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

XxMCRxBabyxX

sunshine and showers wrote: »

Actually, CK is right. It used to be the case the law graduates were exempt from the FE1s, until a northern law grad decided they wanted to be exempt too. Even though they don't do Constitutional law, there are differences with other areas, etc... :rolleyes:

Case was Bloomer v Law Society of Ireland. 20 years ago or so. Cheers, lads. Sound of ye.

(Abrahamson v Law Society of Ireland is an interesting follow up on legitimate expectations, fyi.)

So we can't just qualify in the north to practice here?

OfficeGirl2015

Thank god we're done already ...imagine missing this day of sport!!!

sunshine and showers

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

So we can't just qualify in the north to practice here?

I know for the SRA of England and Wales you need an equivalency statement based on your transcripts/university modules. If you don't meet requirements there's a year long GDL to "convert" it.

I looked, you need three years post qualification practice experience to invoke the direct reciprocity. No good!

Orlando146

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

So we can't just qualify in the north to practice here?

I'm sitting the northern exam in December and from talking to the law society down here you basically can transfer down. I think you only need the three years post experience if NI isn't where you qualified first (eg New York bar).

I'm working in a Belfast law firm so it makes more sense for me to qualify there.

Orlando146

sunshine and showers wrote: »

I know for the SRA of England and Wales you need an equivalency statement based on your transcripts/university modules. If you don't meet requirements there's a year long GDL to "convert" it.

I looked, you need three years post qualification practice experience to invoke the direct reciprocity. No good!

I've been talking to the law society about this - you only need the three years post experience if NI isn't where you qualified first (eg New York bar).

effinnblindin

So is it possible to pass all 8 in one go? I just need to hear that someone has actually done it to reassure me that it can be done!

Tired_Man

effinnblindin wrote: »

So is it possible to pass all 8 in one go? I just need to hear that someone has actually done it to reassure me that it can be done!

I know a girl who passed all 8 in one sitting so it can be done. I would caveat that by saying she was the outstanding student in the law school where I went to university.

sophiehatter

Just curious to know when the dates for the spring exams usually become available? Does anyone know? Is it with the results? I'd like to be able to start planning a trip away for afterwards..something to look forward to!

OfficeGirl2015

sophiehatter wrote: »

Just curious to know when the dates for the spring exams usually become available? Does anyone know? Is it with the results? I'd like to be able to start planning a trip away for afterwards..something to look forward to!

I asked the law society and they said they'll come out shortly , but they haven't set them yet

sophiehatter

OfficeGirl2015 wrote: »

I asked the law society and they said they'll come out shortly , but they haven't set them yet

Great, thanks, I'll keep an eye out. Have to say I'm surprised by how little info candidates are given through the whole FE 1 process, exam number and venue less than two weeks before, no date for results yet or next sitting. I know its all roughly the same every year, maybe I'm being overly harsh but did anyone else find it a bit frustrating that official information is not that forthcoming?

scrummonkey

effinnblindin wrote: »

So is it possible to pass all 8 in one go? I just need to hear that someone has actually done it to reassure me that it can be done!

I am attempting all eight next spring. Started studying last week, using just the manuals and past exam papers/reports/sample answers. I believe it is possible but will require stamina ! I know of one person who passed all eight in one sitting( while employed in Solicitors office) who told me it was very doable but the physical/mental stress should not be underestimated. The fact the exams are all back to back with only sat/sun break is the real enemy, but , especially if you have a law undergrad, it can be done.

Come, let us dance........

P.s. I am also working full time so study time is limited.....

dashdoll

Hi guys. Hope everyone is enjoying the freedom!

Quick question...would be interested in hearing from anyone who has done Tort or Constitutional with Independent Colleges?

How did you find the lecturers/manuals for these subjects with Independent?

Thanks.

Laura Steph

Hi all,

I hope everyone has destressed from the last round of FE1s!

I may be a little forward looking but could anyone give me an opinion about prep course for EU law? So far I attended all prep courses with one institute but may consider moving to another.

Any and all opinions are welcome! Cheers.

Laura Steph

dashdoll wrote: »

Hi guys. Hope everyone is enjoying the freedom!

Quick question...would be interested in hearing from anyone who has done Tort or Constitutional with Independent Colleges?

How did you find the lecturers/manuals for these subjects with Independent?

Thanks.

Hi Dashdoll,

I couldn't speak highly enough of Val Corbett's tort lectures at Independent. I found him to be concise but thorough. I went into the Tort exam pretty calm (as calm as anyone can be for an FE-1 exam) and passed on first attempt.

The jury is still out for me about Constitutional but there's no doubt Veronica McInerney certainly knows her stuff and covers dozens of past exam qs.

I hope that's of some help!

FEar1

Hello all, hope the recovery is going well for everyone!

Just wondering whether anyone has any idea when the exam results usually come out for this sitting?

sunshine and showers

FEar1 wrote: »

Hello all, hope the recovery is going well for everyone!

Just wondering whether anyone has any idea when the exam results usually come out for this sitting?

Six weeks from the last day of the exams, usually. So they should be out on Friday, 20th November, but they could be a week later.

We'll get an email a week beforehand.

SleepvDenning

I just sat for my first four FE1's. To prepare for the last sitting, I observed the City Colleges review courses online. Before embarking on this journey, I relied entirely on my own research. As I prepare to start start studying for the next sitting, I have a few questions.

1) How do the City Colleges manuals and courses stack up against the other options (Griffith, Independent)?

2) What sort of feedback do you get from the Law Society? Do you get your essays back or just a raw score?

3) The consensus seems to be that EU and Constitutional are significantly more difficult than the other exams. Why? More material? Boring subject matter? Tough examiner?

prettylamp

Ive used Independent manuals for all of mine and I found them to be great. They seem to be a bit more structured but then again it can be a personal preference.

All you get is your mark, no comments even when you fork out €115 for a recheck. Just one annoying little number!


Constitutional and EU tend to be more "difficult " because of the sheer volume of the course. There's nearly double the amount of topics and the questions tend to be a bit more specific which makes it harder to cut out topics. That's my take on it anyway.

Hope you found this helpful!

Laura Steph

Laura Steph wrote: »

Hi all,

I hope everyone has destressed from the last round of FE1s!

I may be a little forward looking but could anyone give me an opinion about prep course for EU law? So far I attended all prep courses with one institute but may consider moving to another.

Any and all opinions are welcome! Cheers.

Anyone have any opinion/advice??

Hunchback

Laura Steph wrote:

Anyone have any opinion/advice??

Haven't sat that one yet

XxMCRxBabyxX

Laura Steph wrote: »

Anyone have any opinion/advice??

I haven't sat EU yet but I've sat other subjects in City and others there love Brendan Foley for EU

livelovelaugh

It's Milkround time again!!! Does anyone have any interest in creating a thread to keep each other updated on contact from the firms?

smeal

livelovelaugh wrote: »

It's Milkround time again!!! Does anyone have any interest in creating a thread to keep each other updated on contact from the firms?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=97529293#post97529293

jdbarry

Looking to do a revision course for Company law in Independent or City Colleges. Anyone have any recommendations for either?

SleepvDenning

jdbarry wrote: »

Looking to do a revision course for Company law in Independent or City Colleges. Anyone have any recommendations for either?

I attended City Colleges and found Mark Cockerill to be a good lecturer.

The City Colleges manual had footnotes for the 2014 Act, but the updates had not been incorporated into the body of the manual yet. In the past two sittings, one could use either the Companies Act 2014 or the old statutes. I'm guessing that since the 2014 Act becomes effective in December, everyone will be required to cite the 2014 Act from now on. I would make sure the manuals are updated for the 2014 Act (not just in the footnotes).

Also, the examiner (Courtney) wrote "The Law of Companies 3rd Ed, (2012)", which is one of the three recommended text books in the syllabus. This book was extremely helpful for me. It has an excellent case index. Courtney also wrote a short text book titled "Guide to the Companies Act 2014", which was also very helpful.

Laura Steph

jdbarry wrote: »

Looking to do a revision course for Company law in Independent or City Colleges. Anyone have any recommendations for either?

I sat the March 2015 paper with Anthony Thuiller (Independent). Great lecturer, kept it relaxed and informal but really hammered home everything you needed to know.

I took law in college but regardless of whether you did or didn't, I found the Independent lectures for company were more than enough to get my pass.

Hope that helps!

PS. Have you sat the EU paper yet?

XxMCRxBabyxX

SleepvDenning wrote: »

I attended City Colleges and found Mark Cockerill to be a good lecturer.

The City Colleges manual had footnotes for the 2014 Act, but the updates had not been incorporated into the body of the manual yet. In the past two sittings, one could use either the Companies Act 2014 or the old statutes. I'm guessing that since the 2014 Act becomes effective in December, everyone will be required to cite the 2014 Act from now on. I would make sure the manuals are updated for the 2014 Act (not just in the footnotes).

Also, the examiner (Courtney) wrote "The Law of Companies 3rd Ed, (2012)", which is one of the three recommended text books in the syllabus. This book was extremely helpful for me. It has an excellent case index. Courtney also wrote a short text book titled "Guide to the Companies Act 2014", which was also very helpful.

I was looking at the lecturers for City this year and I don't think Mark's doing Company this tone round. If he is though I'd recommend him too.

jdbarry

Laura Steph wrote:

PS. Have you sat the EU paper yet?

No I'm doing this time around aswell. Thanks for the feedback!

donners87

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

I was looking at the lecturers for City this year and I don't think Mark's doing Company this tone round. If he is though I'd recommend him too.

as far as I know he is teaching this term. he's listed on the site

XxMCRxBabyxX

donners87 wrote: »

as far as I know he is teaching this term. he's listed on the site

Must have changed since I last checked it so! :-)