This post aims to provide an understanding of our procedure for creating an index for the bar exams in Ontario. Personally, I have participated in the production of 9 complete sets of indices and have identified three essential factors for success.
The first crucial element is having a dependable and skilled team. This can be a challenging task as the process of evaluating and selecting candidates is time-consuming. However, our company is fortunate to have access to a large pool of highly talented individuals. We work with hundreds of law students yearly and have the opportunity to choose from various universities. This year, our team consists of top performers from various law schools. In previous years, our team has included students from UofT, Ottawa, McGill and NYU to name a few.
Our team is deliberately kept small in comparison to other indexing groups in order to maintain a higher level of quality and consistency. While other groups may have over 100 contributors, we believe that a smaller group allows for better control and management.
To effectively lead an indexing group, it is crucial to choose competent and dependable team members. In this group, which consists of law graduates with strong opinions, it is essential to have a leader who can ensure that everyone works together harmoniously. This is necessary because a consistent and high-quality index requires all members to follow the same standards. As the manager of our indexing group for seven years, I have hired a skilled lawyer and previous group member to co-lead with me. Together, we provide our team members with the experience and guidance they need to address any concerns efficiently. Our team regularly meets to discuss best practices, and we have a group chat for daily communication to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Another crucial factor in producing a reliable index is having a solid base of terms. Over the years, our index has grown by 60%, and we have taken the time to refine and update our base of terms. We have also created detailed instructions for our members to follow to maintain the accuracy of the index. Any changes to the index are thoroughly reviewed by either myself or the other lawyer on our team.
I am excited to share more about the process of creating an index in our upcoming posts in the Bar Indexing Series. Stay tuned for our next blog!
Liran Kandin
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