Passing the Bar isn’t a solo act; you need a strong support system

MANILA, Philippines – Kristelle Leigh Reyes and her father were from the same mold. They come from the same line of work, have the same degree (political science), and share the same aspirations to become a lawyer.

That is why she was devastated when her father passed away just five days before she took the Bar exams in 2025. 

Instead of studying with her friends a week before in a shared apartment as planned, she and her brother had to fly to their hometown in Cagayan to help with the wake and burial arrangements of their father.

But her loved ones pushed her to return to Manila to take the exams — even if it meant missing her father’s interment.

“I realized that if my father were still alive during that time, for sure he would like for me to push through. Besides the fact that I was already at that point, I did prepare. Not ready enough nor confident enough, but I offered to push through so that it was not a waste of opportunity,” Reyes said in Filipino.

Another reason that pushed Reyes to take the exams was for her father to avoid blaming himself again if she failed. 

“Last year when I did not pass my first take, the toll was heavy on him. Because I went home when he was hospitalized, he felt that it was the reason why I was not able to prepare enough for my first Bar, which is not true,” she said.

After much discussion, Reyes returned to Manila with only half a day to prepare for the first day of the exams.

For Reyes, she was only able to survive her “almost impossible” situation because of her family, friends, and faith. With her success story, she advised other aspiring lawyers to just show up.

“Surrender everything to the Lord. Regardless of your circumstances, just show up. Your mere presence is enough because if it is for you, it is for you,” Reyes said.

On January 7, Reyes was among the 5,594 passers out of the 11,425 Bar examinees. This translates to a passing rate of 48.98% — higher compared to the passing rate of 37.84% in 2024.

11 years in the making

For Angelica Villagracia Diaz Llamas, her journey to fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer took 11 years. 

Diaz Llamas entered law school in 2014. But because this decision was an escape from grief caused by her father’s death a month after her college graduation, her law school experience did not go well, prompting her to drop out.

It took time before she summoned the courage to revisit her law school dream. In 2018, after securing a steady income, she returned to her law studies. 

“In 2018, my husband, who was still my boyfriend at the time, one day said that maybe it’s time to come back. So I got inspired, and it ignited a fire again in me that, yes, the dream is still there. So I decided that I will give it another chance,” Diaz Llamas said.

But her return to law school was not without challenges. She failed numerous subjects and got delayed after taking a lighter course load because of her job. 

Delays meant nothing because in the end, Diaz Llamas passed the Bar on her first try. 

“Sometimes the journey is just longer for some. Like for me, it took me 11 years. Maybe for others, it’s shorter. But you will get there. You just have to go back to your why: why do you want to become a lawyer?” Diaz Llamas advised aspiring lawyers.

Twofold success

Since childhood, twins King Vincent Salomon and King Raymund Salomon have always been two peas in a pod. They’ve done almost everything together, even dreaming the same goal of becoming a public servant by being a lawyer.

The twins defied the odds and they passed the exams together. They attributed this success largely to the support they received from their friends and family, and ultimately from each other.

“The experience was really challenging because of a lot of pressure. But when the results came out, it was very rewarding. Having a twin brother preparing at the same time created a strong support system,” Raymund said.

“We studied based on our subjects, where we are weak and where we are strong. For example, my strength is criminal law and his strength is remedial. We usually talk on the subjects that we find very difficult,” Vincent added.

Having just graduated from law school, the twins had only three months to prepare for the exams. Because of this, they followed a strict seven-day regimen wherein, during their breaks, they would discuss with each other what they had studied.

Because of this technique, they realized that having a sibling to take the Bar exam with was actually an advantage. 

Both Vincent and Raymund were inspired to become lawyers by the outreach programs they participated in back in high school. Now they want to put their passion to good use by serving in the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) someday.

“It warms my heart whenever anyone deprived of their rights finally gets the justice that they deserve. So my tip to aspiring lawyers is to always motivate yourself and remind yourself that you wanted this,” Vincent said. – Rappler.com

*Some quotes were translated into English for brevity

Vicensa Nonato, a Rappler intern, is a journalism student at the University of the Philippines Diliman. This story was reviewed by a Rappler reporter and desk editor.