SC welcomes 1,800 new lawyers

Photo by SC PIO

MANILA, Philippines—At least 1,800 new lawyers took their oaths on Thursday (June 13) after passing the 2018 Bar Exams.

Justice Mariano C. del Castillo, 2018 Bar chair, had said there was a 22 percent passing rate during the exams which more than 6,000 examinees flunked.

Sean James B. Borja, of Ateneo de Manila University, topped the exams with a passing rate of 89..31 percent.

Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, chair of the 2019 Bar exams, welcomed the new lawyers and challenged them not to be afraid of taking calculated risks.

“Now that you have passed the Bar and have finally gained the distinction of being called an “attorney-at-law”, your journey to the next chapter – called legal practice – begins,” Bernabe said at the oath-taking ceremony.

“Banish the illusion of perfection, and do not be afraid to take calculated risks. I have often heard it said: when making a choice, go with your heart even if it terrifies you,” Bernabe added.

While acknowledging the importance of seeking high-paying jobs, Bernabe said a lawyer’s legacy should be measured by how many lives were touched by his practice.

“Wear your integrity like a badge, firmly stamped on every legal work. Do not be lured by the artificial glimmer of power or money,” Bernabe said.

“After all, your legacy in this profession will not be measured by how much wealth you have gained or any status you have achieved, but rather, by the number of lives you have touched in fighting for the cause of the oppressed in a world filled with injustice,” Bernabe added.

The 1,800 new lawyers add to the list of more than 40,000 lawyers on the rolls of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. (Editor: Tony Bergonia)