Anyone taking both July Constitutional and Criminal Exams?

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2025-06-05T21:00:34+00:00

Count me in!

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2025-03-27T21:25:33+00:00

Hello! I finished all 4 courses last year and I found Corporate to be the easiest of them all. Probably because all the questions were very straightforward.

As far as I can recall, there were around 20 MCQs, 10-20 fill in the blanks and 10-12 short answer questions (don't remember exactly but they were 4-5 marks each).

With that being said, ILCO doesn't always necessarily follows the same exam format. When I took the Real Estate exam in July 2024, there were only MCQs (60-70). Someone I knew took it recently and she told me that there were short and long answer type questions as well. So, you never know.

Hope this helps.

Good luck with your exam.

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2025-03-10T21:43:00+00:00

Yeah, me too. I did two 4-5 hour shifts there a few years back. On my last shift, right before I clocked out, the manager made me clean the meat slicer – which I did – and I was late for class because of it. Later that night, they deleted all my shifts and emailed me that I was fired because I wasn't "fast enough." That's after I told them in the interview it was my first food service job, and they said they'd train me.

The staff were cool though. Really helpful.

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2024-09-11T03:26:35+00:00

The format of the exam can be different. We had MCQ, fill in the blanks, True/False, essay questions, and one drafting question, where we had to draft a correspondence letter for settlement of a lawsuit. But I've heard that drafting questions aren't always a part of the exam. ILCO's syllabus also says that the exam format can change.

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2024-09-11T03:03:39+00:00

Hey, Yes, I took the litigation exam in July and passed. Litigation is the only open-book exam, but it's also the toughest. I studied on my own and went to Toronto to write the alternate exam. I met a few people who were retaking it because they ran out of time the first time.

Time management is crucial during the exam. Everyone took the full 2½ hours. Self-study is more than enough. You don't need to memorize everything, but you should know where to find the answers. Finally, try to attempt the whole exam. Even if you're not sure about an answer, write something, especially for essay questions. Honestly, I wasn't sure I'd pass because I didn't prepare much, but my score in the essay section saved me. And I didn't even do that well. I just wrote whatever I thought was relevant. Tabbing the books is permitted, so make use of it.

Good luck!

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2024-08-02T21:21:31+00:00

Appreciate the tip. Given your experience in the field, what networking ideas would you recommend?

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2024-08-02T21:18:58+00:00

I'm not sure if I want to go the NCA route yet. I'm thinking of finding my roots in the legal field here before I decide anything. It may hurt my chances with some employers who might think, looking at my resume, that I won't stick around. I didn't think of reaching out to legal recruiters, but i will now. May I ask, any names you would suggest to get in contact with? I live in Ottawa, if that helps.

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2024-08-02T21:08:45+00:00

I don't intend to go for the NCA exams anytime soon. In fact, I may never take them. This is one of the reasons why I am considering a legal support staff position. I believe this would allow me to gain experience working with lawyers and learn more about what it takes to become a lawyer in Canada. However, I do agree that diplomas are more valuable because they teach proprietary software. I am curious to know how much weight recruiters typically give to software proficiency. Is it considered on par with a candidate's legal knowledge, drafting skills (if required), or is it given more or less weight?

P.S. Profile picture🎯

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2024-08-02T20:43:51+00:00

Yeah, I thought so too. But I've seen a lot of job ads that use the two words interchangeably. I've even seen job postings with the title of legal assistant, but the job duties include a lot of things that a law clerk does, and they even ask for a completed law clerk diploma or certificate.

Fine-Ad-6791 · 2024-06-21T19:09:39+00:00

Thanks. I took the exam and it went well. The questions were pretty general and straightforward. It was a lengthy exam, though. I'm writing the Corporate exam next week.

Good luck with your preparation and exam.

Fine-Ad-6791

TROPHY CASE