Dropbox links:

U of T summary charts and index:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jz0plrdfcahbq2y/AACCsvNGQHEbgMntkXYabO15a?dl=0

Practice exams

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tba10f55rekmfa5/AABQl772dIEPs4FD2AS43Lfpa?dl=0

Summary Charts from Queen’s student

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NZPsReUQEbANL4PIUy32hS08y-nLrsD-

Highlighting and Marking up your books:

1. Selective Highlighting: Highlight only where absolutely necessary – it’s easy to highlight
every single thing but this might obscure information as your scanning during the exam. A Q
may ask about something you haven’t highlighted and then you waste time digging through
the highlighted sections.

2. Colors: Use a variety of colours designated to certain items (sRsly, it doesn't matter if you
look like the craziest person at Starbucks with your 14 highlighters). For example:

Statutes: green

Case names: red

Years/important dates: orange

Titles: yellow

Important information: purple

# of Days: blue

Notice Periods: pink

Etc.

Many Q’s are specific and ask for a simple answer e.g. applicable statute or notice period.

Okay, I wouldn’t do 14 colors, I did five and used yellow as my main catch all color for
important stuff (because yellow highlighters are easy to buy in bulk)  Notice periods are
important!

3. Schedule

I read about 60 pages a day, that’s what most people aimed for, but sometimes that didn’t
happen, so I would have to work on the weekends. When I started off in May, I spent about a
 week (or 2?) on the solicitors materials (because after barristers you only have 2 weeks so
you definitely want to have started the solicitors reading before then). I think I read
corporate, half of wills & estates and civ pro maybe? But also warning – when you start
reading, you will find it takes a while to be able to get through 60 pages – when I was doing
that at the beginning I was working really long days to meet my goals. It takes a while to get
in the flow of things and to figure out what you need to highlight and what you don’t… this
might not apply for you

Get to know the table of contents for each section you’ve read! I ended up referring to my
table of contents almost as much as my index  keep reading and reviewing the table of
contents to remember where you are in the materials

4. Notes: If you have the time, we highly encourage that you write down a point or two beside
each parA to summarize what it’s about. Indices tell you where to look in your notes but
margins will remind you what the specific point is. A section may span 3 pages but have
many diff small paragraphs all about different things  make your own subheadings to avoid
reading through everything! YES – I tried to put a heading before every paragraph or two
because there are not enough subheadings in the materials! And it’s easy to find what you’re
looking for on the day

5. Topic Notes: Each major topic (e.g., criminal law, estate law, family law) has a blank page
beside the first page - use that blank page to write down 5 or 10 important points for the
section. There is a chance the answer could be captured by those notes or the action of
writing these down might allow you to remember during the exam. This is less important
than #7, if you only have time for one. I didn’t do this

Other Helpful Tips:

6. Corporate Tax: Do not over study on this – Many people stress and focus on this topic but
there can only be so many questions on it (likely around 3) so it’s not worth sacrificing other
topics for. Writing down formulas so you can plug in variables is very useful.

7. Other Sections With Calculations: Other portions of the exam like Equalization of Net
Family Property will also require you to do some basic mathematical calculations. As with
Corporate Tax, consider writing down formula shells in advance, so you can simply plug in
variables.

8. Don’t Over Study Any One Topic : While it’s good to spend some extra time on unfamiliar or
difficult topics, don’t forget that there is a limit to how many questions on a particular point
can be asked. Don’t stress if you are finding one nuanced point to be extremely challenging
– do what you can, like making an extra note or spending a few minutes looking it up online,
and then move on.

9. Indexes  I’ve given you the OLE and U of T indexes from 2019 – I didn’t even look at the
indexes until I done reviewing the materials BUT definitely use them to do some practice
exams before the bar – they aren’t really useful to you if you aren’t atleast somewhat familiar
with them
 We all bought them together as a class from OLE, then all got the U of T indexes. Lots of
drama about which was better, but honestly what matters is that you know how to use your
index… but don’t make one, that would be crazy.

10. Summaries/Cheat Sheets  I’ve send a bunch to you in the dropboxes above  these can
be really helpful (especially the timeline, appeal routes and what court do I go to ones 
seriously these saved serious time). I ran out of time to look at the rest but if you have time, I
bet those could be really helpful to. Note that they are only current to 2019. Some people got
together in groups to update those to the current materials.

11. Professional Responsibility Materials: The professional responsibility materials, by-laws and
rules of professional conduct are the exact same in both the barrister and solicitor materials.
Highlight in the barrister book, then colour photocopy the highlighted pages and re-bind that
for the solicitor. This saves you the time of having to highlight again (just be sure to use the
barrister professional responsibility index for both exams, as the page numbers are diff
for the barrister/solicitor, even though the materials are the same).

12. Memorization = Not Useful: Don't get tied down trying to memorize. You don't even have to
fully understand everything. The exams are basically about finding the info as quickly as you
can (and often, one of the answers will be verbatim what is in the book). Just make sure you
get through it all at least once.

13. Aboriginal Law: Every section has Aboriginal law. It is short so you may want to dismiss it –
DON’T. It is on every exam. The good thing is that these chapters are short and near the end
of the section so they are easy to find.

14. Reading Between the Lines - Professional Responsibility: With Professional responsibility,
you might actually have to read between the lines and do a little interpretation of your own.
Read this last and as close to the exam as possible (some say only once, others suggest that if
you’re going to read anything twice, it should be professional responsibility).

a. There are a lot of these questions and they are interspersed throughout each
section (e.g., there isn’t a separate “PR” section on the exam). They are, strangely,
some of the hardest questions on the exam.

b. When answering, don't try to think about what "you" would do. Try to think of it
as "what does the LSUC want me to say". Almost always, the right answer is
"Seek instruction from your client."

15. Practice Questions: Doing practice questions may be useful if you have time (make them
with friends or buy them). This is not critical, but allows you to get practice using your
indices.

I found doing practice exams so you can get to know your index and table of contents really
helpful!!
16. Realistic View of the Exam: It’s hard to walk out thinking you did well and even harder to
fail. You will walk out of it with no idea about how you did. The marking system for this
exam is different from law school – the standards are adjusted and it’s hard to know the
answer they were looking for. Comparing and discussing answers with friends is an exercise
in futility.

Logistical Information

Materials

17. Bind Before Writing Notes: Write the margin notes/paragraph headings AFTER you’ve
bound the materials, because the binding might cut off part of your notes.

18. Binding and Tabbing Materials:

a. Definitely bind your indices – this can be by topic or all together with tabs – and
include letter tabs in each index (e.g., tab where terms beginning with “A” begin
in your index, same for B, and so on). Letter tabs will save you a ton of time.

b. Bind material in some way – some prefer to keep them all together in the binders
or to get them bound, others prefer to divide up by section.

c. Don’t worry about binding until the end

d. I bound each section separately and then the index, table of contents and cheat
sheets for that section separately as well  it was a lot of binding but way easier
than flipping through a massive binder

If you have time, try out some of the practice questions with your materials/indeces and see what
works for you.

19. Amendments/Updates: There might be amendments included with your materials. These will
come on separate pages. Either write them in (if they are short), include the additional pages
after the existing section (with a reference in the old paragraph), or cut and paste the sections
at the closest blank space (and include a reference in old paragraph).

Exam

20. Question Strategy: This exam is VERY common sense. A good approach is to read the
question first, the answers second, and then cross off those that are clearly incorrect and
decide how to best find the answer (e.g. index, table of contents, etc.). Many times, since the
law is so common sense, 3 of the 4 answers couldn't possibly be right. Others read the
question and go straight to their index, which isn’t wrong but can be inefficient.

21. Half-Time: The exam is written in two halves. You cannot go back to your booklets from the
first half after lunch. So make sure your booklet is complete before the break.
22. Bubbling: Don’t leave the bubbling in of your scantron until the end (e.g., circling the
answers in your booklet and then transferring them over at the end).

a. Fill out as you go (or at maximum, 3-5 questions then transfer).

b. Despite us telling you and the LSUC reps announcing several times at the start of
the exam not to leave bubbling to the end, people always do and always run out of
time. The consequence is that you hand in a blank or incomplete answer sheet.

c. Circle any answer you’re unsure about in the question book (or keep a separate
list) and go back at the end if you have time. You can always change an answer in
the scantron, but never leave it blank. Take your best guess.

d. Leaving a blank answer if you’re unsure might cause you to a) leave it blank
because you run out of time or forget to go back or b) mess up your rows/answers
by filling in the one above or below i.e. you want 5 to be blank but you put 6’s
answer in 5.

23. Ziploc Bags: You get to bring a ziploc bag into the exam. LSUC is very particular about the
size of the bag, so make sure you check the requirements in advance on their website. They
also have a list of allowable and prohibited items
(http://www.lsuc.on.ca/LawyerExaminationRulesAndProtocol/- this says it was updated
January, 2015, but check before your exam in case it has changed).

Everything you bring in has to fit in your bag, with the exception of your beverage item (you
can bring a separate, clear bottle of fluid). Last year for the Toronto sitting, you could also
check your bag with the Direct Energy Centre staff before the exam (I think there was a $3
charge). So if you think everything won’t fit in the ziploc, you can re-fill it during the lunch
break with additional snacks, Kleenex, etc.

A list of possible/suggested items is the following:

 Identification (make sure you bring your LSUC candidate ID card – you can’t write
without it, and it doesn’t hurt to have another piece of photo ID);

 FOOD – There is nowhere nearby to buy food at the Toronto location and you will be
hungry. Don’t waste time walking somewhere. Bring food with you (check the
guidelines). Eat a solid breakfast and lunch;

Suggestions for food during the exam:

o A non-smelling sandwich (no one is really sure what this means but examples
may include PB&J or turkey)
 o Anything in a little container (but make sure it isn’t messy and there’s no risk
of spills on your materials) - Non-loud, non-messy veggies or fruit (no
carrots) like sliced peppers, blueberries, etc.;
o Chocolate, candy, dried fruit, or something else with a sugar boost (e.g.,
ginger chews, which are energizing and settle the stomach if you’re nervous;
dark chocolate; those “awake” chocolate bars with caffeine, etc.);
o Protein or energy bar

 Ear plugs;

 A noiseless, non-digital watch (but there is a big countdown at the front of the room);

 Kleenex, loose or in saran-wrap (they won’t let you take this out of the room during
the break but you can re-fill at lunch);

 Glasses if you need them (even if you normally wear contacts, it’s a good idea to
have your glasses just in case);

 Any medications you need; and

 A sweater – layer your clothing

24. There are washrooms in the room, but don’t drink a bunch of high caffeine drinks before or
during the exam. Some people have lots of extra time, but for many, it is a time-crunch and
it isn’t helpful to have to take frequent washroom breaks.

25. You will be assigned to a big desk. There’s lots of space for your materials, food, etc.

26. There will be a huge clock on the wall, so no need to bring a watch; if you do, make sure it’s
non-digital.

Good luck, and don’t worry! Study and you’ll be fine!!! 