“Sacrifice” is how Jhenroniel Sanchez summed up his journey after topping the 2025 Bar examinations.

Imagine working during the day and reviewing case digests at night. The University of the Philippines College of Law graduate did not just imagine it, he lived it, balancing work and law school while preparing for the Bar.

“It is a balancing act between your obligations to work, your obligations to school, and your day-to-day requirements. It's certainly doable, but it does take some determination on one's part,” Sanchez told DAILY TRIBUNE in a message.

“You will have to sacrifice a lot in time, in effort, and in so much more should you wish to be a lawyer,” he added.

Sanchez posted a score of 92.70 percent, securing the top spot in the 2025 Bar examinations, an outcome he said he never expected.

“I really just wanted to pass the Bar. All of this that has come after is as much a surprise to me as to everyone else,” he said.

Engineer turned lawyer

Sanchez is also a Registered Electrical Engineer.

Before entering law school, he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Philippines Los Baños and passed the Registered Electrical Engineer licensure examination later that same year.

Sanchez said his shift from complex equations to the legal concerns of society was sparked by an Engineering Ethics class during his undergraduate studies.

“It led to me taking the PhilSAT, and eventually UP Diliman's LAE,” he said.

Endurance over brilliance

Asked about his preparation, Sanchez said he averaged about eight hours of review daily from April to September 2025, calling the routine the most difficult part of the process.

“The hardest part was how time blends in together when you're doing the same thing over and over again for days on end,” he said.

To stay motivated, Sanchez said he tackled the subjects he disliked the most early in his review.

“But the review, like the exam itself, is an endurance match which one just has to last through,” he added.

He reiterated that becoming a lawyer requires significant personal sacrifice.

“You will have to sacrifice a lot in time, in effort, and in so much more should you wish to be a lawyer. It will demand much, and you shall decide for yourself if you can or want to continue to pay its toll,” Sanchez said.

Still, he emphasized that there is no shame in realizing the profession is not for everyone.

“But there is no shame in attempting the feat and deciding it is not for you. And remember that you are not alone in this. You have plenty of sources for help,” he said.

Sanchez also expressed sympathy for those who did not pass the Bar examinations, encouraging them not to lose hope.

“I can say only that such a setback isn't the end. It is a time to pause, rest, recover, and review your decisions and determination, and in truth getting back up and finding your way again, whether to retake the Bar or for other pursuits, shows the strength of your character,” he said.

Looking ahead

On the current state of the Philippine legal landscape, Sanchez described it as “an eclectic mix of some laws from long ago tried to fit to current considerations.”

“Some recent ones that are fit for purpose but may need more support or clarification, which may cause some issues in their implementation,” he added.

Sanchez is set to take his oath and sign the roll of attorneys alongside 5,593 new lawyers on 6 February, at the Philippine Arena.