Never Too Late To Dream: A 62-Year-Old Pinay Passed The Bar Exam 2023

[Lee]

Quote

It's time to celebrate!

We're welcoming a new batch of lawyers just before the holiday season. And one of the many happy things we should be celebrating is the 62-year-old bar passer named Rosula Calacala. 

On December 5, 2023, the Supreme Court of the Philippines announced the results of the Bar Examinations 2023. One of the chosen few who made the cut in this year's exams was Rosu who came from the Northeastern College in the province of Isabela.

Overwhelmed and delighted with the news, Rosu did not have the chance to properly answer the media. Her reaction to the bar results is something that *tugged* the hearts of every netizen out there. "I just came from Isabela *cries* hala hindi na ako maka-kwan, thank you so much po," a tearful Rosu managed to tell the media.

It was a tough journey, indeed. Aside from Rosu's remarkable success, a woman also emerged as one of this year's topnotchers. Placing third among the 10,387 bartakers this year is Frances Camille Francisco from San Beda University. She follows Top 2 Mark Josel Vivit from the Ateneo De Manila University and Ephraim Bie from the University of Santo Tomas in the overall first rank. The overall passing rate of this year's bar exams is 36.77 percent.

Bar Exams 2023: Top 5 Law Schools

Ateneo De Manila University

San Beda University

University of San Carlos

University of the Philippines

University of Santo Tomas

 

 

Never Too Late To Dream: A 62-Year-Old Pinay Passed The Bar Exam 2023 (msn.com)

Edited December 7, 2023 by Lee

[Mike J]

While I admire her tenacity, I doubt many folks would hire a 62 year old attorney who has no experience. 

[Snowy79]

On 12/8/2023 at 6:56 AM, Mike J said:

While I admire her tenacity, I doubt many folks would hire a 62 year old attorney who has no experience. 

The Government might. 

[JJReyes]

Hooray!  Wonderful news!  Inspiring!  Someone has achieved a lifelong ambition.

A little impractical because of the years remaining to practice law.  

 

[OnMyWay]

3 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Hooray!  Wonderful news!  Inspiring!  Someone has achieved a lifelong ambition.

A little impractical because of the years remaining to practice law.  

 

My BIL in California decided to go to law school at around 55.  Finished in around 3 years but then 7 tries to pass the bar.  He got a low paying job for a few years before he started making any money.  Now he is 71 and still working.  

Of course, age discrimination is allowed in the Philippines so who knows if she will work.  She can be a notary.

[Hestecrefter]

My guess is that she has little or no intention to practice law.  She wanted the satisfaction of passing the bar. 

I have a friend in the Cagayan Valley who started work there with DAR back in the early 90s.  She was a hard worker and well-liked.  DAR told her they would give her time off and, in essence, sponsor her to become a lawyer.  She would be given a lawyer job on passing the bar.  She completed law school.  Took the bar exam and failed.  Took at again, a year or so later.  Failed again.  That second time was probably circa year 2000.  I asked her if she would go for the third and final try permitted.  She said not likely, since she would be too nervous.

I have not seen her for years, having no reason to venture to north Luzon for a long time, but we stay in touch.  A few years ago, she told me she was taking time away from work to study for the bar exam.  She gave that up a few months later.  Her daughter was experiencing some mental health issues and she felt that she could not cope with her daughter's issues and law study at same time.  She still works for DAR.  She is now about age 60.  

I think she would be a good lawyer.  Just not good at passing exams.  Her recent thoughts of getting called to the bar I suspect were motivated more by a personal desire to prove to herself and the world at large she could do it, rather than a motive to be a practicing attorney.  I know that's how I would be.  I would always hate the feeling of having been defeated.  

 

 

[hk blues]

I say good on her.

She will have her reasons for giving it a go but who really cares why other than herself? 

I'll see if I'm up for it in 4 years! 

[jimeve]

On 12/9/2023 at 9:57 AM, Snowy79 said:

The Government might. 

Don't laugh, they do. Or rather the locals use them for free, when they have a trivial case and no proper lawyers will take their case, the gov provides these lawyers.

[Possum]

9 minutes ago, jimeve said:

Don't laugh, they do. Or rather the locals use them for free, when they have a trivial case and no proper lawyers will take their case, the gov provides these lawyers.

True. Apparently these government provided lawyers aren't the most energetic. We had a criminal case which was deemed worthy by the local officialdom. Out attorney and the prosecutor told us that if we wanted any progress or the chance of winning we needed to hire a private prosecutor. I had never heard of a private prosecutor in  criminal case as I thought prosecuting criminals was the government's job. Not necessarily, another head scratching lesson about the "system" here.

[Joey G]

17 hours ago, JJReyes said:

A little impractical because of the years remaining to practice law.

This true.... since most cases here take anywhere from 20-30 years to get resolution...