SURVIVING

THE FIRST SEM OF YOUR

LAW SCHOOL JOURNEY
TIPS, ADVICES & BEST PRACTICES FROM YOUR BIG BROTHERS
 Vice Chairperson –
Governor – COL LGU Chairperson – BAROps Mayor – 3rd Year (BINHI)
BAROps

Mayor – 2nd Year Vice Governor – COL Merch Committee Head Vice Mayor – 3rd Year
LGU – BAROps (BINHI)
 1 hour
40 | 20
min min

DISCUSSION OPEN FORUM

disclaimers
• Purely based on our experience, on a given period of time
(pandemic). This may or may not be applicable to you, or some
truths may still or not hold true today.
• No recording and capturing devices allowed
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• Help incoming law students on
how to navigate law school

• Foster camaraderie
• Create strong support system
1st sem subjects

Focus on these
BAR SUBJECTS
 • Video Lectures (modern approach)
• Oral Recitations
• Approachable
• GC as a method of easier communication
• Answers questions raised in GC
• Always present in GC
• Grading: Balance of Oral Recitation,
Midterm and Final Exams
• Grading Policy: Highest Score is the perfect
score
ATTY. CARANDANG • TIP: READ and READ and READ and always
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 1
be prepared.
 • Presmat are given earlier
• Fully loaded “busy” undergrad teacher
• Group Reporting
• Quiz/Exam Questions not on the materials
given or not related to the subject.
• TIP: Read assigned cases, research on
previous BAR Questions, it will most likely
come out on your exams/quiz
ATTY. VILLARES
LEGAL ETHICS
 • Video Lectures, explaining powerpoint
presentation
• Exam: Essays
• TIP: Observe proper grammar,
punctuations, margins, sentence
construction, no erasures, legible and
clean handwriting
BRO. IROL
PHILO
• Those with financial resources buy their books
online
• Most (80%) reproduce it from original copies
• BEST PRACTICE: Reproduction few months before
start of new semester
• Maintains one central paid online drive for all
resources
Events/activities
• College Days (sportsfest, debate, etc)
• Honoring of Bar Passers

Contributions/payments
• Fines (50)
• Honoring of Bar Passers
• Blazer Uniform
• Test Notebooks for each subjects, min 40 leaves
• NO Food Delivery Allowed, BYOB or lunch out
• Admission Slips or Receipt of payment (not
needed at all times)
• 2 Rooms to be occupied per year level

• For FINAL PERIOD – Clearance signed by the each

year level Mayor, COL – LGU and COL Dean’s
Office
https://cdasiaonline.com/
NOTE: GET YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD FROM YOUR
MAYOR/OFFICERS
Steps:
1. Get a copy of your statement of account in the account section near the teller.
2. Pay half of the amount indicated as amount due.
3. Buy an envelope in the bookstore. Just tell the in-charge for promissory note, they
already know what to do.
4. Proceed to the VPs office – 2nd floor Bates, right side corner.
5. Fill up the necessary forms. Working scholar will assist you regarding the promissory
note.
6. You can now pay the registration for the next semester’s enrollment.
▪ Email Subject Line: Student ID Photo
▪ Format: JPEG format (no scanned please)
SEND TO:
▪ Attire: White shirt with collar
▪ Size and position: Half body with eyes directly facing the student.affairs@hnu.edu.ph
camera at a straight Using your HNU email address!
angle
▪ Background: White
▪ Smile: No showing of teeth
▪ Eyes: Visible and open
▪ Glasses: Only clear reading glasses (when wearing one)
▪ Hair: Black or dark brown only
▪ Accessories: No earrings for the males
▪ Headgear: Not allowed, except religious headgear
Requirements:
• Photocopy of the enrollment receipt
• Photocopy of OR&CR
Submit to the head
• Photocopy of Drivers License of the Security at
• Photocopy of vaccination card Bates Building
• Gate pass form (guard in the Bates Building)
• Enclosed everything in a White Long Folder
• Prepare to READ A LOT: CASES, BOOKS. If you are not
a reader, start now.
• Sleepless Nights
• Prioritize studying. TIME MANAGEMENT IS THE KEY
• Expect and institute a change in habit. Gradually
implement it yourself. No one will help you, but
yourself.
A. Focus on the overall structure of the case (understand the overall
picture / read it once as a whole)
• What has happened to provoke someone to take the case to court
• What happened at the trial court that has provoked someone to appeal
• What did the higher court do with the case

B. Extract the relevant information: annotate and highlight (case brief)

• Check the decision/ruling first
• Get the material facts only
• Pluck only the issues relevant to your study
• Identify the doctrine and its application on the case
A. If Q&A type:
• Understand the question and spot the issue
• Answer only what is being asked
• Answer in the correct order (CROC Method)
• Use the personam of the court (never use this phrase "in my
opinion")

B. If case summary type:

• Deliver it in a manner as to how you attacked the case when
you read it
• From the world to the court (facts)
• From the lower court to the higher court (issue)
• From the higher court to a disposition (ruling)

Note: THINK LIKE THE PROFESSOR

Caveat emptor

Based on Personal Approach by the

speaker, approach may differ from
person to person, or this may/may not
be applicable to you.
• Stress is not a surprise in law school.

• It is a whole new level of stress.

• There is a considerable amount of

• Dropouts during the first 2 weeks of
• Law school; the reason – STRESS.
• Cases (20-30 cases per week / estimated)

• Oral recitations

• Reading 5-7 books with 600+ pages,

per semester.

• Backlogs
• Lessens the burden by assigning
each to digest cases given.
• You can get ready during oral
recitations due to having case
digests.
• Schedule Case Discussion
• One will be assigned to discuss a
case, this is also a good time to
practice public speaking
WHY WE NEED STUDDY BUDDY/IES:
• Ka-estorya, ka-debate, ka-
pangutan-an
• Someone to push/motivate you
• Share heartaches, frustrations,
triumphs and milestones
• Your personal support system
• Time Management – Organize your work schedule

• Establish a routine – Reduces stress since your body

will get accustomed faster due to repeated work.

• Avoid Mañana Habit – to prevent backlogsYour

personal
• Give yourself a break – Rest is essential, too much
stress can deteriorate your health.

• Keep a motivation in mind – What motivates you to

become a lawyer?

• Work Smart – Establish easier methods and

techniques to study

• Have faith – PRAY

• In law school, you don’t live alone
• Support in plenty of ways: Relay of Information, Sharing of
Learning Resources, Ka-barkada, etc

• An “INCLUSIVE” environment is a LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

(Note: everyone must work on this aspect)
• Adds “FUN” part to the tough law school journey
• Working towards ONE GOAL (shared vision)
We create meaningful traditions.
We value the
hardwork of our
teachers and we
celebrate their
milestones.
We initiate action when needed
Community
extension
Community extension: typhoon odette
We never
forget to
have fun
’
 PARTING WORDS

A wise man once said:

“No matter how much you want to become a lawyer,
you won’t become one unless you start working
hard. And if you think this will be easy, If you still
think you wake up one day and become a lawyer,
then you are not supposed to be here.

When you finally decide to work hard and become a

lawyer, only one person stands before you and “
becoming a lawyer, that person is YOURSELF.

ATTY. CARLO BRIAN S. CARANDANG