2016 Bar top-notcher willing to do pro bono work

Karen Mae Calam, the University of San Carlos graduate who topped the 2016 Bar examinations, on Wednesday said she is open to providing free legal assistance to citizens who cannot afford to pay a lawyer's legal service.

"I see some friends offering free legal aid. Gusto ko rin pasukin 'yun para mag-reach out sa mga brothers and sisters natin na di nakaka-afford ng legal service," Calam said in a phone interview with Emil Sumangil on QRT.

"Gusto ko rin po mag-give back sa community for the blessings na na-receive ko," Calam, who scored 89.050 percent in the examination, said.  She will be the first lawyer in her family.

Calam, currently a tax senior associate at SGV&Co., an accounting firm, also shared some tips on how to pass the Bar examination, believed to be the most difficult among licensure examinations.

"'Yung Bar exam 'yung preparations hindi lang nagi-start sa review. Doon po talaga sa first day niyo sa law school, doon pa lang po talagang kailangan mo nang magbasa. Pag may assigned cases 'yung professors natin, dapat talaga basahin 'yun," she said.

"Minsan kasi tayo we want the shortcut, basahin talaga 'yung mga libro, hindi lang 'yung mga digest... from there po kasi naiipon 'yung information mo kasi sa review hindi talaga sapat," Calam added.

"Kailangan pag nagbasa ka di lang for the sake na nagbasa ka, dapat naintindihan mo 'yung binasa mo."

Aside from being mentally-prepared, she also emphasized that an examinee needs to be physically, spiritually and emotionally ready for the Bar examination.

"Kailangan mo talaga ng guidance kay Lord kasi kahit anong talino mo there's someone bigger than all of us. Isang factor din siya," Calam said. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News