Namibia Legal Practitioners' Qualifying Examination exam-day guide
Namibia Legal Practitioners' Qualifying Examination · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm the exact date, start time, and venue or online platform with the Law Society of Namibia or your registered provider
Do not rely on second-hand information from peers. Written confirmation of the sitting details, reporting time, and any registration cut-off should come from the body administering the qualifying examination. If you cannot find a written confirmation, confirm with the provider.
Valid original identity document (Namibian ID card or passport)
Bring the original document, not a copy or a photograph on your phone. Whether a driver's licence is accepted is not something to assume; confirm with the provider which documents are on the accepted list and whether the name on your registration must match it exactly.
Printed admission or registration confirmation and any candidate number issued to you
Keep a printed copy even if you received it by email, and have a digital copy on your phone as backup. Check that the candidate number and the spelling of your name are correct and raise any error with the provider before exam day.
Black or blue ink pens, plus a spare
Written papers in legal examinations are usually handwritten. Bring at least two working pens of the same colour and confirm with the provider whether pencil is permitted for diagrams or rough work. Erasable pens and correction fluid may be restricted, so confirm with the provider.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Many venues do not display a reliable clock, and phones are usually not accessible during the paper. A plain analogue or digital watch without communication capability is the safest option. Confirm with the provider whether any watch is permitted at all.
Statutes and other permitted materials, in the edition the provider specifies
If the examination is open-book for legislation, bring the exact editions or annotated versions allowed. Whether unannotated statutes, tabs, or loose inserts are permitted varies, so confirm with the provider and check the current list of permitted materials rather than guessing.
Leave prohibited items at home or in storage
Smartphones, smart watches, earphones, and unauthorised notes are typically not allowed in the examination room. Ask the provider in advance where bags and phones can be stored, since not every venue offers secure storage.
Water and a light snack for before or after the paper
Confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed at the desk during the examination. Even where they are, keep the bottle plain and unlabelled with notes to avoid any suspicion of unauthorised material.
Plan and rehearse the route to the venue, including a backup
Do a trial run at the same time of day if possible, and identify parking or public transport options. Aim to arrive well before the reporting time; the exact early-arrival window and late-admission cut-off must be confirmed with the provider.
Check any calculator or equipment policy if the paper involves computation
Some practical papers involve estate, trust, or damages calculations. Whether a basic calculator is allowed, and which models, is a provider-specific rule; confirm with the provider before you rely on one.
Read the provider's examination regulations and misconduct policy
Know in advance what counts as misconduct, what happens if your phone sounds, and how to raise a problem during the paper. If the regulations are not published, request them from the provider in writing.
Prepare a short pre-exam routine for the final morning
Decide what you will eat, how you will travel, and what you will review in the last hour. Keep the final review to summaries and checklists rather than new material, and confirm any reporting formalities with the provider.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidating what you already know. Work through condensed summaries of each subject on the syllabus, and practise answering past-style questions under timed conditions if the provider releases sample questions. Confirm in writing the venue, reporting time, permitted materials, and identity requirements; resolve any unanswered question with the provider now rather than on the morning. Check that your statutes or permitted materials are the correct editions and are complete, and assemble everything you plan to bring in one place.
Do a final logistics check: route, transport, parking, and the weather forecast if travel is involved. Lay out your identity document, registration confirmation, pens, watch, and permitted materials. Re-read the examination regulations and the instructions on the paper cover so nothing on the day is unfamiliar. Review only high-level frameworks and checklists, stop studying at a reasonable hour, eat properly, and sleep. Avoid last-minute cramming of new topics, which tends to displace material you already know.
Eat a proper meal and arrive at the venue with time to spare, allowing for delays that are outside your control. Keep your phone switched off and stored as the provider directs before you enter the examination room. Present your identity document and registration confirmation at registration, find your seat, and check that any materials on your desk are only those permitted. Listen carefully to the invigilator's instructions and note the start and finish times and any announcement about additional answer booklets.
Read the whole paper and the instructions before writing, and note the marks allocated to each question. Allocate your time in proportion to the marks and keep to that allocation; a common failure is spending too long on the first question. Answer the question that is asked, use clear headings and legible handwriting, and show your reasoning where marks are awarded for method. Number your answers exactly as the paper numbers the questions, and if you use additional booklets, write your candidate number on each. Leave time at the end to check that every question has been attempted, that page numbers and booklet numbers are correct, and that your details are on the front of the script. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and follow the invigilator's direction; the rules on toilet breaks and on time lost must be confirmed with the provider.
Rules to check
Bring the original identity document specified by the provider and be prepared for it to be checked at registration and again during the paper. If your identity document is lost or expired, contact the provider immediately; do not assume an alternative document will be accepted.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on permitted materials without exception. If you are unsure whether an item is allowed, ask before the paper starts rather than risk a misconduct finding. Whether annotated statutes, tabs, or loose notes are permitted must be confirmed with the provider.
Keep all communication devices switched off and stored as directed. A phone that rings, vibrates, or is found on your person during the paper can lead to disciplinary action regardless of whether you used it. Confirm with the provider where devices must be left.
Do not communicate with other candidates once the paper has begun, and do not read another candidate's script. Raise your hand for an invigilator if you need anything, including additional paper, a replacement pen, or to leave the room.
Write only in the answer booklets provided and identify your script only by the candidate number or identifier the provider requires. Do not write your name where the instructions require anonymity, and do not write notes to the examiner that are unrelated to the answer.
Observe the time limits strictly. Writing after the invigilator announces the end of the paper, or continuing to write while scripts are being collected, is normally treated as misconduct. The precise penalty and the procedure for late admission or early departure must be confirmed with the provider.
If you believe there was a disturbance, a defective question, or a problem with the venue, note it and raise it with the invigilator at the time, then follow up in writing with the provider within whatever period the regulations specify. Do not attempt to resolve it by discussing the paper with other candidates afterwards.
Understand how the paper is marked before you sit it: the weighting of sections, whether there are compulsory questions, and whether marks are awarded for method and presentation. The pass mark, the number of attempts permitted, and any oral or supplementary assessment are set by the provider; confirm these with the provider rather than relying on what you have heard from others.