Bar marathon (not sprint)

“The NY Marathon, for instance, starts with so much fanfare and adulation in Staten Island, but it gets testy and quiet after a couple of hours of running.

New York is the center of the world — of that, I am now convinced. I arrived in NY last Saturday and found myself in a city where the following events were happening: (1) UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden, attended by US President Donald Trump and my favorite actor of all time, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson; and (2) Saturday Night Live, where one of my favorite bands, Coldplay, performed two new songs. I may not have seen them live — UFC tickets cost a fortune and SNL tickets are given out via lottery — but I can forever boast that I was in the same city as them at the time.

I arrived in the Big Apple on a weekend which incidentally coincided with the NY Marathon, the largest and, arguably, the best marathon in the world. Over 50,000 runners from all over the world joined, including quite a number of Filipinos, as I learned from our Consul General Claro Cristobal and Consul Armand Talbo when I visited our Consulate the other day. I actually had no idea that the NY Marathon was scheduled last Sunday, 3 November. I only learned of it from a fraternity brod of mine, Atty. Raymund Martelino, who I was messaging with a week ago after his wife, Ella, heard my name being called out in NAIA Terminal 1 by ground personnel to inspect a suspicious item in my check-in luggage. (FYI — It was a power bank.)

The day, 3 November, had not much significance for me, except that it was also the first day of the 2019 Bar Exams. As a lecturer in Commercial Law, I anticipate the questions that will come out since this will serve as discussion points in the law classes and reviews leading to the 2020 Bar Exams. I cannot help, though, but compare how alike the Bar Exams is with the NY Marathon.

Raymund trained for over six months for the race and he completed it for his 40th birthday. I got to talk to Raymund the day after the race, in Carmine’s, Times Square, at a lunch hosted by a fellow fraternity brod based in NY. He brought Ella and their two girls, aka “Team Martelino,” who hung out at 59th Street in Central Park during the race, quite near the finish line. Dead tired at that time after running for over four hours straight, the sight of his family gave Raymund the added boost and energy to make it until the very end.

The same thing goes for the Bar Exams. You prepare for around six months for a series of tests that span four weeks. Examinees will feel dead tired but will have to gather enough motivation from family, loved ones, friends and from whoever they can draw their energy and inspiration. While it is important to start strong in the Bar Exams, it is equally important to leave some of that energy behind to make until the very end.

The NY Marathon, for instance, starts with so much fanfare and adulation in Staten Island, but it gets testy and quiet after a couple of hours of running. It is crucial to pace yourself, not to sprint recklessly, as this may lead to cramps or soreness later in the tougher parts of the race. In the Bar Exams, don’t forget that the biggest chunk of grades will come from the seventh test on the fourth weekend — Remedial Law. As such, Bar-takers have to muster up their own inspiration along the way even after they have hurdled the first weekend.

Allow me to try give you some motivation then: There is no better feeling than passing the Bar Exam. Once you pass, decide whether you will jump into private practice and defend your clients’ rights, or join public service in the government. After a few years, think about staying with your employer or exploring other options that will hone your skills, maybe a new job in a different law practice (e.g., law firm, in-house, or government), or exploring what you can do abroad. One can take up a Master’s degree by applying for a scholarship or just saving up for it.

After a couple of years, decide on what else to do. I met a friend of mine here in NY and she is now living the dream, employed in Allen & Overy Law Office — one of the biggest law firms in the world. I was also just with a young upcoming law firm, Aquende, Yebra, Aniag, Loon and Associates (AYALA Law) at their outing in Vancouver where the partners also met clients that do business in Manila.

As for me, I am now exploring legal tech by putting up a website, Abogados.ph, which shall bridge the general public to Filipino lawyers based on their location and expertise. My point is — Filipino lawyers can do legal work anywhere and anyhow in the world, and the possibilities are endless.

With every new venture, windows shall open for you. Just get through this Bar Exam marathon, pace yourselves and do not burn out early. See you at the finish line!