One of the biggest myths about the Ontario Bar Exam is that open-book means low pressure.
In reality, most candidates don’t fail because they don’t know the law they fail because they run out of time.
The Ontario licensing exams are a speed test disguised as an open-book exam. That’s why top-scoring candidates rely on a proven time-management system known as the First Pass / Second Pass method.
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how the method works, how much time to spend on each pass, and how to train it before exam day.
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You’ll face:
Even strong candidates miss 10–20 questions simply because they get stuck too long on difficult ones early in the exam.
The First Pass / Second Pass method solves this problem by:
It’s a two-round approach to answering questions:
Instead of treating every question the same, you triage them strategically.
Answer all questions you can solve quickly and confidently.
On your first pass, you:
❌ Long fact patterns
❌ Questions requiring heavy searching
❌ Topics you’re weak in
❌ Anything that triggers hesitation
Mark these questions clearly and move on.
Most successful candidates answer 60–70% of the exam during their first pass.
Use remaining time to tackle harder questions without rushing.
On your second pass, you:
Because you already captured the easy points, you can now:
PhaseQuestionsTime AllocationFirst Pass~100–110~90–100 minutesSecond Pass~50–60~70–80 minutesFinal Review—10–15 minutes
(Exact timing varies, but this framework keeps you in control.)
❌ Spending 3–4 minutes on early questions
❌ Treating every question equally
❌ Panic-searching the materials
❌ Second-guessing correct answers
❌ Ignoring the clock
The First/Second Pass method prevents all of these.
Time management is a skill, not a decision you make on exam morning.
This is where most candidates struggle — and where BarBuddy helps the most.
BarBuddy was built for real exam conditions, not passive studying.
With BarBuddy, you get:
Instead of guessing whether you’re fast enough, you’ll know.
The Ontario Bar Exam isn’t about knowing everything — it’s about managing time under pressure.
The First Pass / Second Pass method:
Master this strategy early, practice it consistently, and pair it with the right tools and passing on your first attempt becomes far more likely.