Bar topnotcher is former champion football player

HE IS brawn and brains rolled into one.

Ignatius Michael "Mickey" Ingles, topnotcher of the 2012 Bar Examinations from Ateneo de Manila University, worked his way to earn a spot in the future roll of attorneys. Topping the test after six months of review, however, was a different matter.

"Making the top 10 is I think everyone's dream. It was always a goal for me to be there," he told Sun.Star.

Perhaps the pressure for him to excel was partly influenced by having friends who previously aced the test. Ingles is a high school batchmate at the Ateneo of Cesareo Antonio Singzon Jr. and Raoul Angelo Atadero, who ruled the 2010 and 2011 editions, respectively.

"But it (exam) was really tough. I also had a hard time with taxation law," the 29-year-old said.

Aside from law, Ingles also has a deep interest in football. In fact, he won three football titles in the UAAP from 2004 to 2006 with Ateneo, where he finished his pre-law degree communications management technology.

Ingles, who graduated salutatorian from the Ateneo Law School, is currently working as a staff at the Salvador and Perez law firm in Makati City. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)