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

Pickpocket

How do people find flash cards for crunch time? I'm using them for the first time and I'm surprised at how effective they are in getting cases into my head. I'm slightly concerned that it's too rote learning though.

shellbm

When tabbing legislation, are you allowed to write the section number on the tab or no?

claiomh solais

No writing at all is how the examiners put it. I wouldn't risk it.

Bayb12

smeal wrote: »

Out of interest, those who have passed Contract in the past two sittings what other materials did you use other than the manuals? I can't help but think that the manual is structured around the core texts i.e Clark?

Used a manual and went through all recent reports then practiced loads of questions even just picking out cases that match the facts

kyliewyote7

I practiced PQs with reference to my notes - active revision as you say and found it great to identify the different ways an issue can be addressed by the examiner and to be in the habit of picking out relevant info.

I also used flash cards last sitting and found them really helpful for case names and facts. I did find that I didn't feel as confident tackling essay questions however so this for this sitting I'm making sure to flesh out potential essay topics a bit more than you would on a flashcard.

Hope that helps Pickpocket!

Fe1panic

What do people who have passed recommend as a book for constitutional? Im worried about the comment about them being out of date.

hullaballoo

Pickpocket wrote: »

This is a question I asked earlier but unfortunately nobody replied. When practising a problem question are you doing it blind in a type of mock exam way, or do you answer the question with reference to your notes, in a sort of active revision type way? Thanks.

Every sitting I say this. Doing moot exams on yourself is a little pointless. Practice writing x pages in y time fine but I strongly recommend that you don't do past exam papers.

The examiners reports more or less say the same thing every year - too much learning off is happening and candidates are failing to engage with the question in front of them.

Very often, examiners "repeat" questions they have set before. However, at FE1 level, they will have subtle changes that may completely change the advice you would be expected to give. In many cases, new issues are added to be identified but all too often, candidates answer the question they had prepared and not the one in front of them.

The FE1s are there for a reason - the Law Society is testing the extent of your knowledge of the substantive law over broad-ranging topics. Once you pass these exams, you can enter practice without ever sitting another exam on your knowledge of the substantive law. PPCs are there to instruct you on procedures and other aspects of real-life practice.

By the time you are in PPCs, you are presumed to know everything that's in the books on Company, Contract, Tort, EU, Constitutional, Criminal, Equity and Property law. You never sit another exam on those again unless you choose to. So, they have to test you on as close to everything they can. Yes, they are trying to catch those who didn't cover sections of the manuals out.

That is why the idea of leaving topics out is not a good one. I know when it comes to crunch time, sometimes corners have to be cut. But it is far far better to have a reasonable understanding of all topics than a deep understanding of a few. You can deepen your understanding of areas you have a special interest in when you are in practice.

Imagine in a few years you are approached by a real life client who wants to know how to prevent his business partner from sabotaging their company but you left the chapter on shareholders' remedies out so you can't help?


TL;DR: Flashcards are a very good idea indeed.

KT_94

Pickpocket wrote: »

This is a question I asked earlier but unfortunately nobody replied. When practising a problem question are you doing it blind in a type of mock exam way, or do you answer the question with reference to your notes, in a sort of active revision type way? Thanks.

Personally when I revise a topic I try to come back a few hours later and answer a relevant question without notes, and then afterwards compare my answer to my notes to check accuracy etc. Obviously exam reports are an essential reference point too in terms of ensuring that your answer has addressed what is necessary. In exam situations I find I only remember the bare essentials anyway so I try and keep my practice answers short and when I feel I'm ready expand a bit more in detail when I know a topic better.

All a bit general but I hope that is of some help!

lorna_m

Hello all! Wondering if anyone could loan/sell me any of the following statutes for the exam?

- Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009
- Sale of Goods Act 1893
- Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980

If not I'll just go & buy them myself (though I thought it was worth a try posting here seeing as though they'll probably end up gathering dust after the exam)!

Thanks, and best of luck for those doing the March sitting

lawstudentirl1

Hi all,

For those of us that are juggling both FE1s and internship applications I started a thread purely for the law firm summer internships.
Here's the link: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057692804

Post and share your experiences as these threads can provide useful insights and help for everyone!

Yoop

Fe1panic wrote: »

What do people who have passed recommend as a book for constitutional? Im worried about the comment about them being out of date.

I'm sitting Constitutional this time and I'm using both Hogan & White and Doyle. I also have an up to date Nutshell for reference to more recent cases that aren't mentioned in either of those.

Fe1panic

Thanks Yoop, that's a relief. Ive been using Doyle and Nutshells too but I was worried I was missing something!

Redo91

Please tell me I'm not the only one just using the manual for Constitutional.

shellbm

I am solely relying on the manual at the moment ... I am afraid of spreading myself too thin/overloading myself with information by looking into further commentary? Maybe that is a bit naive of me

hullaballoo

Tbh, it is better to narrow your focus on constitutional as much as possible as it has so many rabbit holes that you could end up spending weeks on one topic and still be none the wiser.

Remember for constitutional, the emphasis is on recent cases and an understanding of the constitution's place in the hierarchy of laws. (Annoyingly, jurisprudence seems to be a subject that's out of favour with students these days as it really beds in what the constitution is all about and why we have things like unenumerated rights.)

More than any other subject, I would be less inclined to study constitutional topics in much depth. Just get an understanding, a few pertinent cases, and move on. You'll need to cover everything because you'll be examined on your knowledge of competing constitutional rights/provisions.

Redo91

shellbm wrote: »

I am solely relying on the manual at the moment ... I am afraid of spreading myself too thin/overloading myself with information by looking into further commentary? Maybe that is a bit naive of me

I've passed 6 FE-1's thus far by only adding in cases where I felt the manual was a little thin on case law. Other than that I've been only using manuals and it's worked fine. I just got a bit worried there when I heard people were using text books for Constitutional. It's my first time sitting in so I was afraid it was different to the others I've sat.

Fe1panic

I saw something last week about a thing in UCD on recent cases. Do you think that would be helpful hullaballoo?

Pickpocket

kyliewyote7 wrote: »

I practiced PQs with reference to my notes...

hullaballoo wrote: »

Every sitting I say this...

KT_94 wrote: »

Personally when I revise a topic...

Many thanks! Plenty of sound advice and tips in there. I'm slowly growing in confidence!

thestar

Quick question, is an fe1 exam 3 or 4 hours?

Pickpocket

hullaballoo wrote: »

You are in a great position from the sounds of things. If you apply your time correctly to the gaps in your knowledge, you should be able to sail through the exams.

It's hard work but it pays huge dividends so you'd be mad not to give it a real go. Work your ass off for a few days and you'll pass these no issue.

If you opt to take things easy and procrastinate over your limited time off, expect to fail but if you actually engage with the syllabuses and cover everything off, you can expect to pass and go ahead with your career.

annmc882 wrote: »

Very well said! Keep the faith and be productive with your time. You've as good chance as anyone sitting them.

My apologies for only seeing these now. It was very kind of both of you to offer some words of encouragement.

So two weeks have passed and things are going quite good (don't jinx it!). I'm surprised by just how much I remember from my time as an undergrad, so right from the off it felt like revision as opposed to full-on study.

I feel like I'm in a good position to pass my first three, but at the very least I'm finally up an running at them. I've learned a lot over the past fortnight about how much study I can squeeze in while I'm working, the importance of starting my weekend's study on a Friday night to keep the momentum going, of getting to bed early on Saturday night to make sure Sunday doesn't burn me out, etc. All of that will stand me in good stead going forward no matter what happens next month.

Many thanks!

Pickpocket

thestar wrote: »

Quick question, is an fe1 exam 3 or 4 hours?

Four.

Three hours in the exam and one hour on the way home remembering everything you should have written.

Pickpocket

hullaballoo wrote: »

Every sitting I say this. Doing moot exams on yourself is a little pointless. Practice writing x pages in y time fine but I strongly recommend that you don't do past exam papers.

Just on that point, my handwriting is very slow. In fact I struggle with writing in general. I really have to work at writing. It's recently been suggested that I may suffer from some form of motor dysgraphia, meaning I may lack the ability to exercise fine motor-skills when writing. That took me by surprise but I've read first-hand accounts of people with that difficulty and it sounds exactly like my situation. I didn't go to a good school and am from a generation where things like that just didn't get picked up. So who knows. I'm definitely going to follow-up on it though.

College was a struggle at times. I never failed an exam but ultimately I was precluded from reaching my full potential because I could never get enough onto the page. I know the old 'quality v quantity' line but there were times when I could almost hear the marks slipping away because I just couldn't get the information onto the damn page in time.

Anyway (sorry for the mini-bio), I already know that the FE1s are going to be a nightmare in that regard. I just know that my answers will be very short compared to others. I got a 2.1 on my LL.B so I know that on the day I can get enough on the page to get a decent grade. I'm just worried that with the extra hour and five questions I'm going to get swallowed up. How many pages are expected per answer (allowing for the the huge variety of handwriting sizes)?

Yoop

Pickpocket wrote: »

Just on that point, my handwriting is very slow. In fact I struggle with writing in general.

Anyway (sorry for the mini-bio), I already know that the FE1s are going to be a nightmare in that regard. I just know that my answers will be very short compared to others. I got a 2.1 on my LL.B so I know that on the day I can get enough on the page to get a decent grade. I'm just worried that with the extra hour and five questions I'm going to get swallowed up. How many pages are expected per answer (allowing for the the huge variety of handwriting sizes)?

I'm also a terribly slow writer. To be honest I don't think it matters as much for the FE1s as it did for undergraduate exams; you're not expected to have the same amount of detail - the main things the examiners are looking for here are can you spot the issues and can you apply the correct law to the facts. I've passed seven first time and my answers were between 2.5 to 3.5 pages with essay questions obviously being longer than problems. I definitely don't think I have ever written more than 4 pages for one answer.

Try not to worry too much about it; the main thing is to make sure and keep an eye on time and if you run out of time just throw down some bullet points. I think it will be pretty clear from the overall answer whether you know your stuff or not. Also; being concise is a skill in itself

Redo91

Was S 8 of the 1963 Companies act relating to modification of the ultra vires rule transposed into the 2014 act or was it repealed?

Fe1panic

Yeah, Im hoping its about hitting the main points instead of writing a book. I dont have the practice to write the pages people did for their leaving cert.

Dunne1995

With regards to EU, what are people banking on? Freedoms seem to be a good bet, usually 2 or 3 every sitting on those. Also, how strict is the examiner on case names? Can't wrap my head around the spelling of some

BASHBAG

Hey everyone,

Could anyone give me a few pointers on study for directors. I seem to have reams of notes on them but am finding it difficult to break it down and to figure out what is generally relevant with regards to possible questions.

If anyone could give me some kind of direction as to how the topic is broken up re possible questions, or what questions are most commonly asked, I would be very grateful.

Cheers!!!

annmc882

PerrenialFE1r wrote: »

Would anyone have an up to date Contract grid? I can offer Constitutional, EU and Property grids in return. Thanks.

Swap for eu and constitutional ?

Camron_16

Hi everyone,

Just wondering would anyone have some up to date same answers for equity finding it hard to get my head round a few topics. I have constitutional in return.

Thanks

annmc882

Camron_16 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Just wondering would anyone have some up to date same answers for equity finding it hard to get my head round a few topics. I have constitutional in return.

Thanks

Pm me