FE1 Exam Thread (Mod Warning: NO ADS)

brian__foley

mirm wrote: »

Hey, I was just wondering if anyone has any advice for Contract Law. I've gone through basically the whole course but some of it just seems that it would not come up as a whole topic if you know what I mean. Could anyone steer me in a direction of most important areas. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

I wouldn't think like that. This exam has shown that anything and everything can mixed. In some cases there isn't even a necessary connection between the mix. For example, you can have a querist with two wholly different problems (i.e. completely separate fact situations) and you are asked for advice on both such as, maybe, illegality and frustration. Equally, you might find that in the essays an "answer A and B" doesn't necessarily have a connection between the A and B options.

There are aspects which I suppose the past may show has not having frequently arisen as a whole topic, but the notion that you could (maybe I've misunderstood you here) could focus on what could come up as a "whole topic" is probably the first step on a bad road for that exam.

nr46

Hey guys,

This is my first time posting on this- so heres hoping im doing it right!

Im doing EU and company in Sept and finding EU very hard at the moment. The course is just so lons and boring!

Has anyone got any advice on what i can afford to leave out? Any guaranteed questions? I also heard that a general question on the lisbon treaty can come up? Im working off 2009 Griffith notes but they have nothing on the lisbon treaty in them!! Im working full time aswell so finding it impossible to study in the evenings!:(

Any help would really be appreciated!

Hogzy

To charge someone with Assault Causing Harm or Assault Causing Serious Harm must the victim actually suffer harm?
eg.
If the victim feels they will be subjected to harm/serious harm (eg holding a gun to their head while you rob them) can you charge them with S3 or S4 of the 1997 act or are you limited to just S5(1) threatening to kill or cause serious harm. (I know you can charge if mental 'harm' is caused but i am confused in regards physical harm)

If the gun is loaded in the above example can they also be charged with endangerment?

tweedledee!

Only started studying for my first 3/4 fe1's on monday last as I was caught up with thesis etc but am now studying full time so hoping I'll have enough time to pass three. I'v applied to sit Criminal, Contract, Equity and Company and now comes the problem. I'm only about half way through Criminal so far and I'm thinking that Contract and Equity will be the shortest and most straightforward for me to learn. So far, I'm really tempted to leave out company altogether and just sign in for it as I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment and think that perhaps my time would be better spent doing three very well instead of 4 rushed. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on this? Is it too big a risk to only prepare for 3? And also, is it viewed by the Law Soc as lazy or anything when they see you have only attempted 3..I'd be afraid it would kind of put a black mark over me although I know this is a bit far-fetched! Anyway, would really appreciate any advice or comments at all.
Thanks.

AnnAh1986

I am in a similar position as above and would like to know if anyone knows if it is ok to just sign for one and aim to pass three as I will not have time to study for four at this stage

Hogzy

AnnAh1986 wrote: »

I am in a similar position as above and would like to know if anyone knows if it is ok to just sign for one and aim to pass three as I will not have time to study for four at this stage

Thats what i did for Tort last year. Went in for the 40mins and left straight away. Trust me you will never be the only one doing it and wont stand out a mile. 7 or 8 people got up at the exact same time as me!!!

jamk

AnnAh1986 wrote: »

I am in a similar position as above and would like to know if anyone knows if it is ok to just sign for one and aim to pass three as I will not have time to study for four at this stage

I am also in this situation and thank god I though I was the only one. I am sitting Company, Tort, Criminal and EU. Have decided that I am not going to sit EU but just sign in for it and leave it asap. Any tips for the other 3 exams. I am conscious of time and dont think I will have enough time to study everything in the 3 subjects apart from maybe criminal.

Also how are you guys studying?? I am trying to learn off my notes and look at questions but I am afraid I wont remember everything I studied for the exam. For the degree you could get away with studying a few topics...

Any advice would go a long way at this stage....
I'm freaking out right now!!!!!

jamk

Another question. How many hours should I be spending studying for these FE1's. At the moment I am trying to get 7 or 8 hours done, is that enough?? I find it very hard to get more than that done....

Thanks.

Hogzy

As a matter of Interest could people post what topics they are doing for EU?

I am doing/plan on doing

1. Institutions
2. Sources of EU Law
3. Application of EU law before Domestic Courts
4. EU procedures
5. FMOG
6. FMOW
7. FOE & Services
8. Citizenship.

I did these last time round and passed (Failed the others) but only scraped a pass. Im worried its not enough. I dont know if ill do competition or not. Its huge and the other topics rarely come and to cover them all would just take too long.
The above 8 chapters got me enough questions last time round but im just worried now i wont have enough. Think the exam really went my way last time and im afraid it wont go the same way this time.

slatts09

Hi everybody,

I have sample answers in typed format for every question for the past few years for the subjects:
Equity,
Criminal,
Company,
Land & Contract.

Does anybody have similar for the remaining subjects they are willing to swap or maybe trade for something like the companies act I have.

randypriest

I was wondering about permitted legislation. Where would I be able to buy the Sale of Goods Act 1893 and the Sale of Goods Supply of Services Act 1980?

Also, would I be permitted to take a pre-2000 version of the Bastow Charleton Combined Companies Acts into the exam?

Lastly, what is the procedure for handing in legislation for checking? When and where should you hand in the legislation for invigilator checks?

Thanks in advance! Hope all your studying is going well.

chopser

jamk wrote: »

Another question. How many hours should I be spending studying for these FE1's. At the moment I am trying to get 7 or 8 hours done, is that enough?? I find it very hard to get more than that done....

Thanks.

Are you asking if 7 or 8 hours per day until the exams is enough study time?

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chopser wrote: »

Are you asking if 7 or 8 hours per day until the exams is enough study time?

More than enough if that's the case. I'm doing last two and I study roughly 15 hours a week. Bit more in the final few weeks, it's quality over quantity no point struggling to study 8 hours a day if you are not taking it in. Also apparantly it's better to study in shorter periods, like study for an hour then break for 10 mins, you remember more that way
Good luck

blathblath

tweedledee! wrote: »

Only started studying for my first 3/4 fe1's on monday last as I was caught up with thesis etc but am now studying full time so hoping I'll have enough time to pass three. I'v applied to sit Criminal, Contract, Equity and Company and now comes the problem. I'm only about half way through Criminal so far and I'm thinking that Contract and Equity will be the shortest and most straightforward for me to learn. So far, I'm really tempted to leave out company altogether and just sign in for it as I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment and think that perhaps my time would be better spent doing three very well instead of 4 rushed. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on this? Is it too big a risk to only prepare for 3? And also, is it viewed by the Law Soc as lazy or anything when they see you have only attempted 3..I'd be afraid it would kind of put a black mark over me although I know this is a bit far-fetched! Anyway, would really appreciate any advice or comments at all.
Thanks.

Hey there! Coming from someone that has been through the mill with these exams I strongly recommend you even attempt the 4th subject..... regardless of how well you may feel you know the other 3 if ANYTHING goes wrong which it easily can under these pressurised exams you could easily be left with 2 exams and then face having to repeat all 3 again. It is just to risky to focus on three whilst trying to get over the first hill. Sorry for the negativity I have just witnessed alot of people doing same and finding themselves back at square one.

Alvy87

Anybody got any tips for constitutional or criminal??

any advice on areas to focus in on would be appreciated

Getting_Steads

jamk wrote: »

Another question. How many hours should I be spending studying for these FE1's. At the moment I am trying to get 7 or 8 hours done, is that enough?? I find it very hard to get more than that done....

Thanks.

Thats plenty of study for this time of year. You'll probably gradually increase the hours the more you get through September. But remember you don't want to burn out either. I'd continue going out one night a week if I were you until at least the beginning of September just to stay sane!

Hogzy

Alvy87 wrote: »

Anybody got any tips for constitutional or criminal??

any advice on areas to focus in on would be appreciated

For criminal the only advice really is to study everything. Its possible to leave out offenses against the state but its so small its almost worth covering for the sake of an hour or two.

Make sure you are well able to identify various offenses (against the person and property) when you see it in an exam Q. This really let me down the last time i did my criminal exam and is why i think i failed. I just couldnt recognise the topics. Get the passed papers and look at the questions, you dont have to attempt them but just make sure you can identify EVERY offense that the question contains.
Make sure you have a good grasp on the section numbers aswell. This also let me down last time. Thought i knew them, clearly didnt when i got stuck into the paper.

Getting_Steads

Alvy87 wrote: »

Anybody got any tips for constitutional or criminal??

any advice on areas to focus in on would be appreciated

The March constitutional paper was totally dominated by the rights portion of the course rather than the institutional section. So I'd definitely concentrate on the second half of the course (if you're using the Indepndent manuals). Also if you read the examiner reports you can tell he gets quite infuriated by people being unable to grasp the concept of socio-economic rights. Although that topic did feature on the last paper given his feelings on that particular area I'd make sure I know it inside out.

Unfortunately I sat criminal last October so can't offer much in the way of advice there but if you can get your hands on Ciaran Patton's pre exam tips (Independent criminal lecturer) I defintely would. It was the difference between pass and fail for me!

Tras1

Hi, I am just wondering if anyone would have equity and contract manuals and exam papers they would like to sell? I'm leaving it a bit late I know!Thanks.

Tras1

OJS wrote: »

Contract, Criminal and Equity summer 09 manuals from independent colleges for sale...50euro each

Are these still for sale? Thanks.

Hogzy

Tras1 wrote: »

Are these still for sale? Thanks.

There is a thread dedicated for sale of manuals. Go HERE

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Hogzy wrote: »

As a matter of Interest could people post what topics they are doing for EU?

I am doing/plan on doing

1. Institutions
2. Sources of EU Law
3. Application of EU law before Domestic Courts
4. EU procedures
5. FMOG
6. FMOW
7. FOE & Services
8. Citizenship.

I did these last time round and passed (Failed the others) but only scraped a pass. .

Im doing the exact same, competition too big and possibility they question wont come up.
I sat criminal the first time and got 42%, i was shocked as i really thought i had passed it well. Started studying again and i just made sure i really understood the topics instead of trying to learn them off by heart.
Second time (with all same chapters and notes) i got 66%.

Ruby83

Getting_Steads wrote: »

The March constitutional paper was totally dominated by the rights portion of the course rather than the institutional section. So I'd definitely concentrate on the second half of the course (if you're using the Indepndent manuals). Also if you read the examiner reports you can tell he gets quite infuriated by people being unable to grasp the concept of socio-economic rights. Although that topic did feature on the last paper given his feelings on that particular area I'd make sure I know it inside out.
!

Is the independent colleges second half of the course rights section or institutional section?
I'm struggling with constitutional!

brian__foley

Getting_Steads wrote: »

The March constitutional paper was totally dominated by the rights portion of the course rather than the institutional section. So I'd definitely concentrate on the second half of the course (if you're using the Indepndent manuals). Also if you read the examiner reports you can tell he gets quite infuriated by people being unable to grasp the concept of socio-economic rights. Although that topic did feature on the last paper given his feelings on that particular area I'd make sure I know it inside out.

Unfortunately I sat criminal last October so can't offer much in the way of advice there but if you can get your hands on Ciaran Patton's pre exam tips (Independent criminal lecturer) I defintely would. It was the difference between pass and fail for me!

On the other hand, there have been papers written by the examiner in which an excellent knowledge of rights might have given a less than wonderful choice of questions.

Ignoring, say, reporting of court proceedings could render it impossible to do, for example, a privacy or Article 38.1 question. Equally, it's not a tip for constitutional in any sense of the word, but understanding Dudley v An Taoiseach might be an idea. It's odd how many times one can look back at the exams and see fact scenarios which were the factual matrix of cases then in the courts or recently (i.e. very recently) reported. It would be a shame if a by-election / mandamus issue was on the exam and people couldn't do it - certainly one to kick yourself about afterwards. Wouldn't be surprised to see people tested not on socio-economic rights per se (that's not really the frustration of the examiner per se) but on the issue of mandatory orders against the Executive. If I was thinking about wider issues, one could have a think about the general question as to whether we need a new constitution. Given its prevalence in the media over the last year it would again, be one to kick yourself over, if it appeared on the paper in essay form. Not tips at all, but questions which, if they appeared, I'd hardly be surprised.

Brian

wickerman07

Hi all,

Just wondering if there is anyone out there who has passed constitutional and could give me grinds??

I've passed the other 7 but finding this very difficult.....grasping the concepts fine but struggeling with answering the questions.

wickerman07

oh yea.....im living in Galway

Chouette

Can anyone give me the grid of questions from Independent? I can't figure out which topic any of the questions in Constitutional relate to. It's my third time sitting it (I have passed the other 7) and I just can't grasp it.

Sorry to ask but any help would be appreciated.

JessieJ

Is anybody doing the revision courses in GCD or Indep? I haven't applied to do it yet, but I'm hoping there will still be space. Or would it be full up by now?

brian__foley

JessieJ wrote: »

Is anybody doing the revision courses in GCD or Indep? I haven't applied to do it yet, but I'm hoping there will still be space. Or would it be full up by now?

Can't speak for ICD, but you should be ok...easiest (and quickest) thing to do is just to ring the college of your choice?

rick flair

Cany anyone email me exam grids for Equity, Contract, EU and Torts. Looking for recent ones and not the old stuff on the Google Group.


Cheers