Before joining the Commission on Elections as one of the youngest Commissioners ever appointed, Commissioner Christian Robert S. Lim was a private law practitioner for over twelve (12) years. He finished his basic and secondary schooling at the Sacred Heart School for boys in Cebu City. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Ateneo de Manila University 1994, he proceeded to earn his Juris Doctor degree at the School of Law of the same university. During his stay at the Ateneo School of Law, he was a consistent member of the Dean’s List and graduated with honors in 1998. He took the Bar in the same year and ranked 16th on the list of bar topnotchers, with a grade of 88.05%.
Fresh out of law school, Atty. Lim joined the Carpio Villaraza & Cruz law offices as an Associate from 1998 to 2000. He went on to establish his own firm with several partners, which is now the Lim & Leynes Law Offices. During his years of private practice, Atty. Lim served as on the private prosecutors for the plunder case against former President Jospeh “Erap” Estrada, as well as the murder case against Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. He was also a deposition officer in the impeachment proceedings against former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.
Commissioner Lim is no stranger to election law. In connection with May 2010 elections, he was part of the legal, anti-fraud, & quick reaction teams of both Congressional candidate Atty. Vivienne Tan and the Aquino-Roxas Bantay Balota group. He also conducted training seminars and symposia to volunteers and supporters on Republic Act 8436 on automated elections, RA 9006 or the Fair Elections Act, and fraud detection in automated elections situations.
Within the Commission, Commissioner Lim heads the Ad Hoc Campaign Finance Unit, which aims to promote transparency and accountability among elective officials in the conduct of their election campaigns. He is also a member of the ARMM Steering Committee which is headed by Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento.
