FE1 Exam Thread (Read 1st post!) NOTICE: YOU MAY SWAP EXAM GRIDS

Daryl Strawberry

Can we not post a link to it? for ease of communicating it onto others

chops018

Guys I don't know about this.

Imagine the precedent it would set if the Law Society had a resit for an exam where students felt it was too difficult. There will be many students who might lose their traineeship here over not passing this exam, which is horrible, but that's the reality of it. They will probably say they are not obliged to do a resit based on this. As I think they will try to cover themselves syllabus wise.

I think there should be 3 sittings anyway. January, April, October. But obviously they won't change the system. Further again I think they people with law degrees should be exempt as these exams in no way prepare you for a career in being a solicitor as most of it is procedural law. It's a lucrative money making racket.

I really hope it works out for you but I honestly think that the best outcome will be that it might lead to easy marking.

When I was completing the FE1's I saw people come out of shocking Constitutional exams and Property exams, granted I don't think anything not on the syllabus didn't come up, but if you did 90% of the syllabus you should have still passed. I was lucky in that I had Property done before the hard one came up, and I got Constitutional after the hard one came up so I got the easy one.

EU has a high pass rate, they will always try change it up a bit if this keeps happening.

I don't see mentioned on the petition that there was a question on the exam which wasn't on the syllabus.

In any event I think they cover themselves by saying that you should have a knowledge of the Lisbon treaty in the opening paragraph before the list, this treaty extensively covers EU Criminal Law.

I really hope all your efforts work out as I know how difficult and daunting these exams are, let alone when you're presented with a horrible paper. But I just want you to be aware that it may not work out. Hopefully it's very easily marked. Personally I think it will be easily marked because they know this is a subject a lot of people leave until last and they will be hoping to enter BHP this September and if they fail most people then they will lose thousands on fees for PPC1 which they don't want.

Again, I really do hope that you get what you want, but just be aware that you do not have a legitimate expection to a certain difficulty of a paper or that the law society passes you or makes a resit.

As you have consistently said above though - there is strenght in numbers and they won't want bad publicity so keep going!!!!!

southcounty

COH1234 wrote: »

Guys the petition is done and I'll amend the comments on it to reflect the earlier suggestion that those who pass the exam should have those marks stand etc I cant post a link here but its on the ipetitions website and its entitled "FE1 resit demand" get signing!

Im happy to help as I believe the paper was a joke as compared to previous papers and completely unfair. The Law Soc replied to some people saying that their comments would be passed directly to the EU examiner but god knows when we'll hear anything back if at all.

Well done and thanks again for doing this for all of us. Really appreciate it. If you could just mention the fact that questions came up that were outside the syllabus on the intro that should sort us. I've shared it on facebook so hopefully we should get a good few signatures.

Thanks again

Pepp1989

Has anyone got a response to letters sent to the lawsoc since Tuesday? I've heard nothing.

COH1234

I'll amend the blurb on the petition regarding questions on the syllabus. I think I mentioned it but I will give it more prominence.

I agree its a longshot but I suppose its worth a try, all they can do is say no to the request and even if they do at least we'll know we tried everything.

dashdoll

Anyone know if/when dates for the Sept sitting of the FE1s will be confirmed?

I'm likely to be coming in from abroad to sit them and need to know dates asap so as to book flights.

However, dealing with the Law Society over the phone is almost as frustrating as dealing with Ryanair.

I've been told numerous times since Christmas that it will be confirmed by March but no such luck yet.

smeal

dashdoll wrote: »

Anyone know if/when dates for the Sept sitting of the FE1s will be confirmed?

I'm likely to be coming in from abroad to sit them and need to know dates asap so as to book flights.

However, dealing with the Law Society over the phone is almost as frustrating as dealing with Ryanair.

I've been told numerous times since Christmas that it will be confirmed by March but no such luck yet.

A girl in work rang a few weeks ago and was told the provisional dates were the last week in September

Daryl Strawberry

Anyone have an idea when results get released?

sunshine and showers

Daryl Strawberry wrote: »

Anyone have an idea when results get released?

Should be 1st May, but could be a week later. The Law Society will confirm by email a week or two before.

Shan89

Anyone heard anything back in response to the letters re the EU exam, except that the emails were being passed on to the lecturer?

fe1candidate1

No, unfortunately I haven't heard anything other than that my email would be passed on to the examiner.

maya_bb

Please excuse my ignorance here but I don't come from a law background.

Can anyone explain how Blackhall and a training contract generally work, I'm totally clueless.

Like how many months is one in Blackhall (from when until when)? I know PPC1 starts sept but that's about it. What about the rest of the exams etc. and then when is one in the office from and how long does the whole process take until one is qualified?

Also in the big five firms how do they approach days off?

I know these seem like mundane/silly Qs but would appreciate anyone's insights.

Cheers!

CorcaighAbu91

I'm doing a Master's part-time at the moment and I'm considering doing a few of the Fe-1 exams this September.

Which subjects have a reputation for being fairly marked? I have an interest in Constitutional and EU Law so I was considering doing those papers.
I know this year will be the last year under the old Companies Act so I'm definitely thinking of doing the Company paper.

How much is it per paper and is there any more fees I have to pay than that to sit the exams?

sunshine and showers

CorcaighAbu91 wrote: »

I'm doing a Master's part-time at the moment and I'm considering doing a few of the Fe-1 exams this September.

Which subjects have a reputation for being fairly marked? I have an interest in Constitutional and EU Law so I was considering doing those papers.
I know this year will be the last year under the old Companies Act so I'm definitely thinking of doing the Company paper.

How much is it per paper and is there any more fees I have to pay than that to sit the exams?

It's €105 per subject. You only need to sit three exams in your first sitting as of this year. You need to pass all three of those for any of your passes to "count", otherwise you have to keep trying to sit and pass three. After you pass three at once, you can do them in whatever order you like after that - one at a time if you want.

I would definitely recommend sitting Company if you're already familiar with the older legislation. Constitutional and EU together is not a good plan, tbh. They're much too long to do together. Contract, Equity and Property have a lot of overlap. Property is a short course and a fairly marked paper. I would recommend it for your first go.

Tbh, depending on the time you have available to study (and starting soon enough gives you tons of it), I'd say to do the old school four exams. Usually, I'd say Contract, Equity, Property and either Constitutional or EU.

This time, based on the last sitting and the changes to the law that will soon affect the papers, I would recommend Company, Equity, EU and Property. Substitute Contract for Equity or Property if you prefer it, or drop one of them. I would say EU over Constitutional, though, based on how hard the last paper was (and how many complaints it seems to have attracted).

CorcaighAbu91

I think I will probably do Company, EU, Contract and one of Equity and Property then. Truth be told I didn't exactly do myself proud in Company at undergraduate, but learning the new Companies Act does certainly not appeal!

The temptation would be to do 3 in depth, but looking at how horrible that EU paper was last year I'm not quite sure I'd cut it!

Xoshinho

I've just seen the uproar over the EU Law paper over the past few days and this might be total rubbish, but if it's any consolation to any of ye, we had the external examiner for EU at undergrad level and he was an extremely fair marker. If there is a big deal made of it all and the papers are passed on to him for a final mark, then I'm sure it won't be as bad for some of ye as expected. Unless he was the one that actually wrote the paper then I'm just utterly stunned....

COH1234

Hi Guys

I've been away over Easter etc to forget the trauma that was the FE1's. I've checked the petition and so far we have only 21 signatures. I have shared this a few times but I am finding it tough to drum up either interest or support. What's everyone's feelings on this? Maybe as an alternative we could draft up a letter signed by students collectively and submit it demanding a response to the complaints made perhaps? I'm just conscious of time as well as it would be better to have this lodged with them before the results maybe but I'm open to suggestions

Bayley1

Hi, I just wondered if Griffith let you do a subject again for free if you've failed?

Thanks

smeal

Hey everyone. Hope you're all well

Whats the time frame for results? I know somebody said before its usually around 10 weeks after the exams so would that mean end of May/start of June?

Feel like I need to get cracking on the next set aghhh..

chops018

smeal wrote: »

Hey everyone. Hope you're all well

Whats the time frame for results? I know somebody said before its usually around 10 weeks after the exams so would that mean end of May/start of June?

Feel like I need to get cracking on the next set aghhh..

When I was doing them it was always 6 Fridays after the last exam.

Unless it's changed now.....

neesie_85

Bayley1 wrote: »

Hi, I just wondered if Griffith let you do a subject again for free if you've failed?

It's not free unfortunately but they do allow you to retake the course at a reduced price.

neesie_85

smeal wrote: »

Hey everyone. Hope you're all well

Whats the time frame for results? I know somebody said before its usually around 10 weeks after the exams so would that mean end of May/start of June?

Feel like I need to get cracking on the next set aghhh..

It is usually six weeks from the last day of the exams so should be around 1st of May

JCJCJC

maya_bb wrote: »

Please excuse my ignorance here but I don't come from a law background.

Can anyone explain how Blackhall and a training contract generally work, I'm totally clueless.

Like how many months is one in Blackhall (from when until when)? I know PPC1 starts sept but that's about it. What about the rest of the exams etc. and then when is one in the office from and how long does the whole process take until one is qualified?

Also in the big five firms how do they approach days off?

I know these seem like mundane/silly Qs but would appreciate anyone's insights.

Cheers!

I'm dropping in here, used to be a regular. I'm post-PPC1 now. here's what you need to know:
http://www.lawsociety.ie/Trainees/In-office-Training/

Time in the office pre-ppc1 counts for credit against the two years, most people have that.

Advice to y'all:

If you're in an office pre-PPC1, get relevant experience in probate, taxation, conveyancing, business, landlord and tenant, civil litigation and criminal litigation - as many of those as you can. You'll fly through Blackhall in areas you've covered.
Bring with you: sample wills of moderate complexity, draft deeds of transfer for registered/unregistered freehold/leasehold/fee farm grant titles. Photocopy Mongey's probate book and Spieran's wills, and make pdfs of them.

Blackhall is fantastic craic, all my class loved it. It's all worth it when you get there.

Not sure about big5 holidays..I think they stop working for the Christmas dinner...;-)

Edit: When you go to Blackhall, at all costs pay the extra cash for an iPad upgrade. The standard issue is tiny, and you'll be trying to read all your lecture notes, tutorial materials etc on it. Get the biggest screen you can afford - at all costs. I paid about 400 Euro more for mine and never regretted it.

XxMCRxBabyxX

For those who worked full time while studying for the exams, I'm just wondering how you organised studying along with it? What was your timetable like and did you take much time off during the exams? I've been offered some work and I'm trying to decide how doable and with it it'll be.

jenspondolik

I have a feeling results aren't going to be out until 8th May not 1st - we'd normally have the email by now and they were late in last sitting also.

I mean to say they are dragging it out a good bit given that the exams are getting earlier and earlier. Not giving much time to get back into it...

smeal

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

For those who worked full time while studying for the exams, I'm just wondering how you organised studying along with it? What was your timetable like and did you take much time off during the exams? I've been offered some work and I'm trying to decide how doable and with it it'll be.

Its really tough but it's doable. You need to organise yourself very very well. I started studying for the March sitting around November. At this time I was trying to do about 2 evenings a week and then whatever I could get done at weekends. I took a subject at a time because sometimes there would be a couple of days between study and I didn't want to confuse myself.

After Christmas I did about 4 evenings a week- usually 2/2.5 hours every night and would take most of Saturday to study. For sanity reasons up until about 3 weeks before exams I admit I did make the most of my Saturday nights socialising or yano, generally living life and I tried to rest on Sundays although coming up to the exams this changed.

I didn't have a lot of time off work prior to the week of exams. My first exam was on the Tuesday and I only finished up in work the Friday before. At the time I was so envious of people who had a month off work prior to them to prepare but looking back we were all in the same boat- it's just as much work no matter what circumstances you are in.

I only did three exams and to be honest, this was definitely enough for me. Organise well. I bought a diary and would make a plan each week of what chapters I would study each night. This worked well and I mentally taught myself to stick to it.

It's really not easy but it's not impossible either. Its important to look after yourself and believe me it's verrrrry easy to slip into a bit of a black hole working Monday to Friday and then locking yourself away at a desk so make sure you take time to yourself when you need it, exercise, eat well and plan a few nights out with your friends to keep yourself sane.

Darren07

Hi Guys, anybody have plans to head to PPC1 this September and my be interested in sharing a house between a few?

Best of Luck with upcoming results. Know the nerves and pain well!!

spaz_hawk

I called the Law Society this morning who informed me that the provisional date for the exam results is Friday the 1st May next. Should get confirmation by email on Monday next I would suspect.

prettylamp

Just got the email. May 1st it is! :O

XxMCRxBabyxX

Anyone else has problems logging in to the results page?