ON Licensing Exams

[goosie]

Hi all, would love to hear from new/recent calls (or articling students who have already taken the exams) on when you took the licensing exams and any advice regarding their timing. I know most people take both the barrister and solicitor exams in the summer so that you can retake them if needed and still get called with your cohort, but if there's any other advice I'd love to hear it, particularly what to take into account when picking a test window (though I know this doesn't have to be decided until later). For reference, my articling term is supposed to start in July, but I haven't been told a specific date yet (probably won't until the spring), and my law school exams will end April 25 at the latest.

Edit: should have mentioned - I'm asking about the LSO licensing exams.

Edited October 12, 2021 by goosie
clarification

[cherrytree]

I took the bar exams in Summer 2021 and you are correct that most people opt for the summer sitting. Yes it sucks to have to pretty much start reading the bar materials only a week or two after you're done final exams/papers in 3L, but I would still take that over having to juggle studying for the bar while working as an articling student, because I was not confident that I can pass both exams without actually reading the materials, dry and boring as they were. Of course, if your strategy to prepare for the bar is relying on the indices/table of contents and not actually reading the materials at all, then I guess it matters less when you sit for the exams.

[Ernie]

I wrote both exams in June 2021. As gruelling as it was having to slog through ~2000 pages one week after finishing my last 3L exam, I’m glad I did, because I can’t imagine having to do that shit while Articling.

There’s a reason most people choose to do the same. Just get it over with.