Preparing since day 1 of Law School is the secret to topping the bar of Department of Transportation Undersecretary Reinier Paul Yebra. "I was told to prepare since day 1 of law school if I really wanted to top the Bar. I didn’t overdo it, but I took my studies seriously from the 1st year." USec. Yebra said.
The 2009 Bar topnotcher said his parents, his school - San Beda Law, and his desire to be a top-notch lawyer was his greatest motivation.
While the bar exam preparation can be stressful, USec Yebra used exercise, prayer, R&R (relaxation) on Mondays (to condition himself that Sundays are ‘war days’), and reading non-law books as his strategy to combat stress.
"I ignored & disregarded irrelevant matters/people/etc. to stay focused. I kept my ‘eye on the prize’ during my Bar review." he said when asked how he kept his focus.
"Your desire to succeed must outweigh your fear of failure. Take the review seriously because the Bar is passed or failed even before the exams are taken."- USec . Yebra
Atty. Yebra topped the exam with a score of 84.80% in 2009. Less than a quarter (24%) of 5,903 examinees passed that year, according to the Supreme Court (SC).
