1. Marvic Mario Victor Famorca Leonen was born on December 29,1962 and is the Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, a position he has held since May 14,2022, following the retirement of Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe.
Marvic Leonen was appointed as an Associate Justice on November 21,2012, making him the second-youngest jurist to hold the position, and the youngest since Manuel V Moran in 1938.
Marvic Leonen served as dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law at University of the Philippines Diliman from 2008 to 2011.
Marvic Leonen is known for his work in environmental activism and community organizing.
Marvic Leonen's parents were married in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and later settled in Baguio, Benguet, where he was born.
Marvic Leonen is the second of six children and is of Ilocano descent.
Marvic Leonen's father was a human rights lawyer who represented indigenous Ibaloi people in land title disputes.
Marvic Leonen decided to pursue a legal career in the second grade.
Marvic Leonen obtained his law degree from the university's College of Law in 1987, graduating in the top four of his class.
Marvic Leonen served as the center's executive director for 15 years.
Marvic Leonen then attended Columbia University and where he earned a Master of Laws degree.
Marvic Leonen joined the law faculty in 1989 as a professorial lecturer in Philippine Indigenous Law.
Marvic Leonen became an assistant professor during Dean Pacifico Agabin's term and began working as an academic administrator under Dean Merlin M Magallona.
Marvic Leonen has taught 20 different subjects in the law school.
Marvic Leonen directed the college's clinical legal education program and has lectured and been a resource speaker at national and international forums in Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Estonia, and the United Kingdom.
Marvic Leonen served as dean until Danilo L Concepcion was appointed in June 2011.
Marvic Leonen's performance was praised, bringing new hopes for lasting peace in war-torn Mindanao.
In Belgica v Executive Secretary, the landmark case where the Court declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund unconstitutional, Leonen wrote a separate concurring opinion demonstrating a command of logic and the law to support the unconstitutionality of pork barrel.
In civil law, Leonen penned many notable decisions, including Tan-Andal v Andal, which removed the requirement of medical or expert witnesses for declaring a marriage null due to psychological incapacity under the Family Code.
Marvic Leonen was to be the chairperson for the 2020 Bar Exams, but his term was extended to the 2021 batch due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 25,2024, Marvic Leonen announced at his Integrated Bar of the Philippines Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas Chapter lecture at the Manila Hotel that the Supreme Court of the Philippines was drafting the "Writ of Kalayaan," a writ and constitutional remedy to address prison overcrowding of detention suspects and protect their human and legal rights.
Marvic Leonen was accused of culpable violation of the Constitution for failing to resolve cases in a timely manner and betrayal of public trust for not filing his SALN.
Marvic Leonen is a public speaker on Philippine law and related causes and is often invited to give motivational speeches at public and academic events such as graduations and oath-takings.
Marvic Leonen is divorced and has one daughter, Lian Laya.
Marvic Leonen has a following among law students and the youth, often posting jokes on love and beliefs based on his favorite books on Twitter and in graduation speeches and socio-political forums.
Marvic Leonen has been a vegan since 2017, advocating for plant-based diets as an ethical and ecological choice and opposing animal-sourced products due to their contribution to global warming and ecological destruction.
Marvic Leonen is a fountain pen aficionado and advocate, supporting local pen enterprises and attending fountain pen events in Manila.
Marvic Leonen enjoys photography as a hobby and maintains an Instagram account to showcase his work.
Marvic Leonen has a Cordilleran-inspired tattoo depicting a lizard around his right wrist, with designs featuring combinations of snake and centipede symbolisms.