AMICUS, Latin for “friend” or “comrade”, is the faculty bulletin of the Ateneo School of Law. It seeks to build a community of law school faculty members who inspire each other and the studentry to be skilled in the science and art of the law, to be imbued with a burning passion for justice, and to lead in serving the nation for Volume 4,5, No. 2 • December 20152016 the greater glory of God. The spirit of Magis at the 2016 Bar Operations Boosted by Ateneo Law School’s By MARIA PATRICIA CERVANTES-POCO volunteers alike – discernibly lived strong comeback in the 2015 Bar for Continuing Legal Education Ignatius of Loyola exhorted his up to. Examinations, the Ateneo Central Lily K. Gruba, fittingly selected the first companions to “go further The shift in the academic Bar Operations, together with Ignatian virtue of magis as this than wholehearted service,” calendar profoundly affected their dedicated moderators, led year’s theme in their quest for which the 2016 Bar Operations the preparations for this year’s by no less than Associate Dean a 100% Bar passing rate for ALS. (Bar Ops) – student and faculty continued on page 2 2016 Ateneo bar examinees at the traditional Salubong on the fourth Sunday of the Bar Photo Credit: MAITA CHAN-GONZAGA Inside AHRC brings Christmas cheer to Dean’s Corner By SEDFREY M. CANDELARIA children from partner communities 3 ALSC teams up with Makati barangay for legal mission 4 ALS students get a glimpse of careers in arbitration 5 The First Semester of AY 2016- TCRL hosts second Justitia National 2017 ushered in with a series of Moot Court competition 6 significant developments at the Ateneo Holds First Ateneo Good Ateneo Professional Schools. Governance Forum on Federalism 7 A major refurbishment of the APS Campus is now at the ALSC expands reach through final stage of planning. This new partnerships 8 was triggered by the University The Eighth of November 10 Board of Trustees’ approval ADMU holds first APS Employees’ of Le Cordon Bleu Institute Ignatian Gathering: My Experience 11 to be located at the ground Alumni Room will be moved up will be exclusively Law School and second floors of the APS to fourth floor where a new wing space, thus, providing easier ALS celebrates 2016 Christmas building. Other offices will will rise fronting Bel-Air Village. access for students and faculty with faculty and staff 11 now be relocated. The Ateneo Additional faculty rooms will to the activity rooms. The ALS and Kyushu University students Human Rights Center, Student be housed on the same floor. In Graduate Legal Studies Institute tour Taal 12 Council Activity Area and Law effect, the third and fourth floors continued on page 14 Meet the New Faculty 15 Volume 5, No. 2 • December 2016 2 The spirit of Magis at the 2016 Bar Operations from page 1 The shortened review period Bar exams. Classes opened in also prodded the Bar Ops August instead of the usual June, Academics Committee to enlist thereby moving the end-of-term the help of more professors to and graduation from the usual contribute to and review the April to July. The Supreme Court Summer, Pre-Week, and “Blue considered this timeline, granting Tips” materials disseminated graduates of schools like ALS to the examinees. Professors that have shifted their calendars who pulled all-nighters with the an extra two weeks to file their Academics Committee and other applications to take the Bar. student volunteers immediately Whereas graduates of schools enjoyed the fruits of their labor, that retained graduation dates boasting on their respective social in April had until the end of July media pages an accuracy range Ateneo Central Bar Operations volunteers wait outside UST for examinees 2016 to submit their applications, of 50-60% for the “Blue Tips,” in need of assistance Photo Credit: GLYZELLE DIANNE YBIERNAS graduates of schools that shifted or a list of educated guesses as their calendars were given until to topics and recent cases that August 15, 2016 to complete their might appear in the exams, and applications. commonly used as last-minute The Bar exams took place reviewers by the examinees. in November 2016, giving This year’s Bar Ops also examinees from the ALS only four continued measures introduced months to review. To address this, and implemented the previous Bar review classes in ALS, which year, such as special mentoring traditionally commences after for re-takers, intimate brown bag graduation, were scheduled much review sessions exclusively for ALS earlier, and began weeks before graduates, the mock or simulated graduation. Bar exam, and the preparation of Ateneo Central Bar Ops Academic Committee collating the Blue Tips Photo Credit: GLYZELLE DIANNE YBIERNAS care packages for each of the ALS members of the administration Bar examinees. also visited to join the examinees On the four Saturdays of in celebrating anticipated Holy November, student volunteers Mass, offering the examinees also came in droves to the Ateneo not only academic, but spiritual Bar Ops headquarters at the and emotional support as well. Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, to Student volunteers from the tend to the needs of examinees Central Bar Ops were also present The Ateneo Central Bar Ops received full support from faculty and administrators Photo Credit: MAITA CHAN-GONZAGA billeted there. Professors and at the University of Sto. Tomas, where the Bar exams were held, on each of the Sundays of the Bar, to ensure that the examinees are safely transported to and from the exam venue, and attended to during the lunch breaks. As always, the Bar season is a wonderful time to witness a growing and deepening sense of community and cura personalis at the Ateneo Law School. As the countdown to the release of the results begins, we continue to 2016 Ateneo Law bar examinees, including APS Chaplain Fr. IJ Chan-Gonzaga (leftmost), receive a special blessing offer prayers and support to all from Ateneo President Fr. Jett Villarin Photo Credit: GLYZELLE DIANNE YBIERNAS our examinees. Ateneo, 100%! NEWS Volume 5, No. 2 • December 2016 3 AHRC brings Christmas cheer to children from partner communities By VERONICA MAE C. YAN Adhikain para sa Karapatang forward,” by helping facilitate the Pambata (AKAP), the child rights programs, which happened were filled with a hearty meal, training of the next batch. Child desk of the Ateneo Human Rights in the four different venues and Santa sacks were loaded with TALK graduates also assisted in Center (AHRC), held its annual simultaneously. AHRC volunteers school supplies and toys prepared the AKAP Christmas Gift Giving Christmas Gift Giving activity on facilitated parlor games that by AHRC. activity. December 16, 2016 in four of elicited excited laughter from the Brgys. Addition Hills, Paang The AKAP Christmas Gift Giving its partner communities: Brgy. children and their ates and kuyas Bundok, Valencia, and Southville is a long-standing activity of AHRC, Addition Hills, Mandaluyong; for the day. The coveted prizes 7 have been partners of AHRC’s which its student-interns often Brgy. Paang Bundok and Brgy. were shared by all participants, program, Child TALK: Child Rights look forward to as it reacquaints Valencia, Quezon City; and Brgy. thanks to the air of Yuletide Teaching and Learning for and them with the joy and innocence Southville 7, Calauan, Laguna. generosity. The children were by Kids. Child TALK teaches of children, a welcome break from Through the support of AHRC also treated to performances by children and youth their rights, the hustle and bustle of daily alumni, student-interns and other their ates and kuyas from Ateneo, and empowers them to protect recitation and periodical exams. benefactors, AKAP was able to to which they responded with and promote these rights in their AHRC alumni have also taken this gather one hundred children their own dance routines and own unique way. Each batch activity as an opportunity to share in each of the communities renditions of Christmas carols. By of children who undergo Child the bounty they have received to participate in the half-day the end of the program, bellies TALK are expected to “pay it during the year. Tired but happy after the program in Brgy. Addition Hills Photo Credit: ATENEO HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER NEWS Volume 5, No. 2 • December 2016 4 Legal counseling sessions with ALS alumni volunteer-lawyers assisted by Review of the day’s lectures through fun games the students Photo Credit: PATRICIA CERVANTES-POCO Photo Credit: PATRICIA CERVANTES-POCO ALSC teams up with Makati barangay for legal mission By MARIA VICTORIA RODRIGUEZ The Ateneo Legal Services Center (ALSC) conducted its first legal aid mission for the school year last October 23, 2016. The half-day activity was held at the Comembo Elementary School, with over 80 residents of Barangay Comembo, Makati in attendance. ALSC Director Axel Rupert Cruz opened the mission by thanking the barangay officials for allowing the ALSC, volunteer lawyers and law students to impart their legal knowledge and provide legal services to the community. Junior and senior law students who were enrolled in Street Law and Clinical Legal Education electives delivered information sessions on Succession; Land Titles; Marriage and Violence Against Women and Children; and CLED and Street Law students with residents of Brgy. Comembo Photo Credits: PATRICIA CERVANTES-POCO Arrests, Bail and Oplan Tokhang. involved group dynamics and were given the opportunity to Barangay Chairman Ariel Each session lasted for 40 minutes, synthesis activities, making the discuss their legal issues and Sarmiento and ALSC Supervising and covered a basic overview of sessions interactive and engaging queries in private consultations Lawyer Takahiro Kenjie Aman. the laws and frequently asked and helping the residents with volunteer lawyers assisted Both expressed their desire to situational questions.