Students of the College of Law aspire and work hard to reach the dream of graduating and finally becoming full-fledged lawyers. Aside from our families, our professors and alumni serve as inspiration to never give up. They also guide us in preparation for the Bar Exams from day one.
The Nexus will be featuring lawyers from MSU (who are alumni and professors) every week to inspire us to work for our dreams and reach our goals.
The first featured lawyers have been a source of inspiration and admiration from students, professors, and colleagues. Nexus is proud to feature the power couple Judge Mylene and Judge Arassad Macumbal.
JUDGE ARASSAD M. MACUMBAL
Undergrad Course: BS CIVIL ENGINEERING (9th Place 1993 Civil Eng Board Exam)
Undergrad School: Mindanao State University – Main
Law School: Mindanao State University
Work Experience:
Assistant Dean (MSU Law Iligan Ext);
Exec Assistant DOJ Manila;
Asst. City Prosecutor, CDO;
Presiding Judge, 4th MCTC, Bacolod-Maigo-Munai, Lanao del Norte;
Other Affiliations:
Beta Sigma Lambda Exclusive Law Fraternity/Sorority;
MSU Integrals; Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines;
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry;
Order of the Eastern Star;
Shriners International;
Grand and Glorious Order of the Knights of the Creeping Serpents;
Iligan Golf and Country Club
Hobbies: playing golf
Study Hacks: I would not go to class when I was not prepared for a recitation; as much as possible, I would memorize the contents of my book word for word.
Favorite Bar Subject: Succession (I like computation)
Unforgettable/Best Law School Experience: I’ve been to 3 law schools. MSU Main, MSU Iligan, and WMSU Zamboanga; Too much BSL.
Student testimonial:
Judge M. The very first professor I encountered in law school. He made my heart race, my palms sweat, and my knees weak. I never thought another man can make me feel like this that wasn’t my husband. Not because I was in love with him, but because he scares the hell out of me! Hahahaha as I continued to bravely attend his class, survive recits after recits no matter how unprepared I felt (even though I read his reading assignments more than once), I realized so many things about myself intellectualy. Esp with the help of his teaching techniques, he made me understand the readings in ONE go compared to the many times I read it. I wish I could be half as brilliant as he is. He is one of my favorite professors even though he’s a bit scary. -Anonymous
JUDGE MYLENE AMEROL-MACUMBAL
Undergrad Course: BS Accountancy (18th in the 2002 CPA Board Exams)
Undergrad School: MSU-IIT
Law School: MSU Iligan Extension (2nd place in the 2008 Philippine Bar Exams)
Work Experience:
Presiding Judge, 6th MCTC Tubod-Baroy-Magsaysay, Lanao del Norte
Professorial Lecturer, MSU College of Law Iligan extension
Professorial Lecturer, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan College of Law
Former positions held Associate:
Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz (ACCRALAW) Court Attorney,
Court of Appeals Instructor, MSU-IIT CBAA
Other Affiliations:
Order of the Eastern Star
Philippine Women Judges Association
Hobbies: reading non-fiction books & articles
Study Hacks: I made notes. I studied more than one book. I read cases in their original form. I made use of available time, such as waiting time, to study.
Favorite Bar Subject: Remedial Law
Unforgettable/Best Law School Experience (a short anecdote, if any): I guess its the whole experience of studying and preparing for class, memorizing articles and reading cases, being nervous that the prof might call me, and the adrenaline high that one gets when one answers the questions correctly, as well as the regret that one feels if one did not get the question right.
Student testimonial:
Judge Mylene is really diligent in her job as a professor. In her review classes, she always focuses on bar critical areas especially for tax and commercial law review. She’s an all-rounder, which means, she doesn’t only check our papers, but coaches us on how to answer bar questions including her assessments over our penmanship. All-rounder jud sya. Top 2 baya. She is also good at simplifying discussions in order for us to understand the topics clearly. It really helps that she makes her discussions bar oriented. She simplifies her lessons and topics and on top of it all, she has a sense of humor! It is also humbling that a bar topnotcher admits it if she lacks knowledge on a certain topic. – Anonymous
Marija Kara “Cooki” Trinidad is a planeteer, a corporate employee for a Tech company, a 5th yr law student, and a mother of two boys. Cooki has lobbied and is lobbying for more environmental policies in the region. She gives webinars on sustainability, climate change, and the zero waste movement. She has also published an article about the plastic ban ordinance in The Philippine Star, has been nominated for Rappler’s MovePH award on Environment and Sustainability, and is a finalist of the Philippine Youth Leadership Program (PYLP 17/18). She is a Nexus Alumni and was an Associate Editor and Writer back then.
