Assessment review, reconsideration and appeal
If you think your assessment doesn’t accurately reflect your education and experience, you can:
- Request an assessment review
If you wish to submit information not included in your first application that you think might change your assessment decision, or you think the assessment decision does not accurately reflect your education or experience, you may request a file review. The review can include documents related to your legal education, licensure or professional experience as a lawyer, barrister or solicitor in a common law territory, or details about items that seem to have been missed by the NCA in reviewing your application for assessment.
If you want the NCA to review your file, send us an email asking for a file review within four weeks of receiving your assessment decision. Arrange to have your law school or licensing body send us any law degrees or licenses not included in your first assessment. Assessment reviews are free.
- Request an assessment reconsideration
If you have completed more legal studies since your NCA assessment decision and think they may satisfy some requirements, you may ask the NCA to reconsider your file. Email us asking for file reconsideration and arrange to have your law school or licensing body send us any law degrees or licenses we need to reconsider your file. File reconsideration is free.
- Appeal your assessment decision
Before you appeal, please review the NCA Assessment Appeal Policy on page 19 of the NCA Policy Manual. All details are provided in the policy.
Diagram of the Process
For an outline of the Assessment review, reconsideration and appeal processes, refer to this diagram.
Notice of intention to appeal
Send the NCA your notice of intention to appeal to [email protected] within 30 days of the date on your assessment decision or of the date on which you receive a decision from an assessment review or assessment reconsideration.
Following the NCA Executive Director’s review of your intention, the appeals clerk will send you an email advising you of the review and asking you to confirm that you want the appeal to go ahead. The clerk will also outline the appeal process and deadline.
Within 14 days of receiving this notice from the appeals clerk, email the appeals clerk a confirmation of your intention to appeal.
Appeal online within 45 days (by 23:59 ET) after you send confirmation of your intention to proceed with the appeal.
Online appeal
You must pay a fee of $280.00 CDN, plus taxes, to appeal your assessment. The NCA accepts payment only by credit card.
To do this, visit the NCA portal and follow these three steps:
- Select the “My Course Info” tab.
- Click on the heading “My Assessment.”
- Select the “Appeal” button at the top.
When you appeal online, you must submit one PDF file with a letter to the NCA telling us that you wish to appeal and the following:
- grounds for the appeal – up to 20 pages
- exhibits in support of your appeal – documents related to your education and professional training
The NCA will create an appeal panel, which will consider your appeal and make a decision based on your submission and the written documents in the file.
The appeal panel may either dismiss your appeal or grant it. In its decision, the panel may also reduce or add to what was required in your original assessment, or send your file to the Executive Director with instructions for a reassessment.
The NCA forms appeal panels to consider any appeals received on or before the following dates each year: January 30, April 30, July 30, October 30.
Refer to the NCA Service Standards to learn about our service response times.