Throwback Feature: OSG Experience: A Wonderful Legacy

Days after the bar, I would like to share this throwback article published in MSU Law Gazette, as written by law student Najieva S. Ibrahim.

Sukran, MSU Law Gazette!

His OSG Experience: A Wonderful Legacy*

by: Najieva S. Ibrahim

For some reason, experience is viewed in different ways. But for someone I know, knowledge is gained from experience. He is JR Lopez Gonzales. He is just like any other typical and dedicated law student who happens to be a good speaker, blogger, writer and above all a role model.

The 2013 OSG Interns with Associate Solicitor Karl Miranda and  SC Justice Roberto Abad at the Supreme Court of the Philippines

He was the first Mindanaoan law student who got accepted in the summer internship program in one of the prestigious offices in the country, the Office of the Solicitor General.

The OSG Summer Internship Program which took place last year is a structured seven (7) week program designed primarily to provide unparalleled legal training to qualified third and fourth year law students. This is a brainchild program of Justice Karl Miranda, an Associate Solicitor General, which started in 2008. The OSG is located in Makati City, and is composed of various justices divided in different divisions.

As an intern, he had to wake up early in the morning for office work which starts at 8 AM and ends at five. Every intern is assigned to different divisions and number of interns depends upon the number of solicitor-lawyers. He, in particular, was designated in the division of Sedfrey A. Ordoñez, the largest OSG division. In SAO, there were 8 interns from various law schools, assigned for over 13 state solicitors. His fellow SAO interns are from UP, Ateneo, San Beda, San Carlos, UST, and San Jose Recolletos. Despite the diversity of backgrounds, the interns got to learn from each other’s distinct legal experiences.

With the SAO Interns.

JR considers his experience as life-changing. He also encourages other Mindanaoan law students to participate and apply for the internship which takes place every summer time, annually. The interns’ activities include the review of cases, drafting of pleadings, attending court hearings, participation to lectures, as well as visits to various legal institutions.

With the then-Solgen Francis Jardeleza.

Regarding pressures, he considers it as normal. In order to survive, he said that one has to have a good outlook. Having in mind that he represents MSU, he has to do well despite the standards included with the job – which meant even having to revise a submitted pleading five times!

But above all, as he related, was his deeper appreciation of what “public service” meant. He concludes that his experience has been one-of-a-kind, having the great privilege of interacting with solicitors and what it meant to work for the betterment of the Filipino people.

*Ibrahim, Najieva S. (20014, April 4) His OSG Experience: A Wonderful Legacy. MSU Law Gazette, p. 8.