A TOTAL of 10,483 law graduates showed up to take the 2024 Bar Examinations on its first day, on Sunday out of over 12,000 applicants.

Of the said number, 5,234 are new applicants; 4,060 retakers took the exam, while 1,189 were refreshers who took the Bar.

“This demonstrates the unwavering commitment of those who continued with the Bar Examinations despite the challenges,” 2024 Bar chairperson Associate Justice Mario Lopez said.

Lopez said that some of supposed Bar takers were still in fourth year during the application and some of them were not able to graduate. He explained that failure to graduate will disqualify an individual from the Bar examinations.

The 2024 Bar remains to be regionalized and digitalized. This year, the exam schedule is September 8, 11 and 15.

The first day of exams covered political and public international law and commercial law and taxation laws.

Meanwhile, Lopez said that the exam results may be released early December. While the oath-taking ceremony and signing of the Roll of Attorneys are scheduled on January 24, 2025.