The extreme difficulty of becoming a lawyer in the Philippines is one of the reasons why the law profession is regarded with awe and why law practitioners are often some of the most well-paid professionals across all sectors.
For the uninitiated, here's a quick 5-step process that every aspiring lawyer needs to go through before finally getting the coveted "Atty." affixed before his/her name:
- Pass the PhilSAT, which is an aptitude exam all prospective law students need to take.
- Pass the admission exam of the law school of your choice.
- Survive first year in law school. It is general knowledge in law schools that first year is the most difficult of the four or five years a law student needs to go through. This is because the first year is when students adjust to the rigors and demands of law school -- something that even the best of college graduates struggle with.
- Graduate from law school.
- Pass the Bar exams.
If you've graduated from law school and are now anticipating taking the upcoming Bar exams, congratulations! This article will talk about how to file a Bar petition at the Supreme Court in Manila in order to take the Bar exams.
Keep going -- you're almost there!
How many times have you heard the adage, "the last step is always the hardest"?
This couldn't be any truer than in the Bar exams. The 4-week Bar exams in the Philippines is the last hurdle law graduates need to rise above of in order to finally become full-fledged lawyers.
But rising above what is generally considered the hardest Bar exams in the entire world is not easy at all, considering the high mortality rate in the exams, where only more or less 10-20 percent of takers in general manage to earn the required 75 percent passing score.
Held on all four Sundays of November each year (in recent years at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila), the Bar exams gauge law graduates' legal knowledge of, as well as writing and reasoning skills on, eight fields of law: political law, labor and social legislation, civil law, taxation, mercantile law, criminal law, remedial law, and legal and judicial ethics. The exams are administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
Who are eligible to take the Bar exams?
According to Rule 138 of the Rules of Court, applicants for admission to the Bar must possess the following:
- must be a Filipino citizen;
- must be at least 21 years of age;
- must be of good moral character;
- must be a resident of the Philippines; and
- must produce before the Supreme Court satisfactory evidence of good moral character, and that no charges against him, involving moral turpitude, have been filed or are pending in any court in the Philippines.
The Supreme Court's Office of the Bar Confidant is the one that deals with applications or petitions from law graduates needing to take the Bar examinations. Applicants for the Bar exams must file a verified petition in the form prescribed by the OBC on or prior to the scheduled deadlines.
Who should file the Bar petition?
You have two choices here: you either file the Bar petition yourself or authorize either your Bar buddies or your law school's Bar Ops to handle the paperwork for you.
Many, if not all, law schools in the Philippines have what are called Bar Operations Commission, or simply Bar Ops. This is a group of law student volunteers who take their time out to help their graduates prepare for the Bar exams.
The sort of assistance they give range from holding Bar review sessions, preparing reviewers, arranging logistical concerns for Bar examinees, providing food during the exams, cheering the examinees, and handling the paperwork, among others. Their goal is to lessen the concerns of Bar candidates so that the latter are able to concentrate on reviewing for the exams in the hopes of passing and improving their law school's Bar passing rate.
Should you choose to let the Bar Ops or your Bar buddies handle your petition to take the Bar, then all you need to do is issue the corresponding authorizations and wait for your permit to be given to you.
However, should you choose to do everything on your own, you would need to prepare all the documentary requirements on your own and submit them yourself at the Supreme Court in Manila.
What are the documentary requirements for first-time takers?
The requirements needed to take the Bar exams vary on whether an applicant is a first-timer or a retaker, or on whether or not an applicant has a pending civil, criminal, or administrative case.
For new applicants or first-time takers without cases, the following are required:
- a verified petition to take the Bar examinations;
- birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority; if the PSA copy is non-legible, a copy of the applicant's birth certificate issued by Local Civil Registrar must be attached;
- marriage certificate for married female applicants issued by the PSA or Local Civil Registrar;
- two testimonials of good moral character executed by members of the Philippine Bar;
- official pre-law degree;
- official law degree transcript;
- certificate of no derogatory record;
- certification by the school registrar executed under oath and noted by the Law Dean that the applicant graduated a four-year law course and that his/her name is included in the LEB Certification;
- three copies of latest un-retouched photos with the name imprinted thereon (1.5 x 1.5); and
- self-addressed stamped envelope.
For those with cases, the following should be attached to the Bar petition:
- for pending cases, there must be certified true copy of Complaint/Information and certification as to the pendency and status of the case;
- for decided cases, there must be a certied true copy of the Decision, a certificate of finality of the decision, and clearance from the Court, Prosecutor's Office or Office of the Ombudsman, as the case may be.
Where should the Bar petition and documentary requirements be filed?
The Bar petitions are filed at the Office of the Bar Confidant at the Supreme Court in Manila.
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is located along Padre Faura in Manila. The main landmarks surrounding the SC are the Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines-Manila, and Robinsons Manila.
The following are the commuting options en route to the Supreme Court:
- Book a ride via Grab or hail a cab.
- Take the LRT 1 Yellow Line and get off at the United Nations station near the World Health Organization. Walk towards PGH and turn right at the intersection.
- Take a Taft-bound UV Express Van or a jeepney from Fairview or Pasay. Get off at PGH. The SC is a few steps away.
Here are the steps in filing the Bar petition:
- Go to the Office of the Bar Confidant located at the 3rd floor of the old Supreme Court Building. From the lobby, walk past the golden seal of the SC and walk straight until you reach the elevators. Turn left towards what looks like a car parking area. Walk straight until you reach Landbank before crossing the road. Take the elevator to the third floor where the office of the Bar Confidant is located.
- Present your Bar petition and other documentary requirements to the OBC staff assigned to receive applications for the Bar.
- Once your documents have been inspected and verified, you will be asked to pay the Bar exams fee. As of 2018, the fee has been increased to P3,750.00 from the previous fee of P3,500.00. The payment is made at the cashier's office.
- To reach the cashier's office, take the elevator going to the ground floor. Take the route you took earlier until you reach the elevators across the lobby. Go to the third floor where the connecting bridge going to the Supreme Court Centennial Building is.
- Once you've reached the Centennial Building, take the stairs going to the ground floor. The cashier's office is right next to the stairs.
- Pay the Bar exams fee. Secure an official receipt.
- Return to the OBC at the old Supreme Court Building. Present the receipt to the staff member who received your application. You will then be given an acknowledgment receipt indicating your Bar Examinee Number, as well as the date on when you may be claim your exam permit.
Make sure to also check updates and notices about the Bar exams posted by the Supreme Court on its website at www.sc.judiciary.gov.ph.
As a sort of digression, note should be made of the old and decaying edifice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The two buildings in the SC complex are dank, dark, and have obviously seen better days.
The good news is that the Supreme Court is set to transfer to a new and swankier office as befits the institution once the proposed new building is completed at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
To all Bar takers, we're with you in wishing you the best of luck in conquering your final hurdle before becoming full-fledged lawyers!