All about that BOOKS (Materials)

When choosing your bar materials, you need to ask yourself the following questions that will guide you through the Review Season.

• Old materials or New materials?
• Are my old materials enough to prepare me for the bar? 
• Should I really need to buy new materials?
• Do I have a friend who can lend me some of my needed materials?
• What notes should I use?
• Are my old notes relevant for the Bar?

Please do keep in mind that some materials are tailored for Law School Survival and some materials are tailored for the Bar Exams. Exercise discernment and feel free to ask previous bar passers for tips.

You must also consider your strengths and weaknesses with the bar subjects for you to be able to plan the materials to use or the designated time to study your subjects.

Below is the sample list of subject based from my honest assessment of my strong and weak subjects for the Bar:

SUBJECT CONFIDENCE LEVEL

Political Law 80%

Criminal Law 80%

Remedial Law         70%

Civil Law 60%

Mercantile Law 60%

Labor Law 50%

Legal Ethics               50%

Taxation Law 40%

Having that list, I knew that I should focus and give more time on Tax and Labor so that it can be at par with some of my stronger subjects. (Though this doesn’t mean that I would neglect Political, Criminal and Remedial Law.)

So here are the books that I have used during my Review for the 2014 BAR EXAMS.

Caveat: I bought new books. Having to read the required books for law school during 1st to 3rd year and again on my review classes, I knew that familiarity will work against me. Besides, I want to know how I should attack and answer the Bar Questions. I realize that the best way to familiarize myself with topics and methods will be the Reviewer Books.

MUST HAVE AND MUST READ:

• UPLC Bar Questions and Suggested Answers. 
• For 2014, I had (1994-2013). Read from 2013.

• Siliman Dondee version of UPLC. 
• 1997-2007 or any updated version. 
• Arranged by topic so you could read this alongside your codal.

Latest Jurisprudence, recently overturned decisions, landmark decisions

Codals. Read them. If all else fail. Cite the Law and how it will apply to the presented issue or problem.

** if possible, you should also read UST QUAMTO (questions frequently asked) so you could have an idea of possible topics you should focus on.

POLITICAL LAW

• Albano, Poli Reviewer (BEST INVESTMENT EVER.) Updated doctrines and cases
• Gorospe notes (rumored and confirmed 2014 examiner, cases and doctrines)
• Sandoval notes (cases. Doctrines. Concepts.)
• UST Golden Notes (Advisers: Atty. Gorospe and Atty. Sandoval. I will trust them with my life)

*I didn't read Nachura because I was afraid it was outdated. I already read Bernas is law school so I felt like it will cost me time and effort.

LABOR LAW

• Alcantara. Labor Law Reviewer. (User friendly, you'll remember the cases and doctrines. The examples are usually the Bar questions and suggested answers. Good for Recall.)
• Abad. Outlined with cases.
• Chan for updated cases, topics and explanations.
• Chan Notes: Given during Pre-week lecture. This saved my life. Haha.
• UST Golden Notes (thank you Atty. Samson Alcantara and Atty. Joeven Dellosa.)

CIVIL LAW

• Albano Civ reviewer. (THIS BOOK SAVED MY LIFE.)
• Jurado Reviewer (covers everything)
• Rabuya (I trust this prof with my life. User friendly. Easy Read
• BEDA NOTES. (UST GN's font is so small I can't read it. I used the tables though. Beda notes. Complete. Concise. Considering the fact that Civ is too looooooong.)
• Aligada Notes (the notes of the Great Dean Aligada, my mentor and famous civilist, is still relevant, codal based with analysis necessary in tackling tricky Civ questions)

*I already read Pineda, Tolentino, Paras in lawschool. I felt that I needed a reviewer book that could show me how to tackle and answer bar questions.

TAXATION LAW

• Dimaampao 1&2 (all I can say was, "thank you sir. Thank you".)
• Domondon books (skim and scan. The book has 3 stars for most important topics focus on those)
• PM REYES Tax Notes 1&2. (You can email him for recent jurisprudence and he will send you updated notes.) (i got my notes from Atty. James Domingo.  Thank you sir!)
• UST Golden notes (According to Atty. Ortega, most complete and Concise tax notes)
• Dimaampao notes (AGAIN, THANK YOU SIR.)
• Domondon BarStarNotes (he personally handed them out during pre-week. Make sure that your notes are blessed by Atty. Domondon or else the law on karma shall take effect.)

CRIMINAL LAW

• Boado, Big Reviewer Book. I liked how the concepts were explained. Easy read. Easy recall.
• Justice Sandoval's reviewer. Easy read and very helpful.
• Prosec. Garcia Notes by SuperSeniors (Prosec Garcia's style: law. Cases. Explanation) easy recall
• Justice Peralta Notes (chairman of the Bar Exams) 
• Amurao notes
• UST GN
• Beda Notes.

MERCANTILE LAW

• Nani Perez, quizzers merc1, merc2 and Insurance Law (juris based and q&a. Easy recall)
• Sundiang reviewer: outlined. Easy read
• JJ or Jack Jimenez Notes: jurisbased. Predicted most of the questions to be asked in 2014 Bar. 
• Dean Divina Notes: Marx Notes and Handouts
• Glenn Tuazon Notes: JJ Transcribed lecture.

*I have read Aquino for Corpo and all the De Leon books for Merc subjects so I felt that it will waste my time and effort.

REMEDIAL LAW

• Albano, Rem Reviewer (BEST INVESTMENT EVER)
• Riano, CivRev 1&2, CrimRev, Evid. (Focus on the Bar Questions)
• UST GN (I liked the cases and examples)
• BEDA NOTES (The flowchart and the tables are conducive for my mindmapping technique)
• Dean Jara Notes

*I have read the book 1 & 2 of Justice Regalado in law school so I felt that it will be a waste of time and effort to read them again.

LEGAL ETHICS

• Cosico (easy read)
• UST GN
• BEDA NOTES.
• Codals. Hahaha.

*okay. I have read Pineda legal ethics and judicial ethics. To be honest, i didn't have much time for ethics.