UC Law Among The Country's Best • University of Cebu

Being the youngest law school in Cebu did not stop UC from joining the list of elite law schools in the country today. According to a list released by the Commission on Higher Education (Ched), UC came in at number eight among the country’s top 20 law schools. The list is based on the number of successful first-time bar exam takers.

Opening its doors in 2002, UC ’s pioneer batch of law graduates in 2006 immediately made a big splash by producing a bar topnotcher. Atty. Al-shwaid Ismael, one of the best bets landed in the top 8 in the 2006 bar examinations. The following year, the amazing feat was duplicated in the 2007 bar exams by Atty. Christian Llido who grabbed the 9th top spot. In 2008, UC did not have a bar topnotcher but the passing percentage is the highest among law schools in Cebu.

In a phone interview, Atty. Baldomero Estenzo, Dean of UC College of Law, pointed out several reasons behind the impressive showing of the graduates. First is the vision of excellence espoused by UC President Atty. Augusto W. Go and aided by the all-out support given by UC Chancellor Candice Gotianuy. Second is the solid groundwork put in place by retired Justice Regino Hermosisima and Atty. Adelino Sitoy, the first UC Law Dean. Third is the attractive incentives offered to honor students who enroll in UC, in terms of scholarships and the chance to get a brand- new car for those who will land in the top ten bar passers. Fourth is the highly competent faculty who mentored the students. Fifth is the complete facilities that maximize the learning process. And finally is the quality of training given to the students. According to Atty. Estenzo, 4th year law students can already appear in court hearings to assist full-fledged lawyers to give them advance exposure of the demands of lawyering.