Greetings to all current and prospective NCA students! In this blog, I will share my insights and tips on tackling the Professional Responsibility (PR) NCA exam, which serves as a core exam for all NCA candidates. It's important to note that regardless of your previous studies or practice in another jurisdiction, completing this NCA exam is essential to obtain your certificate. Although my experience is based on the pre-August 2019 syllabus, the information I provide remains relevant today, with only a few additional cases introduced in the new syllabus.
Initial Impressions
The content of the PR course is generally straightforward. The Model Code of Professional Ethics is easy to comprehend, and the cases are memorable. Since the exam is not specific to any province, you need not extensively study individual province codes of ethics. Instead, focus on the FLSC Model Code, and any knowledge of provincial differences can be used as supplementary points, potentially earning you bonus marks.
Difficulty and Key Areas of Focus
When adequately prepared, the exam is not overly challenging. The course begins with substantial theoretical aspects, discussing the importance of professional responsibility and the rationale behind the structured rules. Although you may not face direct questions on these theoretical elements, it is advised not to skip them. Understanding the foundational concepts proves valuable in developing a PR mindset, aiding in reasoning through subsequent materials and fact patterns.
Aside from the FLSC Model Code, you'll encounter several cases to grapple with. While some students suggest focusing solely on the Model Code, I found that familiarizing oneself with the cases helps contextualize and better understand the code itself. Examining how courts interpret and apply the rules is crucial for explaining your answers to problem questions on the exam. Moreover, the cases often contain intriguing facts, making them interesting to read.
Unlike courses where knowing the rules behind cases suffices, PR Cases hinge on their unique facts, similar to tort or civil procedure cases. Familiarizing yourself with the broad facts of PR cases is pivotal, as it enables you to apply and distinguish cases relevant to each problem question on the exam. Effectively explaining how a court would likely apply the model code based on the given fact pattern is essential. Depending on the version of the PR exam you receive, it may involve a significant number of problem-type questions, making investing time in case law worthwhile.
Key Concepts to Pay Attention to
The PR exam can cover any aspect of the course, but certain challenging concepts demand a firm grasp. Understanding the difference between Privileged client information and Confidential client information is particularly relevant, as you are likely to encounter questions revolving around this distinction, such as what information can and cannot be disclosed given specific scenarios. Additionally, a clear understanding of conflict of interest chapters is essential, as this forms prime material for problem questions.
Recommended Resources
For my exam preparation, I utilized the NCA Tutor™️ notes, which proved invaluable in achieving success. These notes have been recently updated to align with the August 2019 syllabus, providing comprehensive coverage and being easy to comprehend. Additionally, I am including my Professional Responsibility Mind Maps, which served as quick references during the exam. After closely reviewing the cases and notes, these Mind Maps were all I needed to jog my memory on facts and rules when addressing problem questions. They also reference page numbers where further details can be found in the NCA Tutor notes. Keep in mind that the notes have been updated, so the page numbers may vary slightly. Utilize the detailed table of contents in the notes to locate the references and make any necessary updates.
The PR sample exam available on the NCA website is fairly representative of the real exam and serves as an excellent tool for practicing how to structure your answers after completing your studies. Although you should bring a copy of the Model Code with you, I personally found little need to use it during the exam due to time constraints.
Best of luck with your studies!
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