On February 8, 2011, the Supreme Court resolved to approve changes to the

Rules of Court, thereby altering the schedule for the examinations. The schedule
is now as follows:

First Sunday:
o Political and International Law, Labor and Social Legislation (morning
session)
o Taxation (afternoon session)
Second Sunday:
o Civil Law (morning session)
o Mercantile Law (afternoon session)
Third Sunday:
o Remedial Law, Legal Ethics (morning session)
o Criminal Law (afternoon session)
Fourth Sunday:
o Trial Memorandum (morning session)
o Legal Opinion with one legal form (afternoon session)

Grading system
The eight bar subjects are separately graded. Each subject contributes to the
general average in the following proportion:
Subject
Weight
Civil Law
15%
Labor Law and Social Legislation 10%
Mercantile Law
15%
Criminal Law
10%
Political and International Law
15%
Taxation
10%
Remedial Law
20%
Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises 5%
The passing average fixed by law is 75%, with no grade falling below 50% in any
bar subject.

Coverage
The examination covers the following topics, popularly known as the bar
subjects:

Political and Public International Law

o Constitutional Law
o Political Law
o Administrative Law (only the basic doctrines, excluding implementing
rules and regulations of government agencies)
o Law on Public Officers
o Public Corporations
o Suffrage
o Public International Law

Labor and Social Legislation

o Labor Law (Labor Code of the Philippines, excluding the implementing
rules and regulations)
o Social Legislation
Social Security Law
Revised Government Service Insurance Act of 1977 (including
Employees Compensation Act of 1977)
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law

Civil Law
o Civil Code of the Philippines (excluding the Code of Muslim Personal
Laws, Water Code, Rental Law, Law on Sale of Subdivision of Lots and
Condominiums)
o Family Code of the Philippines (including the Child and Youth Welfare
Code)
o Property Registration Decree (excluding the Public Land Law)
o Conflict of Laws (Private International Law)

Taxation
o General principles of Taxation
o Republic Act No. 1125, creating the Court of Tax Appeals
o National Internal Revenue Code (including the Expanded Value Added
Tax or EVAT)
o Tariff and Customs Code (excluding Arrastre and Classification of
Commodities)

Mercantile Law
o Negotiable Instruments Law and Other Allied Laws
Negotiable Instruments Law (with the Uniform Currency Act)
Merchants and Commercial Transactions (including Articles 1 to 63 of
the Code of Commerce, Retail Trade Law, Bulk Sales Law)
Letters of Credit under the Code of Commerce
o Insurance Code
o Transportation Laws
Common Carriers (Articles 1732 to 1766 of the New Civil Code)
Commercial Contracts for Transportation Over Land (Articles 349 to
379 of the Code of Commerce)
Maritime Commerce
Public Service Act
o Corporation Law
Corporation Code
Securities Act
Banking Laws
Laws on Secrecy of Bank Deposits
Deposit Insurance Corporation
Trust Receipts Law (excluding the General Banking Act)
Other Special Laws
Chattel Mortgage Law
Warehouse Receipts Law
Laws on Intellectual Creations
Copyright Law
Patent Law
Trademark Law
Insolvency Law
Truth in Lending Act

Criminal Law
o Revised Penal Code (Books I & II excluding penalties for specific felonies)
o Indeterminate Sentence Law
o Probation Law
o Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
o Anti-Fencing Law
o Bouncing Checks Law
o Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972
o Heinous Crimes Law (excluding penalties)

Remedial Law
o Revised Rules of Court
o 1991 Revised Rule on Summary Procedure
o Local Government Code on Conciliation Procedures (Chapter VII)
o Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980 (excluding purely administrative
provisions, Military Justice Law, Judiciary Act of 1948, and the Law
Reorganizing the Court of Agrarian Relations)

Legal Ethics and Practical Exercises

o Legal Ethics
o Judicial Ethics
o Code of Professional Responsibility
o Grievance Procedures (Rules 139-B, Revised Rules of Court)
o Forms