-A Glimpse of History-
Beginning its operations in 1950, the ULR made its regal entry in the field of legal publication with former Chief Justice Andres Narvasa as its first editor-in-chief. Since then, the ULR became a vehicle for lead articles by law professors and members of the judiciary and for case summaries by member-students, aside from separate sections on Book Reviews and Recent Legisla
tions. In effect, it paved the way for enriching legal and scholarly discourse among members of the academe. It became a tool not only in updating its readers on the developments of law, but more importantly, it evolved as a medium for the exploration of the uncharted regions of law, the discussion of pressing legal issues, and the search for solutions to address the problems and loopholes in the legal framework.cj-andres-narvasa. However, due to unfortunate circumstances, the ULR suffered a temporary setback in the year 2000. Its publication ceased for unknown reasons, but whether it be the dissipating zealousness or the lack of administrative support is now of no moment. What’s significant is that fate did not leave the publication in the oblivion. Through the overwhelming initiative of former Dean Augusto K. Aligada, Jr., the unconditional support of former Regent Fr. Javier Gonzalez, the commendable leadership of Atty. Rene B. Gorospe, and the enthusiasm of a group of eager law students, Volume XLVIII was released. Considered to be ULR’s renaissance, the volume was wrapped with a much higher standard, daring to be at par with the other Law Reviews internationally respected. It emerged to be a piece of work in which those who toil with it had an uplifting sense of accomplishment and achievement. Two years after, the golden covered journal has become golden itself as it published Volume L. The release of the ULR’s 50th Golden Edition is a testimony of the metamorphosis of what ULR has become - a literature which reflects the tradition of excellence of the Faculty of Civil Law and the University of Santo Tomas. It has expanded its scope to reflect the growing participation of law students in the development of legal scholarship by devoting much of its space to student articles, though it remains to solicit articles from distinguished members of the faculty, while it continues to maintain sections on Case Summaries, Book Reviews and Recent Legislations. With the publication of its 51st edition, the ULR introduced changes in the Book Review section through examination of the recent law books published locally and internationally. Following the Harvard Law Review, ULR members have gone to the extent of cross-referencing relevant materials to come up with a comprehensive book review. Faced with various questions of form and style in the drafting and editing articles and other materials, the editorial board decided to formally codify the different rules on form and style for editorial guidance, thus, spurring the birth of the UST Law Review Style Guide. As a result of its members’ undying passion for excellence, the UST Law Review was bequeathed with St. Dominic de Guzman Award for Outstanding Teamwork on 15 March 2007. The award was given to the ULR after meeting the criteria set forth by the award-giving body for its outstanding performance in organizing activities that are of high-significance to the Thomasian community. In 2008, the ULR launched its online edition which is a testimony of ULR’s zeal to reach out to those who have the same passion in writing and ardor for learning, the much needed updates, and novel and thought-provoking ideas in the field of law. It is an online edition of a law journal that is home for serious reflection and provocative thinking, an opus which has always envisioned taking an active part in the shaping of the nation’s history and destiny.
-Exchange Programs-
The ULR takes pride of its exchange programs with other prominent and well-respected law journals, both foreign and local. Some of its foreign exchange partners consist of Revisita da Faculdade de direito da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerals in Brazil, Escuela de Derecho in Chile, Yokohama National University in Japan, Saint Louis University in USA, University of Southern California in USA, Kansai University in Japan and Universidad de Fumec. Locally, the ULR has access to the Philippine Law Journal of the University of the Philippines College of Law, Far Eastern University Law Review of the Far Eastern University, MLQU Law Quarterly of the Manuel L. Quezon University, Res Socialis: Journal of UST Social Research Center of the University of Santo Tomas, ALSA Law Review of the Association of Law Students of the Philippines (ALSP), and the Court Systems Journal of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Also, commemorative of the 400 years of existence of the University of Santo Tomas, Asia’s oldest university, ULR published a two-part Quadricentennial Edition in 2011 and 2012. In an attempt to expand its reach and to bolster its subscription program, complementary copies of these special editions were circulated to the three branches of the Government – the Executive, Legislative and the Judiciary, various law schools local and international, as well as to top law firms in the Philippines - a recent addition to its growing circulation list.
-Citations-
Throughout the years of its academic legal scholarship, the ULR has maintained its high-standards and credibility as a law journal. The Supreme Court of the Philippines as of date has cited several of its published articles. The ULR was first cited by the Court in the case of Carlos S. Romualdez and Erlinda R. Romualdez v. COMELEC and Dennis Garay (G.R. No. 167011, 30 April 2008) through Justice Chico-Nazario who referred to the article of Mr. Gilbert D. Balderama entitled “Denouement of the Human Security Act: Tremors in the Turbulent Odyssey of Civil Liberties” (Vol. LII, UST Law Review, 1, 16-21). In 2010, the Court in Razon v. Tagitis (G.R. No. 182498, 16 February 2010) cited Ms. Joan Lou P. Gamboa’s article entitled “Creative Rule-Making in Response to Deficiencies of Existing Remedies” (Vol. LII, UST Law Review). In 2011, another article was cited by the Court through Justice Roberto A. Abad in the Matter of the Charges of Plagiarism against Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo (A.M. No. 10-7-17-SC, 8 February 2011), titled, “Uncertainties Beyond the Horizon: The Metamorphosis of the WTO Investment Framework in the Philippine Setting” (Vol. LII, UST Law Review) by then Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes P. Sereno. Lastly, in the recent case of Jelbert B. Galicto vs. H.E. President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and Atty. Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr. (G.R. No. 193978, February 28, 2012), the Court cited the article written by Atty. Gorospe entitled “Songs, Singers and Shadows: Revisiting Locus Standi in Light of the People Power Provisions of the 1987 Constitution” (Vol. LI, UST Law Review, 15-16).
-Prestigious Roster of Alumni-
The testament of a law journal’s success is measured not only on the extent it has influenced policy considerations or has shaped jurisprudential pronouncements but also in terms of its alumni who in reflected glory, continually brings honor to its name. ULR, throughout its almost 65 years of existence, has produced chief justices and other members of the judiciary, congressmen, top-ranking government officials, legal luminaries, deans, law professors, and bar topnotchers. Its other alumni have gone far as establishing their own law firms or have made names for themselves as most sought-after lawyers in private practice.
