Justice Carpio Morales graduated valedictorian in elementary and in high school at Paoay Elementary School and Paoay North Institute, respectively.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts (Economics) in 1964 and her Bachelor of Laws in 1968, both from the University of the Philippines.

After graduation from law school, she worked at the Atienza Tabora and Del Rosario Law offices.  In 1971, she joined the Department of Justice as Special Assistant to Justice Secretary Vicente Abad Santos.  It was after  almost 12 years of work in the Department of Justice that she joined the Judiciary in 1983.

A Bar Examiner in Legal Ethics in 2000, she is the Chair of the 2010 Bar Examinations.
 
During the Centennary of the University of the Philippines (UP) in 2008, the UP Alumni Association conferred on Justice Carpio Morales the Outstanding Award in Championing Justice/Judiciary “for delivering justice with courage and untrammeled integrity” ─ “a shining paragon to all magistrates, worthy of emulation and respect.”

A frequent speaker/panelist in local and international forums, she was, on the invitation of the World Bank, an interactive panel discussant during its 2009 Celebration of Integrity Day in Washington DC. 

Justice Carpio Morales holds the distinction of being the first woman magistrate to administer (on June 30, 2010) the Oath of Office of a President of the Republic of the Philippines.