On being ‘taken in from the cold’
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
If a nerd is “a highly intelligent person who is intensely focused on niche technical, academic, or intellectual interests,” then Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute of Law (IL)’s Juan Arturo Iluminado C. De Castro is one. The newly minted FEU IL dean has so much fun learning, including formal schooling, that shortly after earning his Bachelor of Laws, he pursued graduate and post-graduate studies thereafter obtaining his Master of Laws and Doctor of the Science of Law. Study is second nature to him.
“Before I accepted the appointment, I did my research about FEU IL—its history and tradition,” said De Castro.
He honored his other commitments in his private practice and teaching stint, thus ensuring a smooth turnover. But while he was coming in from the cold, he knew what was expected of him and certainly conscious of what he expected from himself. So, the work began.
“One should care about the institution; one should be passionate about it. I am figuring out ways and means to strategize ways of teaching too,” said De Castro. He is in the process of hiring people he could trust while carefully studying, among others, the “issuances, memorandum orders, and admission guidelines” of the Legal Education Board (LED). Conspicuously placed on one of the tables in his office are volumes from LED, which “oversees and regulates the country's legal education system, accredits law schools, and sets standards for law student selection, faculty requirements, and legal apprenticeship.”
De Castro is assembling people who can help him. He asks friends and family for support as he formulates a transition, introduces reform, and establishes a system of which everyone in FEU IL will have a sense of ownership.
“It is an exciting time to be a lawyer, considering improvements in the judiciary,” he said.
The FEU IL should be all about learning and teaching, said De Castro. It must produce lawyers who possess integrity and honesty. For himself, De Castro expects self-improvement, self-growth, as he takes on the responsibility of ushering in the next generation of lawyers.
“I am looking for [lawyer-teachers] who are dedicated and passionate [to the legal and teaching professions]. I will try to open the day school program [here in FEU IL],” he said. Other plans during his tenure include offering a Master of Legal Studies for specific fields, strengthening student support like intensive bar examination review and operations, and nurturing a vibrant community on campus.
He espouses collaborative leadership and management; hence looking for the best people who are the right fit to FEU IL. He trusts his people enough to delegate “tasks, authority, or responsibility” on his behalf. He keeps a reasonable open mind, welcoming inputs and questions.
Learning and teaching
“Atty. De Castro impressed me as someone dedicated to being a good teacher and remaining in the academe. He loves teaching and learning, which is why he has pursued not only an LLM but also a doctoral degree in law. My impression of him has not changed,” said Dean Rita Linda V. Jimeno of Centro Escolar University (CEU) School of Law.
The CEU dean described De Castro as a fair and reasonable teacher. When they had a faculty deliberation on who among the graduating students should be allowed to graduate, De Castro was willing to take a second look at the grades of a student who passed and received good grades in other subjects except in his.
“I found him very fair and professional,” said Jimeno. De Castro has impressed Jimeno with his industry and willingness to work hard. Despite his busy schedule, said Jimeno, De Castro agreed to handle special review classes for CEU’s bar candidates.
Jimeno considers De Castro to be a humble person and approachable. “He does not have any attitude problem at all or ego issues,” said Jimeno.
“He interacts with the staff and fellow faculty members very well. He will be an asset to the [FEU IL],” she said.
Managing expectations
Former FEU IL Dean Jose Marlon Pabiton expects his successor, De Castro, to continue building on the accomplishments the institute has achieved and maintain the culture of excellence in IL.
“I turned over the office of the dean to him,” said Pabiton. “During the turnover, I told him the functioning systems we created and how proud I am of what we have achieved.”
Pabiton informed De Castro that they created an integrated system where all automations that are now in place are easily accessible by just looking at one dashboard where they can track student performance, identify areas that need increased training, and connect students to industry partners and stakeholders to gauge their improvements or allow them to immerse into the jobs that are in high demand.
De Castro is FEU IL Section Head Maria Victoria P. Sido’s seventh dean whom she has had the privilege of serving.
“Every new dean brings an opportunity to build on the institute's strengths while introducing fresh perspectives and initiatives that can further enhance legal education and the overall student experience,” said Sido.
Tamaraw community
Law student Leandro Mauricio Gumapos hopes for the continuity of partnerships with several agencies and institutions.
“We also hope for better financial support from [FEU], particularly for competitions, both national and international, and funding for networking and practical events,” said Gumapos.
Students like Gumapos are hopeful for productive leadership from De Castro.
“Following his background, we are setting the expectations high that the growth of FEU IL will continue under his leadership,” said Gumapos. “We had a meeting with Dean De Castro, particularly for the preparation of the orientation seminar for the upcoming IL students.”
Despite working students composing more than half of the population, said Gumapos, who is in his senior year, FEU IL maintains a light vibe where every student experiences the best in their law school journey.
“Most of these are due to initiatives from the student organizations and [the alternative classes, which are] conducted every after midterms and finals. Moreover, there are numerous opportunities for students to be exposed to the real world, such as in legal aid, moot court, and hopefully more court appearances under [the College-Level Examination Program],” he said.
“We must improve the learning experience of the students,” said De Castro. The challenges that come with the turf can be pondered upon, he said. One could also find balance between workload with family, friends, and oneself, he added. He looks forward to being part of the “promising and enthusiastic” Tamaraw community.