Updated: March 12, 2022
As you approach graduation, spring presents the perfect opportunity to begin preparing for your NCA assessment and organizing your exam schedule, enabling you to take your first exams by year-end. The NCA assessment process may take up to 8 weeks, although in my experience, it usually takes closer to 5 weeks. Nonetheless, to avoid any delays in writing your exams, it's advisable to apply for assessment sooner rather than later. Remember, you cannot commence articling or take the Bar Exam until you have completed and passed all the NCA exams assigned to you.
What are the NCA Exams?
The National Committee on Accreditation Exams are the initial step towards qualifying in Canada. These are open-book, pass-fail exams (with 50% being the passing grade) that grant you the right to article and take the Bar exam in your province. You are allowed to bring non-electronic reference materials into the exam room, so make sure to highlight and tab your notes for quick and easy reference during the exam!
Most 3-year LL.B UK students will have to take the 5 core exams and the Legal Research and Writing Course. 2-year LL.B graduates, on the other hand, will have to complete 7 exams, which include the 5 core subjects and two electives of their choice. Law graduates from other countries may be assigned more exams based on their degree.
Requesting an NCA Assessment
Before registering for any NCA exams, you must apply for an assessment to determine the number of exams you need to write. To do this, you must register online, pay the fee (approximately $450), and have official copies of all your college and university transcripts sent to the NCA (Undergraduate, Masters, & LL.B as applicable). To expedite the process, consider asking your current law school to automatically send a copy of your transcript to the NCA once it becomes available. You can register at any time, but your assessment will only commence once all the required transcripts have been received by the NCA.
Planning your Exam Schedule
While waiting for your assessment, take the time to plan your exam schedule.
Apart from the new Legal Research and Writing Course, all NCA candidates must complete the 5 core exams: Foundations of Canadian Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Administrative Law, and Professional Responsibility. With this in mind, you can begin studying for these exams over the summer, so you'll be prepared for the fall.
You can also complete the 8-week long, online Legal Research and Writing Course before receiving your assessment; it is offered every second month through CPLED, or you can opt for an NCA approved course through an approved Canadian law school program.
For the actual exams, I recommend taking Foundations, Constitution, and Admin together since they are closely related, and their overlapping content will facilitate studying. If you are not Canadian and/or did not receive secondary education in Canada, I highly recommend starting with Foundations as it provides a comprehensive overview of the Canadian legal system and constitution. (Please note that NCA Tutor™ suggests doing Foundations after Constitutional Law and Administrative Law).
If you have electives assigned, the subjects will be of your choosing. However, if you have already completed NCA accredited courses during your LL.B, these electives will not be available to you. For example, if you've taken The City Law School's Evidence and Canadian Corporate courses, you won't be able to take the Evidence, Business Organizations, and Commercial Law NCA exams.
Exams are now offered online through exam writing software called MonitorEDU, providing you the flexibility to take exams from anywhere in the world with a stable internet connection and a quiet, private space.
For more information on NCA assessments, as well as resources like course syllabi and practice exams, refer to the Federation of Law Societies. Additionally, NCA Tutor™ offers exam prep courses and publishes helpful study notes for reference. I personally used NCA Tutor™ notes for my core exams and found them to be incredibly useful.
Happy Studying & Good Luck!
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