ON Solicitor Exam
Ontario Solicitor Examination
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Cheat sheet
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ExploreKey terms
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Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
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Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
The Ontario Solicitor Examination is one of the two licensing examinations administered through the Law Society of Ontario's licensing process for lawyers. Candidates typically write it alongside the Barrister Examination; the solicitor paper tests the transactional and advisory side of practice rather than courtroom advocacy. It is written by licensing candidates who have completed law school and the Law Society's experiential training requirements, and it is a prerequisite to becoming a licensed lawyer in Ontario.
The exam samples the areas a solicitor handles day to day: civil litigation procedure, real estate transactions, corporate and commercial work, estates and trusts, family law, bankruptcy and insolvency, employment law, and administrative law. Questions are multiple choice and are built around fact patterns drawn from practice, so success depends less on memorising rules in the abstract and more on locating the governing statute, regulation, rule, or by-law quickly and applying it accurately under time pressure.
Preparation is usually structured around the permitted reference materials, which candidates annotate and index themselves. Most successful candidates work through the material by subject area, practise applying provisions to short scenarios, and rehearse navigating their own index. The Law Society publishes current details on format, scheduling, fees, and results; candidates should confirm all of those directly with the Law Society rather than relying on second-hand summaries.
What you'll study
About ON Solicitor Exam preparation
Who writes the Ontario Solicitor Examination?
Licensing candidates in Ontario who have completed the required academic and experiential stages of the Law Society's licensing process. It is normally written in the same sitting period as the Barrister Examination. Confirm your eligibility and any exemptions with the Law Society of Ontario before registering, since individual circumstances vary.
What is the format of the exam?
It is a multiple-choice examination with fact-pattern questions spanning the solicitor practice areas. It is open book, with permitted reference materials that candidates bring and annotate. The Law Society sets the current format, permitted materials, and any updates, so check its licensing pages for the version that applies to your sitting.
How long is the exam and how many questions are there?
The Law Society of Ontario publishes the current question count, sitting length, and scheduling for each administration. Those details change from year to year, so this page does not state them. Consult the Law Society's licensing examination pages for the authoritative figures for your session.
How hard is it, and what is the pass mark?
Candidates generally find it demanding because of the breadth of subjects and the speed required, not because individual questions are obscure. The passing standard is set by the Law Society and published in its materials. Do not rely on rumoured cut scores; confirm the current standard directly with the Law Society.
Can I retake the exam if I fail?
Retake rules, waiting periods, and any limits on attempts are set by the Law Society and can change. Check its licensing pages for the current policy and for the process of reapplying. Build your study plan around the assumption that a rewrite costs both time and money, and prepare thoroughly the first time.
Which subject should I study first?
Start with the areas where you are weakest and with the statutes you will actually look up under pressure, such as real estate and corporate materials. Then move to procedural subjects like civil litigation and administrative law, which reward fast navigation. Leave lighter-weight areas for later passes once your indexing system is working well.
How should I prepare in the final weeks?
Practise with timed, scenario-based questions using only your own annotated materials. The skill being tested is finding the right provision quickly and applying it precisely. Rehearse your tabs and index, note which lookups slow you down, and fix those before exam day rather than rereading summaries you already know.
What are the most common ways candidates lose marks?
Poor time allocation, an index that is too detailed to use quickly, and answering from memory instead of checking the provision. Another frequent problem is misreading the question stem, which may ask for the best next step or the exception rather than the general rule. Slow down enough to identify exactly what is being asked.
Where do I confirm fees, dates, and results?
Only with the Law Society of Ontario. It publishes current fees, sitting dates, registration deadlines, and result release information on its official website. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Law Society, so treat any figure you see elsewhere as unverified.