Here are all subjects you will study in law school
Below are the core subjects in law school based on the curriculum of the
Ateneo de Manila School of Law. Read more: CORE SUBJECTS. Ateneo de Manila
University. https://www.ateneo.edu/aps/law/jd-program-law/core-subjects. Last
accesseed November 07, 2020.
FIRST YEAR
| FIRST SEMESTER | SECOND SEMESTER | ||
| Course | Credit | Course | Credit |
| Constitutional Law I | 3 | Constitutional Law II | 3 |
| Criminal Law I | 3 | Criminal Law II | 3 |
| Introduction to Law | 1 | Legal Technique and Logic | 2 |
| Legal Profession | 1 | Legal Writing | 2 |
| Legal Research and Writing I | 1 | Obligations and Contracts | 5 |
| Persons and Family Relations | 4 | Theology and the Law – Social Teachings of the Church | 2 |
| Philosophy of Law | 2 | ||
| Statutory Construction | 2 | ||
| Total Credits | 17 | Total Credits | 17 |
FIRST YEAR, First Semester
Constitutional Law I (3 units)
The course undertakes a survey and evaluation of basic
principles contained in the Philippine Constitution dealing with the structure
of the Philippine Government.Criminal Law I (3 units)
This course covers Book One of the Revised Penal Code, which
contains the provisions on felonies, circumstances which affect criminal
liability, persons criminally liable for felonies, penalties imposed, the
extinction of criminal liability, as well as civil liability.
Introduction to Law (1 unit)
This is an overview of the various aspects of the concept
of law with emphasis on the relationship between law, jurisprudence, courts,
society, and public policy.
Legal Profession (1 unit)
This subject begins with an examination of the role of
lawyers throughout history, through the study of the major legal systems in
the world, and an examination of how these systems figure in the history and
development of the legal profession in the Philippines.
Legal Research and Writing I (1 unit)
This course focuses on the importance of legal research
and teaches students how to effectively research using various sources and
tools. It introduces students to the methodology of legal research and the
preparation of legal opinions, memoranda, and related matters.
Persons and Family Relations (4 units)
This is a study of the laws on Persons and Family
Relations as contained in the Preliminary and Human Relations chapters of the
New Civil Code of the Philippines, the Family Code of the Philippines, and the
pertinent chapters of the New Civil Code of the Philippines. Special laws
relevant to the family are also included.
Philosophy of Law (2 units)
This subject looks into the historical roots of law, the
schools of legal thought that spurred its growth and development, and the
primordial purpose of law and legal education. It involves a philosophical
reflection on the nature of law, and surveys classical, modern, and
contemporary theories of law. Moreover, it seeks to develop in the student a
reasoned, healthy, and critical approach toward the law and its institutions,
including legal education.
Statutory Construction (2 units)
This course explores the use and force of statutes and
the principles and methods of their construction and interpretation.
FIRST YEAR, Second Semester
Constitutional Law II (3 units)
This
course is a study of the Philippine Constitution, specifically the bill of
rights, citizenship and suffrage, social justice and human rights, and
judicial review of acts affecting them.
Criminal Law II (3 units)
This is a study of specific felonies penalized in Book
II of the Revised Penal Code, their nature, elements, and corresponding
penalties. Such felonies include crimes against the fundamental laws of the
state, crimes against public interest, crimes against persons, and
quasi-offenses, among others.
Legal Technique and Logic (2 units)
This is a course on the methods of reasoning,
syllogisms, arguments and explanations, deductions, the truth table
demonstrating invalidity and inconsistency, and propositional functions. It
also includes the logical organization of legal language and logical testing
of judicial reasoning.
Legal Writing (2
units)
This is a foundational course on the principles, elements, and
techniques of legal writing. It involves a review of the basic rules for form
and style, argumentation, advocacy, legal research, legal citation and legal
bibliography, case digesting and reporting analysis, legal reasoning, and
preparation of legal opinions or memoranda.
Obligations and Contracts (5 units)
This is a study of the nature, kinds and effect of
obligations, and their extinguishment; and contracts in general, their
requisites, form and interpretation, as well as the various kinds of defective
contracts. It also surveys natural obligations, estoppel, and prescription.
Theology and the Law – Social Teachings of the Church (2 units)
This course traces the historical development of
significant Papal encyclicals that have relevance to the legal profession in
order to provide a better understanding of the mission of the Church in the
modern world, and the role that lawyers and judges play. It endeavors to
contextualize the vision and mission of the Church in the Filipino setting and
culture, in order to achieve an interiorized consciousness of the challenges
that face the legal profession.
SECOND YEAR
| FIRST SEMESTER | SECOND SEMESTER | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Credit | Course | Credit |
| Agency, Trusts, and Partnership | 3 | Administrative Law, Law on Public Officers, and Election Laws | 3 |
| Credit Transactions | 3 | Agrarian Reform and Social Legislation | 2 |
| Criminal Law III | 2 | Civil Procedure | 4 |
| Criminal Procedure | 3 | Corporation Law | 4 |
| Land Titles and Deeds | 2 | Legal Ethics | 3 |
| Natural Resources and Environmental Law | 2 | Legal Medicine | 1 |
| Negotiable Instruments Law | 3 | Public Corporations | 1 |
| Property | 4 | Public International Law | 2 |
| Sales | 2 | Taxation I | 3 |
| Total Credits | 24 | Total Credits | 23 |
APPRENTICESHIP (120 Hours) – 2
SECOND YEAR, First Semester
Agency, Trusts, and Partnership (3
units)
This course studies the non-corporate media of pursuing business
and transactions, namely agency, business trusts, partnership, and joint
venture arrangements. It also covers the rules and regulations issued by
government agencies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
Office of the Government Corporate Counsel bearing on the matters covered by
the course.
Credit Transactions (3
units)
This is a study of the law governing loans and deposits, including
mortgages, pledge, antichresis, guaranty, suretyships and other securities or
collaterals, the law on concurrence and preference of credits, and the
Insolvency Law.
Criminal Law III (2 units)
This course covers special penal laws, such as the
Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,
the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse Act, the Human Security Act,
the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act, and the Expanded
Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
Criminal Procedure (3 units)
This course studies the rules on criminal procedure,
including the basic rights of the accused, the jurisdiction of courts, and the
system of criminal justice administration.
Land Titles and Deeds (2 units)
This course studies the systems and methods of
registration of titles and deeds to land, including related land tenure
instruments.
Natural Resources and Environmental Law (2 units)
This course studies the constitutional provisions and special
laws governing natural resources, their use and disposition. It tackles
current environmental concerns and issues and the laws that govern them.
Negotiable Instruments (3 units)
This is an examination of the statutory provisions
governing negotiable instruments as well as other commercial papers, including
investment papers and money market instruments.
Property (4 units)
This course studies the law on the different
classifications of property, ownership, co-ownership, condominiums,
possession, usufruct, easements, nuisance, and the different modes of
acquiring ownership, including donations (but excluding tradition,
intellectual creation, and succession).
Sales (2 units)
This is an examination of the provisions of the New
Civil Code on the contract of sale, its nature and form, the obligations of
the parties, warranties, remedies, breach of contract, and conventional and
legal redemption. It includes assignment of credits and incorporeal rights,
and the relevant provisions of the Electronic Commerce Act.
SECOND YEAR, Second Semester
Administrative Law, Law on Public Officers, and Election Laws (3 units)
This course deals with the development of the law and
the various principles used by administrative agencies in the performance of
their functions. It focuses principally on the investigatory, rule-making, and
adjudicatory powers exercised by an administrative agency as provided in the
Revised Administrative Code, and the availability of judicial relief. It also
deals with the various laws on public officers and election laws.
Agrarian Reform and Social Legislation (2 units)
This course provides students with a deeper
understanding of the mechanisms behind the agrarian reform law through the
study of statutes, administrative rules and orders, and related jurisprudence.
It discusses the process of obtaining the Certificate of Land Transfer
including the requirements for farmers to become agrarian reform
beneficiaries.
Civil Procedure (4
units)
This course is a study of Rules 1-71 of the 1997 Rules of Civil
Procedure. It reviews the differences between substantive and remedial law,
the basic principles of jurisdiction, and the power of the Supreme Court to
promulgate the Rules of Court.
Corporation Law (4 units)
This is a study of the Corporation Code and other
special laws governing private corporations, including foreign corporations
and the concept of doing business in the Philippines. It includes in-depth
analyses of the applicable common law and commercial law principles underlying
the various relationships in the corporate setting. It also surveys the
structure, powers, and jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
and the pertinent provisions of the Securities Regulation Code.
Legal Ethics (3 units)
This course focuses on the canons of legal ethics
involving the duties and responsibilities of the lawyer with respect to the
client, the court, the bar, and the public.
Legal Medicine (1 unit)
This course includes the study of both medical
jurisprudence and legal medicine. It examines the legal principles that relate
to the medical field and medico-legal cases. It provides an overview of
forensic medicine as it relates to legal problems, particularly in the fields
of criminal and civil law.
Public Corporations (1 unit)
This course studies the Local Government Code and provides an
understanding of the nature of local government units, its autonomy, powers,
funding, officials, accountability, and people's participation.
Public International Law (2 units)
This is an overview of the legal principles governing
international relations based, among others, on the United Nations Charter and
other treaties, and the decisions of international tribunals. It includes an
introduction to the law of nations and international organizations, and a
review of relevant international and Philippine case and treaty law.
Taxation I (3 units)
This course discusses the general principles of taxation
and statutory provisions on income taxation, including pertinent revenue
regulations.
THIRD YEAR
| FIRST SEMESTER | SECOND SEMESTER | ||
| Course | Credit | Course | Credit |
| Human Rights Law | 2 | Conflict of Laws | 2 |
| Insurance | 2 | Evidence | 4 |
| Labor Law I | 3 | Labor Law II | 3 |
| Legal Forms | 2 | Legal Research and Writing III | 1 |
| Legal Research and Writing II | 1 | Special Issues in International Law | 2 |
| Succession | 4 | Special Proceedings | 2 |
| Torts and Damages | 2 | Taxation II | 3 |
| Transportation | 2 | Electives | 4 |
| Electives | 4 | ||
| Total Credits | 22 | Total Credits | 21 |
APPRENTICESHIP (120 Hours) –
THIRD YEAR, First Semester
Human Rights Law (2 units)
This
course focuses on the concept of human rights as enunciated in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenants on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights; and humanitarian laws. It
also reviews the state of observance of human rights and the means to
implement human rights at various levels.
Insurance (2 units)
This is a study of the Insurance Code and related laws,
including the concept and function of insurance, the nature of the insurance
contract, insurable interest, special forms of insurance, and government
regulation of the business.
Labor Law I (3 units)
This course is an introduction to Philippine Labor Laws.
It covers several sections of the Labor Code, including the Preliminary Title,
Pre-Employment, Human Resources Development, Conditions of Employment, and
Health, Safety, and Social Welfare Benefits. Other important laws such as the
Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Act are also covered.
Legal Forms (2 units)
This course instructs students in the drafting of
various legal documents and deeds, as well as judicial pleadings and
briefs.
Legal Research and Writing II (1 unit)
This course is an instructional guide to the preparation
and writing of a legal thesis, with the objective of choosing a subject and
drafting an outline for the J.D. thesis to be submitted and defended by the
student.
Succession (4 units)
This
is a detailed evaluation of the law on testate and intestate succession,
including wills, institution of heirs, computation of legitimes of compulsory
heirs, disinheritance, and partition and distribution of the estate.
Torts and Damages (2 units)
This subject involves the study of the concepts of fault
and negligence giving rise to civil liability on the part of persons not bound
by contract, and others who, by virtue of their relationship with the
tortfeasor, may also be held civilly liable with them. It also includes the
types of damages that may be awarded, the requirements for awarding each type
of damages, and the defenses available to either mitigate or evade liability
for damages.
Transportation (2
units)
This course is a study of the general principles and basic
regulations governing common carriers by land, sea, and air. Specifically, it
examines the laws relevant to transportation of goods and passengers for
compensation, as well as the relevant cases that establish the obligations and
liabilities of the common carriers.
THIRD YEAR, Second Semester
Conflict of Laws (2 units)
This
is a course dealing with legal transactions or relationships involving foreign
elements with emphasis on the choice of law, including problems in
jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.
Evidence (4 units)
This course looks into the rules of presentation,
admissibility, and weight and sufficiency of evidence, including burden of
proof and presumptions.
Labor Law II (3
units)
This course covers sections of the Labor Code dealing with Labor
Relations, Post-employment, and the Transitory and Final Provisions. It deals
with topics such as labor organizations, unfair labor practices, collective
bargaining, termination of employment, and disputes arising from such.
Legal Research and Writing III (1 unit)
A continuation of Legal Research and Writing II, this
course aims to guide students as they progress in researching on and
formulating their arguments, and as they write the body of their theses. It
requires the students to defend their thesis proposals and outlines before a
panel, in preparation for the actual thesis defense.
Special Issues in International Law (2 units)
This course is a study of special areas
of international law, such as International Criminal Law, the Law of
the Sea, and International Trade Law. It provides the students an
opportunity to examine the relationship between law and policy
and analyze how this relationship evolves and is formed by
the changing nature of the world order as well as domestic and
international politics. It also aids the students in gaining a deeper
understanding of domestic and international legal issues that
arise when a government responds to international issues.
Special Proceedings (2 units)
This is a study of Rules 72-109 of the Revised Rules of
Court. It deals with, among other things, the procedural rules on the
settlement of estate of deceased persons, guardianship, appointment of
trustees, adoption, habeas corpus, cancellation and correction of entries in
the Civil Registry, and appeals on special proceedings. It also covers the
rules on injunctive writs and temporary restraining orders, as well as the
special rule covering the writ of kalikasan.
Taxation II (3 units)
This is a
study of the concepts and general principles of transfer, value added, excise,
and other percentage and miscellaneous taxes, provided in the National
Internal Revenue Code; the remedies available to the government and the
taxpayer; fundamentals of local taxation; and the general principles on tariff
and customs duties.
FOURTH YEAR
| FIRST SEMESTER | SECOND SEMESTER | ||
| Course | Credit | Course | Credit |
| Civil Law Review I | 4 | Civil Law Review II | 4 |
| Criminal Law Review | 4 | Commercial Law Review | 4 |
| Political Law Review | 4 | Labor Law Review | 3 |
| Practice Court I | 3 | Practice Court II | 2 |
| Taxation Law Review | 3 | Remedial Law Review | 6 |
| Electives | 4 | Electives | 4 |
| Total Credits | 22 | Total Credits | 23 |
THESIS WRITING (First Semester) -requisite courses
FOURTH YEAR, First Semester
Civil Law Review I (4 units)
This
is a general integration of the principles in civil law covering the effect
and application of laws, the law on human relations, persons and family
relations, property, ownership and its modifications, and the different modes
of acquiring ownership.
Criminal Law Review (4 units)
This is a general review of the Revised Penal Code with
its latest amendments, other penal statutes, and relevant jurisprudence.
Political Law Review (4 units)
This
is an integrated survey of the Constitution of the Philippines, administrative
law, law on public officers, the Local Government Code, and election laws.
Practice Court I (3 units)
This is a clinical offering which exposes the students to the
practical aspects of the law, particularly in the trial of cases. It covers
practical instruction in the preparation of cases and trial briefs, with a
focus on civil cases.
Taxation Law Review (3 units)
This is a general integration of principles of tax laws,
including income, transfer, value-added tax, and other business taxes. It also
includes a review of local and real property taxation, and the basic
principles of the Tariff and Customs Code.
FOURTH YEAR, Second Semester
Civil Law Review II (4 units)
This
is a general integration of the principles in civil law relating to
succession, obligations and contracts, sales, lease, quasi-contracts,
quasi-delicts, and damages.
Commercial Law Review (4 units)
This is a survey and review of the laws on partnership,
agency, trusts, corporations, securities, negotiable instruments, insurance,
and transportation.
Labor Law Review (3 units)
This is an integration of the laws on labor standards
and labor relations, related social welfare legislation, as well as landmark
and recent jurisprudence on labor laws.
Practice Court II (2 units)
This course is a continuation of Practice Court I.
Students participate in mock trial work, including the preparation of trial
briefs and methods of presenting evidence with focus on criminal cases.
Outstanding cases illustrating the effective and efficient utilization of
procedural rules in enhancing successful litigation are analyzed in detail
and, where appropriate, hypothetical cases are presented for solution by the
students.
Remedial Law Review (6
units)
This is a general survey and integration of the principles of
court jurisdiction, civil and criminal procedures, special civil actions,
provisional remedies, special proceedings, and evidence.