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Sunday, June 18, 2006
Like Father Like Sons
THE NERI LAWYERS. Julius Z. Neri flanked by his sons Jerome Dominic "Jed" (left), and Joven Francis "Jovi."
There are seven Cebu law firms listed in The Asia Pacific Legal 500 2005/2006 edition, and six in its 2004/2005 edition. J. Neri and & Associates Law Firm appears in both lists.
J. Neri is Julius Neri who says that from early childhood his two Neri aunts encouraged him to become either a doctor or a lawyer. The school counselor at the University of San Carlos Boys’ High where he finished high school advised him that law would better suit him. So he went to USC to take up AB Economics, and then proceeded to the Ateneo de Manila University College of Law.
He finished law in 1970 and went on to pass the bar, after which he practiced law but not full time because the practice of a new lawyer could not support a growing family so he had to dabble in business.
It was only some time in 1980 that he practiced full time, as managing partner of his father-in-law’s office, JP Garcia (Jesus P. Garcia, Sr.) which was then renamed Garcia-Neri and Associates. In time, with two sons becoming lawyers, he set up his own law office at the Ayala-FGU Bldg. at the Cebu Business Park.
Lawyering is not new in Julius’ family, his mother being the first woman law graduate of Liceo de Cagayan (now a university) to pass the bar. But he claims that it was his association with his late father-in-law, Jesus P. Garcia, Sr., a legal eagle in his time, which helped him set up a successful law practice. And yes, golf helped, too, client-wise.
J. Neri and Associates is accredited by the American Embassy, and also by the Ateneo College of Law for practicum for its law students. The firm (with seven lawyers) attends to whatever the client demands: corporate, litigation, contracts, civil law, banking, mortgages, property disputes, whatever. It is hard work, Julius says. “Appearing in court is easy, but research and writing of briefs and pleadings are tedious and time-consuming.”
His inspiration to do the best he can for his clients is his family, particularly his wife Nelia. To relax and recharge, he plays golf and goes boating: he has loved the sea since early childhood days in Camiguin where he was born.
If he was brainwashed by his aunts to becoming what he is today, his four sons have been left free to decide in their own career paths. Two are in business, Julius Jr. and Justin Paul, but two of them have followed his career path: Jerome Dominic and Joven Francis, better known as Jed and Jovi, respectively.
Jed started college without thinking of becoming a lawyer. He finished business management at the Cebu Institute of Technology where, in one of the curricular activities, he was named best debater. This led him to think that perhaps, he should take up law, influenced by the fact that “My father has a prestigious law firm and it would be a good idea to follow in his footsteps.”
So he took up law in San Beda College in Manila. There he found out, “Ganahan ko sa challenges required by law - quick thinking, thinking on your own feet.” He handles labor cases “because it is a very challenging field in law because the law is one-sided in favor of the employee. Employers have no more rights (or so it seems), so its a big challenge to defend the employer in labor cases.”
Like his dad, he enjoys the sea, but he does not play golf. His other interest is building high-performance engines. He was the race engineer for race champ Matteo Guidicelli and now, he is the race engineer for John Alvarez.
In law and kart racing, he says “The mental challenges are similar.” He is also involved in a company called Alternative Fuel Tech Corp., a business that converts engines running on gasoline to LPG. “We import and install the device.”
For Jovi, law was something he wanted to go into, partly influenced by his father and his grandfather Jesus P. Garcia Sr. as well as his two uncles, Sonny and Alvin. The deciding factor for him was the spiraling of the peso-dollar rate which started about the time he graduated from high school. In law, he said, “You don’t need capital. You just think and you can earn.”
He took up Legal Management at the Ateneo de Manila University and after graduation proceeded to take up law at the Ateneo Law School earning the degree Juris Doctor.
What he likes about law are the challenges it gives one’s brain and, on another level, the opportunity to help others. At the moment, he takes on any work that the firm assigns him including labor and civil cases, appellate pleadings, legal research, board meetings, legal opinions and corporate work. And Dad proudly adds that Jovi who became a lawyer in 2003 has so far won all his cases.
Like his dad, Jovi relaxes by playing golf but boating does not interest him. His other interests are surfing the net, sketching and playing the piano, as well as listening to music.
Assessing his two sons, Julius is pleased that they are eager and quick learners. He is confident that their lawyering skills will be honed in no time. “They’re doing well in the cases they’re handling,” he adds.
Whichever road they’ll take, Jed and Jovi have had a good example, their father, to follow in living life fruitfully and well.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 18, 2006 issue)
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