My holiday is spent studying

I've been spending my holiday break doing advance study for my current review subjects, including Civil Law and Commercial Law which I'm having a tough time this semester. I feel like having a weak foundation in these two subjects. Aside from I find them boring, it doesn't help that the teachers for these subjects emphasize on rote memorization on even the most inapplicable, impractical provisions of the law, rather than case-based problems which I am used to and to me where my strength lies. But I'd rather take this as a challenge, for after all the Bar exam also entails a lot of memorizing pertinent provisions of the law. Mock bar exams are approaching, it will be this February and I'm afraid I might not be adequately prepared for both Civil and Commercial Law largely because I have to readjust my study focus to my teachers' style which is not exactly consistent with Bar exam style.

Aside from Civil Law and Commercial Law reviews, I'm currently taking up Labor Law and Remedial Law reviews as the remaining units I have to earn before graduating hopefully this March. My focus right now is to graduate this March. Preparing for the Bar exam is another thing. I'd like to thank my Labor Law professor though for adequately preparing us for the Bar exam. His outline and teaching style is really very helpful for the Bar exam and for actual practice.

One good news this month of December is that I recently signed up in a sideline project in which the compensation would cover my expenses for the Bar exam. I'm a working law senior student and I need sideline projects to help me save for the Bar exam preparation. It would not be enough to just rely on my regular salary. God really provides!

Maybe I should write some time about the life of a working law student. I envy those full-time law students who have all the day to allot to studying. But then really, examining myself, I know I would be bored just doing the same studying all day. A full-time job, which I enjoy by the way, is still my preference. Now that I'm in my senior year however, I hope the job load will not be as full as it were. I know, God will make a way, especially for things beyond my control.

True or False Technique

While studying for a Civil Law Review exam, I found out that it's easier to grasp and retain principles if I also note it down as a True or False problem aside from simply copying them verbatim in my notes. This was particularly effective when I reviewed a day or two before an exam. Because the legal principle or provision I read was either correct or erroneous, it pushed me to examine its validity and justify my choice.

Tags: Bar Tips

Less is More

I met up with a close lawyer-friend recently in Manila and our talk naturally touched on my preparations for the bar exam next year. Lawyer-buddy, who was .01 shy of making it in the Top 10 list of the bar exam results in 2004, shared this advice to me: Less is more. When reviewing for the bar exam, choose only one good review book per subject to read at least three times. The reason is both psychological and practical. You don't want to feel inadequate during the bar exam day because you have barely covered or mastered all the books you had slated for reading. Simply master one good review book. Besides, time is of the essence.

Lawyer-buddy currently works at the legal department of a major bank headquartered in Makati City.

Tags: Bar Tips

Top Ten Tips for Taking the Bar Exam

Here's another link with some good tips about taking the bar exam. This is a US situation, but can also be applied in preparing for the Philippine bar exam.

http://www.uslegalguru.info/2007/11/09/top-ten-tips-for-taking-the-bar-exam/

Tags: Bar Tips

Two Tips for Getting Best Results from Bar Exam Study Time

Check this US site on the said topic:

http://bigcitiesbigboxes.typepad.com/barwrite_blog/2007/12/two-tips-for-ge.html

Tags: Bar Tips