Over 800 aspiring lawyers join DOJ’s free bar lectures

Around 830 bar candidates, from all over the country, joined the two-day lecture from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(Photo by Ramon FVelasquez – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA— More than 800 future lawyers joined the two-day free Bar Lectures Integration Series launched by the Department of Justice this weekend at the Philippine Christian University (PCU) in Taft Avenue in Manila.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II led the opening ceremonies on Saturday and was joined by retired Justice and PCU College of Law Dean Raoul Victorino, Sandiganbayan Justice Efrendela Cruz who will lecture on Legal Ethics, and DOJ Undersecretary Erickson H. Balmes, who is Executive Director of the DOJ Free Bar Lectures Project.

Justice Cruz conducted a lecture on Legal Ethics

“The Free Bar Lectures Integration Series is our humble way of helping our future lawyers realize their dreams. By inviting some of the most sought after bar review lecturers in the country to lecture we want to empower the 2017 Bar Candidates, particularly those from the provinces, to believe more in their chances of passing the bar,” Aguirre said.

We are doing this for free so as not to burden anyone. And everyone is welcome,” he added.

Around 830 bar candidates, from all over the country, joined the two-day lecture from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In line with the pro-nature thrust of the DOJ, all the free handouts of each of the nine lecturers were not printed and instead were sent, in PDF format, to all who registered, both live and internet audience.

The DOJ Free Bar Lectures Team assembled a very formidable cast of lecturers who are experts in their respective subjects including former bar examiners.

The lecturers include Justice Efren Dela Cruz (Legal Ethics); Atty. Noel Ortega (Taxation Law); Atty. Manuel Riguera (Remedial Law); Judge Karen Canullas-Armada (Political Law); Assistant Government Corporate Counsel Edwin Carillo (Legal Forms) Atty. Maria Zarah R. Villanueva-Castro (Mercantile Law); PCGG Commissioner Reynold Munsayac (Criminal Law); Associate Dean Cecilio D. Duka (Labor Law) and Atty. Crisostomo Uribe (Civil Law).

“We hope to help our future lawyers realize their dreams for God, for country, and for justice!” Aguirre said.

The two-day event closed with a simple dinner for all the participants hosted by the Justice Secretary who will be celebrating his 71st birthday on October 16.

“I am truly blessed to celebrate my birthday in advance with our future lawyers, and hopefully, future DOJ public servants,” Aguirre said.

“We have prepared a simple salo-salo for all participants. This is an opportunity for me to give back for the many blessings that my family and I have received. It is also our way of introducing the DOJ to our future lawyers and to convince them that they can really consider building a career in any of the agencies under the DOJ family,” he added.