists Tips Remedial Law 1. Blue Tips 2: Jurists Tips 3. Codal Criminal Law 1, Blue Tips 2: Jurists Tips Civil Law 1. Blue Tips 2) Jurists Tips Taxation Law 1. Blue Tips 2. Jurists Tips Labor Law 1. Blue Tips 2 Jurists Tips Political Law 1. Blue Tips: 2. Jurists Tips 3. Codal Ethics 1. Blue Tips 2. Jurists Tips 3. Jess Lopez Notes NOTE: Studied in this order, just followed Jurists Mock Bar schedule.FOR THE TOPNOTCHER PY TSDyOY PRE-BAR STUDY SCHEDULE Wake Up, Meditate Social Media/News Sym 10:00AM Shower 10:30AM Studs 1200NN Luncl 1:00PM Study 4:00PM = Snack 5:00PM Study 7:00PM Dinner 8:00PM Rest 10:00 PM Study/Practice handwriting 12:00 MN Sleep GENERAL TIPS + Stick to your own study style. + Get enough sleep (& hours) + Have a relaxed mind before studying, Meditation helps. * Don't try to know everything, i's impossible. Be comfortable with not knowing everything + Try to understand the concepts instead of memorizing the rules. + Check out’spaced repetition system (helpful learning technique to help you retain what /ou've studied) + Take mock bars even if you haven't finished the subject yet to experience answering 4-hour exams. Also, to practice answering questions you don't know the answer to. + Exercise. + Bractice handwriting + Study with friends. lave fun studying. Number of reads: 1 for codals, as many as you want for the annotations/notes What subject to read first? Weak subjects first, then review weak subjects again for around 2 weeks before pre-week. Study hours per day: 6 hours Recommended review centers: Ateneo - Ethics, Labor Jurists - The rest (Mock exams are very helpful ‘Also, you can watch online video lectures when not in the mood to read.) Order of study materials: Reviewer - Codal - Tips FOR THE TOPNOTCHER KAT GAW BAR MATERIALS Political Law Books 1. Nachura — This is already a comprehensive summary of the coverage 2, Bemas Primer — Though outdated, th the most accessible book on the Constitution 3. Codals! still Lecturers + Atty. Agra's slides and lectures — lectures at Ateneo Labor Law Books 1, Azucena’s Red Book (for first read) — for ev- erything, including Social Legislation (Note: Azucena does not cover everything, in ‘cial Legislation, but the jurisprudence he cites is important) 2. Chan — for everything, except Social Legisla- {ion | annotated my copy of Chan with insights from Azucena’s Red Boo! 3. Codals, including all relevant Department Orders! Lecturers 7. Atty. Manuel — lectures at Ateneo and Jurists 2: Atty. Voltaire Duano — for Social Legislation; lectures at Ateneo and Jurists ci Books 1. Personal reviewers for Succession, Oblicon, and Persons 2. Paras for Property 3, Aquino for all other subjects 4. CLV outline for Sales and Agency 5. Largo for Torts 6. Codals! Law Lecturers 1.Atty. Uribe — for Oblicon, and all the smaller subjects in Civil Law (e.., Sales, Lease, Agency, Partnership) — lectures at Ateneo and jurists 2. Aity. Zuftiga — for Credit Transactions