SC pilots new rules to enter legal profession
The Supreme Court has started to institutionalize electronic and regionalized bar examinations as the standard mode of admission into legal practice by changing Rule 138 of the Rules of Court, or Amended Rules, in a resolution dated Aug. 12, 2025.
The Supreme Court noted that the Amended Rules are the product of an “extensive study” done by the Subcommittee on the Admission to the Bar, chaired by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando.
“Under the Amended Rules, the bar examinations will be conducted electronically through a secure and reliable assessment platform. The examinations will be administered in English and will be uniform for all examinees,” the Supreme Court said.
The Supreme Court added that the bar examinees must answer the questions personally, while separate guidelines may be issued by the Bar chairperson for those with special needs.
The high court emphasized that the “Amended Rules promote a policy of inclusiveness, fairness, and non-discrimination, and ensure integrity, efficiency, and the technology-driven administration of the bar examinations.”
It also noted that the examinations will be held for three days in September at designated local testing centers across the country. The examinations will be covered by the following subjects:
First Day–Morning: Political and Public International Law; Afternoon: Commercial and Taxation Law
Second Day–Morning: Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds; Afternoon: Labor Law and Social Legislation
Third Day–Morning: Criminal Law; Afternoon: Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, with Practical Exercises
The Supreme Court, through Bar Bulletin No. 1 dated Oct. 16, scheduled next year’s examinations on Sept. 6, Sept. 9 and Sept. 13. It noted that the examinations will have 20-essay type questions, with each question numbered separately and answers will be graded zero percent to one hundred percent or five percent per question.
The Supreme Court previously said that the 2025 Bar examinations, held last Sept. 7, Sept. 10 and Sept. 14, made history for recording the largest number of test finishers with 11,425 examinees.
It added that out of 13,193 admitted applicants, this year’s exams also saw the highest first-day turnout of 11,437 examinees.
