Those Who Topped the Bar Exams

In a country where being part of the BAR is one of the most prestigious accomplishment, here is the list of the most famous people who had topped the most difficult exams of all.

Presidents and Vice Presidents

·         Manuel A. Roxas - 1st President (3rd Philippine Republic); 1st placer (92%), 1913 Bar Exams (UP)

·         Diosdado P. Macapagal - 5th President (3rd Philippine Republic); 1st placer (89.85%), 1936 Bar Exams (UST)

·         Ferdinand E. Marcos - 6th President (3rd Philippine Republic); 1st placer (92.35%), 1939 Bar Exams (UP)

·         Jose P. Laurel - President (2nd Philippine Republic); 2nd placer, 1915 Bar Exams (UP)

·         Elpidio C. Quirino - 2nd President (3rd Philippine Republic); 2nd placer, 1915 Bar Exams (UP)

·         Sergio S. Osmeña - 2nd President (Philippine Commonwealth); 2nd placer, 1903 Bar Exams (UST)

·         Manuel L. Quezon - 1st President (Philippine Commonwealth); 4th placer, 1903 Bar Exams (UST)

·         Carlos P. Garcia - 4th President (3rd Philippine Republic); 7th placer, 1923 Bar Exams (PLS)

·         Emmanuel N. Pelaez - former Philippine Vice President; 1st placer, 1938 Bar Exams (UM)

·         Arturo M. Tolentino - former Philippine Vice President; 2nd placer, 1934 Bar Exams (UP)

Curiously, each President of the Philippines who happened to be a lawyer was always a bar placer. The other Presidents (i.e., Emilio F. Aguinaldo, Ramon F. Magsaysay, Corazon C. Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph E. Estrada and Gloria M. Arroyo) were all non-lawyers (and hence could not have been bar placers). For the 2010 presidential elections, among those who have declared their intention of seeking the highest post of the land is Gilberto Teodoro. Aside from being a Secretary of Defense (like former Presidents Magsaysay and Ramos), Secretary Teodoro (a lawyer from the University of the Philippines) placed first in the 1989 Bar Exams with a grade of 86.185%. Topnotcher Teodoro placed fourth in the elections behind incumbent President Benigno S. Aquino III (an economics major), President Joseph E. Estrada (who took up engineering) and Sen. Manuel B. Villar (a business major). A lawyer, Jejomar C. Binay (from UP), captured the vice presidency when he bested former Sen. Manuel A. Roxas II (an economist and grandson of the first bar topnotcher, President Manuel A. Roxas).

In Philippine political history, two bar topnotchers sought the presidency but failed. Vice President Pelaez (1938 Bar Topnotcher) lost the Nacionalista Party nomination to President Marcos (1939 Bar Topnotcher) for the 1965 presidential elections. Senate President Jovito Salonga (1944 Bar Topnotcher) of the Liberal Party lost to President Ramos of Lakas-NUCD in the 1992 presidential elections.

Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Justices

·         Jose Yulo - 6th Philippine Chief Justice; 3rd placer, 1913 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)

·         Ricardo Paras - 8th Philippine Chief Justice; 2nd placer, 1913 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)

·         Cesar Bengzon - 9th Philippine Chief Justice; 2nd placer, 1919 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)

·         Roberto Concepcion - 10th Philippine Chief Justice; 1st placer, 1924 Bar Exams (UST Faculty of Civil Law)

·         Querube Makalintal - 11th Philippine Chief Justice; 7th placer, 1933 Bar Exams (UP College of Civil Law)

·         Enrique Ma. Fernando - 13th Philippine Chief Justice; 13th placer, 1938 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)

·         Ramon Aquino - 15th Philippine Chief Justice; 9th placer, 1939 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)

·         Claudio Teehankee - 16th Philippine Chief Justice; 1st placer, 1940 Bar Exams (Ateneo Law School)

·         Pedro Yap - 17th Philippine Chief Justice; 1st placer, 1946 Bar Exams (UP College of Law)

·         Andres Narvasa - 19th Philippine Chief Justice; 2nd placer, 1951 Bar Exams (UST Faculty of Civil Law)

·         Artemio Panganiban - 21st Philippine Chief Justice; 6th placer, 1960 Bar Exams (FEU Institute of Law)

·         Jose P. Laurel - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 2nd placer, 1915 Bar Exams

·         J.B.L. Reyes - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 6th placer, 1922 Bar Exams

·         Cecilia Muñoz Palma - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1937 Bar Exams

·         Ambrosio Padilla - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 3rd placer, 1934 Bar Exams

·         Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1947 Bar Exams

·         Irene Cortes - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 9th placer, 1948 Bar Exams

·         Carolina A. Griño-Aquino - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1950 Bar Exams

·         Isagani A. Cruz - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 8th placer, 1951 Bar Exams

·         Rafael C. Climaco - former Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 5th placer, 1939 Bar Exams ( Ferdinand Marcos placed 1st )

·         Florentino Feliciano - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice and Chair, WTO Appellate Tribunal; 6th placer, 1952 Bar Exams

·         Florenz D. Regalado - former Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 1st placer, 1954 Bar Exams

·         Adolfo Azcuna - Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 4th placer, 1962 Bar Exams

·         Antonio Eduardo Nachura - Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 7th placer, 1967 Bar Exams

·         Presbitero Velasco, Jr. - Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 6th placer, 1971 Bar Exams

·         Antonio Carpio - Philippine Supreme Court Justice; 6th placer, 1975 Bar Exams

·         Arturo D. Brion - Philippine Supreme Court Justice; former Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 1st placer, 1974 Bar Exams

·         Bienvenido V. Reyes - former Philippine Court of Appeals Presiding Justice; 5th placer, 1954 Bar Exams

·         Salome A. Montoya - former Philippine Court of Appeals Presiding Justice; 6th placer, 1954 Bar Exams

·         Alicia V. Sempio-Diy - former Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 5th placer, 1950 Bar Exams

·         Oscar M. Herrera - former Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 8th placer, 1953 Bar Exams

·         Demetrio Demetria - former Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 2nd placer, 1964 Bar Exams

·         Mario Guariña III - former Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 2nd placer, 1967 Bar Exams

·         Lucas Bersamin - Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 9th placer, 1973 Bar Exams

·         Celia Librea-Leagogo - Philippine Court of Appeals Justice; 5th placer, 1981 Bar Exams

Only eleven of the 22 jurists who rose to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court were bar placers, starting with Jose Yulo (3rd in 1913), followed by Ricardo Paras (2nd in 1913), then by Cesar Bengzon (2nd in 1919), then by Roberto Concepcion (1st in 1924), then by Querube Makalintal (7th in 1933) then by Enrique Fernando (13th in 1938), then by Ramon Aquino (6th in 1939), then by Claudio Teehankee, Sr. (1st in 1940), then by Pedro Yap (1st in November 1946), then by Andres Narvasa (2nd in 1951) and finally by Artemio Panganiban (6th in 1960). However, the first four chief magistrates (Cayetano Arellano, Victorino Mapa, Manuel Araullo and Ramon Avancena) became lawyers (all after graduating from the UST Faculty of Civil Law) before the establishment of the Bar Exams in 1901 while the fifth head of the judiciary (Jose Abad Santos) graduated from a foreign law school and was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1911. Six Chief Justices did not place in the Bar Exams: Manuel Moran (the father of Philippine remedial law), Fred Ruiz Castro (the father of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines), Felix Makasiar, Marcelo Fernan, Hilario Davide and the incumbent Reynato Puno).

Of the candidates to become the next Chief Justice (to replace the retiring Reynato Puno) only two were bar placers: Antonio Carpio (6th in 1975) of the UP College of Law and Arturo Brion (1st in 1974) of the Ateneo Law School. Both Carpio and Brion graduated valedictorian of their respective law classes. However, neither topnotcher made it to the apex of the judicial summit, as Atenean Renato C. Corona was appointed the chief magistrate.

Senators and Representatives

·         Manuel A. Roxas - former Philippine Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives; 1st placer, 1913 Bar Exams

·         Manuel L. Quezon - former Philippine Senate President; 4th placer, 1903 Bar Exams

·         Arturo M. Tolentino - former Philippine Senate President; 2nd placer, 1934 Bar Exams

·         Ferdinand E. Marcos - former Philippine Senate President; 1st placer, 1939 Bar Exams

·         Jovito Salonga - former Philippine Senate President; 1st placer, 1944 Bar Exams

·         Neptali Gonzales - former Philippine Senate President; 9th placer, 1949 Bar Exams

·         Rodolfo Ganzon - former Philippine Senator and Iloilo City Mayor; 2nd Placer, 1950 Bar Exams

·         Ernesto M. Maceda - former Philippine Senate President; 10th placer, 1956 Bar Exams

·         Franklin M. Drilon - former Philippine Senate President; 3rd placer, 1969 Bar Exams

·         Lorenzo Sumulong - former Philippine Senator; 1st placer, 1929 Bar Exams

·         Jose W. Diokno - former Philippine Senator; 1st placer, 1944 Bar Exams

·         Renato V. Saguisag (Rene Saguisag) - former Philippine Senator; 6th placer, 1963 Bar Exams

·         Sergio S. Osmeña - former Speaker of the House of Representatives; 2nd placer, 1903 Bar Exams

·         Jose Y. Yulo - former Speaker of the House of Representatives; 3rd placer, 1913 Bar Exams

·         Aguedo F. Agbayani - former Pangasinan Representative; 5th placer, 1947 Bar Exams

·         Antonio Eduardo Nachura - former Samar Representative; 7th placer, 1967 Bar Exams

·         Ronaldo B. Zamora - San Juan Representative; 1st placer, 1969 Bar Exams

·         Prospero Nograles - Speaker of the House of Representatives; 2nd placer, 1971 Bar Exams

·         Arturo D. Brion - Assemblyman, Philippine National Assembly; 1st placer, 1974 Bar Exams

·         Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo C. Teodoro, Jr. - former Tarlac Representative; 1st placer, 1989 Bar Exams

·         Jose P. Laurel - former Senator; 2nd Placer 1915

Of the lawyers who became President of the Senate, only the following were bar placers: Manuel Quezon (4th in 1903), Manuel Roxas (1st in 1913), Ferdinand Marcos (1st in 1939), Arturo Tolentino (2nd in 1934), Jovito Salonga (1st in 1944), Neptali Gonzales (9th in 1949), Ernesto Maceda (10th in 1956), Franklin Drilon (3rd in 1969) and Juan Ponce Enrile (11th in 1953). Of the incumbent senators with terms expiring in 2013, five are lawyers (Ateneo Law School's Alan Peter Cayetano as well as Edgardo Angara, Joker Arroyo, Francis Escudero, and Francis Pangilinan of the UP College of Law) and none of whom were previous bar placers. Curiously, Aquilino Pimentel III of the UP College of Law (who is contesting the seat occupied by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri) placed 1st in the 1990 Bar Exams.

On the other hand, of those who became Speaker of the House of Representatives, only the following were bar placers: Sergio Osmena, Sr. (2nd in 1903), Manuel Roxas (1st in 1913), Jose Yulo (3rd in 1913) Querube Makalintal (7th in 1933) and Prospero Nograles (2nd in 1971). Of the chamber's other officers, only Ronaldo Zamora was a former bar topnotcher (1st in 1969).

Curiously, the incumbent heads of both houses of Congress were previous bar placers: Ateneo Law School's Nograles for the lower house and UP College of Law's Ponce Enrile for the upper house. After the 2010 elections, former Rep. Nograles (who did not run for re-election) was replaced by lawyer Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr. (from Lyceum of the Philippines) as Speaker. Sen. Enrile retained his post as Senate President.

Appointees and career service officials

·         Roberto Concepcion - Member, 1986 Constitutional Commission; 1st placer, 1924 Bar Exams

·         Lorenzo Sumulong - Member, 1986 Constitutional Commission; 1st placer, 1929 Bar Exams

·         Arturo Tolentino - Member, Philippine Civil Code Commission; former Minister of Foreign Affairs; 2nd placer, 1934 Bar Exams

·         Ambrosio Padilla - Member, 1986 Constitutional Commission; 3rd placer, 1934 Bar Exams

·         Diosdado Macapagal - President, Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1971; 1st placer, 1936 Bar Exams

·         Cecilia Muñoz-Palma - President, Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986; Chairperson, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office; 1st placer, 1937 Bar Exams

·         Jovito Salonga - former Chairman, Presidential Commission on Good Government; 1st placer, 1944 Bar Exams

·         Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera - Chancellor, Philippine Judicial Academy; Chairperson, Legal Publications Committee, Supreme Court Centenary Celebrations; 1st placer, 1947 Bar Exams

·         Alicia V. Sempio-Dy - Member, Philippine Civil Code Revision Committee; former Commissioner, National Commission on Women; 5th placer, 1950 Bar Exams

·         Andres Narvasa - Chairman, Preparatory Commission for Constitutional Reform; 2nd placer, 1951 Bar Exams

·         Gabriel Singson - former Governor of the Central Bank of the Philippines; 2nd placer, 1952 Bar Exams

·         Florentino Feliciano - Chairman, Feliciano Commission investigating the Oakwood Mutiny; 6th placer, 1952 Bar Exams

·         Florenz D. Regalado - Member, 1986 Constitutional Commission; 1st placer, 1954 Bar Exams

·         Jose Nolledo - Delegate, 1971 Constitutional Convention & Member, 1986 Constitutional Commission; 3rd placer, 1958 Bar Exams

·         Haydee Yorac - former Chairperson, Presidential Commission on Good Government; former Commissioner, Commission on Elections; 8th placer, 1962 Bar Exams

·         Adolfo Azcuna - Member, 1986 Constitutional Commission; 4th placer, 1962 Bar Exams

·         Joaquin G. Bernas - Member, 1986 Constitutional Commission; Member, Feliciano Commission investigating the Oakwood mutiny; 9th placer, 1962 Bar Exam

·         Anacleto C. Mañgaser (var. Mangaser) - former Chairman, Reparations Commission; 1st placer, 1949 Bar Exams

·         Sergio A. Apostol - Chief Presidential Legal Counsel; 7th placer, 1958 Bar Exams

·         Ismael G. Khan Jr. - former Spokesperson, Philippine Supreme Court; 6th placer, 1959 Bar Exams

·         Antonio Eduardo Nachura - former Solicitor General; 7th placer, 1967 Bar Exams

·         Fulgencio S. Factoran, Jr. - former Executive Secretary; 9th placer, 1967 Bar Exams

·         Jose Mario Buñag - former Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner; 2nd placer, 1968 Bar Exams

·         Ronaldo B. Zamora - former Executive Secretary; 1st placer, 1969 Bar Exams

·         Franklin Drilon - former Secretary of Labor and Employment; 3rd placer, 1969 Bar Exams

·         Jess Dureza - Mindanao Super Region In-charge; 10th placer, 1973 Bar Exams

·         Arturo D. Brion - Secretary of Labor and Employment; 1st placer, 1974 Bar Exams

·         Antonio Carpio - former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel; 6th placer, 1975 Bar Exams

·         Avelino Cruz, Jr. - former Secretary of National Defense; 7th placer, 1977 Bar Exams

·         Simeon Marcelo - former Philippine Ombudsman; 5th placer, 1979 Bar Exams

·         Manuel Antonio J. Teehankee - former Undersecretary of Justice; Ambassador to the World Trade Organization; 1st placer, 1983 Bar Exams

·         Antonio M. Bernardo - former Bureau of Customs Commissioner; 2nd placer, 1988 Bar Exams

·         Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo C. Teodoro, Jr. - Secretary of National Defense; 1st placer, 1989 Bar Exams

·         Persida V. Rueda-Acosta - Chief Public Attorney of the Philippines; 5th placer, 1989 Bar Exams

·         Ruben Carranza, Jr. - Commissioner, Presidential Commission on Good Government; 8th placer, 1990 Bar Exams

·         Maria Celia H. Fernandez - former Chief, Presidential Management Staff; 1st placer, 1997 Bar Exams

·         Janet T. Abuel - Regional Director, Department of Budget and Management; 1st placer, 1998 Bar Exams

·         Edwin R. Enrile - former Assistant Executive Secretary, Office of the President; Deputy Executive Secretary, Office of the President; 1st placer, 1999 Bar Exams

·         Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada - former Assistant Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President; 1st placer, 2001 Bar Exams

·         Leila De Lima - current Secretary of Justice; former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chairperson; 8th placer, 1985 Bar Exams

Local officials

·         Pablo P. Garcia - former Governor of Cebu; 3rd placer, 1951 Bar Exams

·         Aguedo F. Agbayani - former Governor of Pangasinan; 5th placer, 1947 Bar Exams

·         Isidoro E. Real, Jr. - former Governor / Congressman of Zamboanga del Sur; 7th placer, 1961 Bar Exams

·         Roldan Dalman - former Governor of Zamboanga del Norte;former Presidential Assistant for Regional Concerns, Western Mindanao 6th placer, 1975 Bar Exams

·         Douglas RA. Cagas - incumbent Governor / former Congressman of Davao Del Sur; 4th placer 1967 Bar Exams

Academe

·         Joaquin G. Bernas - former President, Ateneo de Manila University; Dean Emeritus, Ateneo Law School; 9th placer, 1962 Bar Exam

·         Jovito Salonga - former Dean, Far Eastern University Institute of Law; 1st placer, 1944 Bar Exams

·         Neptali Gonzales - former Dean, Far Eastern University Institute of Law; 9th placer, 1949 Bar Exams

·         Andres Narvasa - former Dean, University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law; 2nd placer, 1951 Bar Exams

·         Norberto S. Gonzales - Dean, Manuel L. Quezon University School of Law; 5th placer, 1958 Bar Exams

·         Custodio O. Parlade - President Emeritus, Philippine Dispute Resolution Centre; Lecturer and Bar Reviewer; 4th placer, 1959 Bar Exams

·         Agustin O. Benitez - former Dean, University of the East College of Law; 1st placer, 1959 bar Exams

·         Virgilio B. Jara - Dean, San Beda College of Law 5th placer, 1962 Bar Exams

·         Cesar L. Villanueva - Dean, Ateneo Law School; 2nd placer, 1981 Bar Exams

·         Jose Jesus G. Laurel - former Dean, Lyceum of the Philippines College of Law; 6th placer, 1981 Bar Exams

·         Roy Joseph M. Rafols - former Dean, Palawan State University College of Law; 2nd placer, 1984 Bar Exams

·         Pacifico N. Castro - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 8th placer, 1954 Bar Exams

·         Manuel T. Muro - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer, former Trial Court Judge; 6th placer, 1955 Bar Exams

·         Antonio H. Abad, Jr. - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; former Dean of the FEU Institute of Law and presently Dean of the Adamson University College of Law; 10th Placer, 1963 Bar Examinations

·         Roberto San Jose - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 1st placer, 1966 Bar Exams

·         Ruben F. Balane - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 2nd placer, 1966 Bar Exams

·         Hildegardo F. Iñigo - former Dean, Ateneo de Davao University College of Law and Bar Reviewer, 8th placer, 1966 Bar Exams

·         Jacinto D. Jimenez (Jack Jimenez) - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 3rd placer, 1968 Bar Exams

·         Arturo de Castro - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 3rd placer, 1970 Bar Exams

·         Rene Gorospe - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 2nd placer, 1979 Bar Exams

·         Manuel J. Laserna, Jr. - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer (Far Eastern University, Manila, 1985-2006); 3rd placer, 1984 Bar Exams (90.95%); trial lawyer; Bar leader; founder of the Las Pinas City Bar Association (2001); and managing partner of the Laserna Cueva-Mercader & Associates Law Offices (LCM Law, Las Pinas City).

·         Abelardo T. Domondon - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 4th placer, 1985 Bar Exams, graduate of Adamson University College of Law

·         Roberto A. Gana - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 5th placer, 1986 Bar Exams

·         Jose Maria G. Hofileña - Law Professor and Bar Reviewer; 10th placer, 1987 Bar Exams

·         Michael G. Aguinaldo - Law Professor; 7th placer, 1992 Bar Exams

·         Anna Leah Fidelis T. Castañeda - Law Professor; 1st placer, 1993 Bar Exams

·         Shirley F. Alinea - UP Law (6th Place, 1996 Bar Exams) - Law Professor (UE, Lyceum, San Sebastian)

·         Maria Socorro Z. Manguiat - Law Professor; 10th placer, 1993 Bar Exams

·         Maria Paz Romana S. Angeles - Law Professor; 10 placer, 1994 Bar Exams

·         Carla E. Santamaria-Seña - Law Professor; 5th placer, 1995 Bar Exams

·         Ralph A. Sarmiento - Dean, University of St. La Salle College of Law; International Law Bar Reviewer; 10th placer, 1997 Bar Exams

·         Shennan A. Sy - Law Professor; 6th placer, 1995 Bar Exams

·         Arnold De Vera - Law Professor; 8th placer, 1987 Bar Exams

·         Rhett Emmanuel C. Serfino - Practicing Lawyer; Professor and Bar Reviewer (MLQU, PUP, Universidad De Manila); 3rd placer, 1997 Bar Exams

·         Florin T. Hilbay - Law Professor; 1st placer, 1999 Bar Exams

·         Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada - Professor of Law (UP and Ateneo); 1st placer, 2001 Bar Exams

·         Solomon F. Lumba - Professor of Law (UP); 4th placer, 2001 Bar Exams

·         Adonis V. Gabriel - Professor of Law (SBC); 8th placer, 2001 Bar Exams

·         Samson S. Alcantara - Practicing Lawyer; Professor and Bar Reviewer (MLQU); Author-Philippine Labor and Social Legislation; 3rd placer, Bar Exams

·         Connie Chu - Professor(Ateneo), 2nd Place, 2002 Bar Exams

·         Ma. Ngina Chan-Gonzaga - Professor(Ateneo), 4th Place, 2002 Bar Exams

·         Michelle Juan - Professor(Ateneo, FEU-DLSU, PLM), 4th Place, 2002 Bar Exams

·         Nyerson Dexter Tito Q. Tualla - Corporate Attorney, TransCo; Civil Law Lecturer, Manuel L. Quezon University; 4th placer, 2005 Bar Exams

·         Pedro Jose F. Bernardo - Professor (Ateneo, FEU-DLSU, PLP), 8th Place, 2005 Bar Exams

·         Noel Neil Q. Malimban - Business Law Lecturer and Reviewer, University of the Cordilleras; 1st placer, 2006 Bar Exams

·         Guillermo A. Villasor, Jr. - Former Dean, University of Negros Occidental - Recoletos School of Law; 10th placer,1979 Bar Exams

·         Marforth T. Fua - Law Professor (SBC, PLP), 8th place, 2007 Bar Exams

·         Teodoro Almase - Dean, University of the Visayas, 4th place

Private sector

·         Manuel Montecillo - Name Partner, Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako (oldest law firm); 1st placer, 1948 Bar Exams

·         Manuel S. Abello - Founding Partner, Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz (ACCRALAW) ; 1st placer, 1958 Bar Exams

·         Nelly Favis-Villafuerte - Editor, Manila Bulletin; 7th placer, 1959 Bar Exams

·         Avelino V. Cruz - Founding Partner, ACCRALAW; youngest to top the bar, 1st placer, 1962 Bar Exams

·         Mercedita V. Santiago-Nolledo - Corporate Secretary, Ayala Corporation; 2nd placer, 1965 Bar Exams

·         Rodolfo D. Robles - General practitioner; 1st placer, 1967 Bar Exams

·         Januario B. Soller Jr. - Co-founder, Soller Chain of Pawnshops; 1st placer, 1972 Bar Exams

·         Jesus M. Manalastas - Name Partner, PECABAR Law Firm; 2nd placer, 1972 Bar Exams

·         Victor P. Lazatin - Senior Partner, ACCRALAW; 3rd placer, 1972 Bar Exams

·         Barbara Anne Migallos - Name Partner, Roco Buñag Kapunan Migallos Law Firm; Co-founder, Migallos & Luna Law Office; 3rd placer, 1979 Bar Exams

·         Mario Luz Bautista - Co-founder, Poblador Bautista Reyes Law Firm; 6th placer, 1979 Bar Exams

·         Arthur Lim - former National President, Integrated Bar of the Philippines; 3rd placer, 1981 Bar Exams

·         Ray C. Espinosa - Partner, SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan; Executive Director, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company; President and CEO, ePLDT; President and CEO, Associated Broadcasting Corporation; Vice Chairman, Philweb Corporation; 1st placer, 1982 Bar Exams

·         Agerico T. Paras - Founding Partner and Managing Partner, Paras and Manlapaz Lawyers; 6th placer, 1983 Bar Exams

·         Menardo L. Guevarra - Co-founder, Serapio Guevarra Medialdea Law Firm; 2nd placer, 1985 Bar Exams

·         Marlon Manuel - Director, SALIGAN (non-profit legal assistance group); 5th placer, 1994 Bar Exams

·         Patricia-ann T. Prodigalidad - Partner, ACCRALAW; 1st placer, 1996 Bar Exams

·         Maria Celia H. Fernandez - In-house counsel, Yuchengco group of companies; 1st placer, 1997 Bar Exams

·         Jose Raulito E. Paras - Partner, Andres Marcelo Padernal Guerrero & Paras; 5th placer, 1997 Bar Exams

·         Eliseo M. Zuñiga Jr. - Partner, Quisumbing Torres Law Firm; 1st placer, 2000 Bar Exams

·         Valerie Feria Amante - Legal Division Head, Jollibee Group of Companies; 7th placer, 2000 Bar Exams

·         Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada - Associate, SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan; 1st placer, 2001 Bar Exams

·         Ma. Theresa U. Ballelos - Associate, Quisumbing Torres Law Firm; 6th placer, 2001 Bar Exams

·         Arlene Maneja - Associate, Siguion Reyna Montecillo & Ongsiako; 1st placer, 2002 Bar Exams

·         Aeneas Eli S. Diaz - Associate, Villaraza & Angangco; 1st placer, 2003 Bar Exams

·         January A. Sanchez - Consultant, Asian Development Bank; 1st placer, 2004 Bar Exams

·         Joan A. De Venecia - Associate, SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan; 1st placer, 2005 Bar Exams

·         Noel Neil Q. Malimban - Associate, Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose; 1st placer, 2006 Bar Exams

·         Filemon Ray L. Javier - Associate, Quisumbing Torres Law Firm; 2nd placer, 2010 Bar Exams