Law after a BA

Claireybell

Apologies if this is the wrong forum for such a question but....I have just graduated from UCC with a BA in English and French. I really want to become a solicitor and was thinking of enrolling in the FE1 prep course in GCD. however, I'm a bit dubious as I have heard it is really difficult to find an apprenticeship after the exams. Does anyone have any advice or experience?

Gangu

Claireybell wrote: »

Apologies if this is the wrong forum for such a question but....I have just graduated from UCC with a BA in English and French. I really want to become a solicitor and was thinking of enrolling in the FE1 prep course in GCD. however, I'm a bit dubious as I have heard it is really difficult to find an apprenticeship after the exams. Does anyone have any advice or experience?

It is very difficult. You would want to be confident that you will get top grades.

Sangre

how good is your BA? Coming from a non-law background you'd a very high 2.1/1st. What extra curricular achievements do you have?

dats_right

Claireybell wrote: »

I'm a bit dubious as I have heard it is really difficult to find an apprenticeship after the exams. Does anyone have any advice or experience?

My view, as a current trainee, is that deciding to start out now on the long road to qualifying as a solicitor in the current climate is a bit like deciding you wanted to be an airline pilot on the 12th September 2001!!

The FE-1's are quite difficult, finding an apprenticeship is going to become next to impossible, the fe-2's have gotten harder (33% failure rate on most recent course) and if you manage to get that far and actually qualify, well then you can look forward to simultaneously having yor name admitted onto the Roll of Solicitors and the Live Register. What a prospect!

Interesting thread on Askaboutmoney:
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=92386

Sangre

you could say that about nearly any job dats_right. obviously the issue now for the OP is getting a training contract. If thats secured hopefully things look a lot brighter in 3 years time.

nuac

C-Bell - think carefully before spending time and money seeking to be a solicitor. It is a tough job, and getting tougher. Does not pay well considering the responsibility and hours etc.

If you are really interested try to get some work experience in a law office, and speak to as many solicitors and relatives and employees of solicitors as you can.

posie

Claireybell,
I too did BA in French and English in Cork, approx 10 years ago. Am currently in Blackhall, having worked in marketing in interim. The FE1s are quite passable, but prob advisable to do diploma in DIT or similar as well as Griffith in my view- Griffith very much crash course, still doable though.

The FE1 subjects are generally quite interesting, the actual 'brass tacks' of being a solicitor quite different though apparently, so best advice, as per previous post is to go and work for free in office if possible for few weeks/months. You will only get an trainseeship if you have something tangible to 'bring to the party' or excellent contacts or both- work experience will certainly help lots.

Jackthe

Claireybell wrote: »

Apologies if this is the wrong forum for such a question but....I have just graduated from UCC with a BA in English and French. I really want to become a solicitor and was thinking of enrolling in the FE1 prep course in GCD. however, I'm a bit dubious as I have heard it is really difficult to find an apprenticeship after the exams. Does anyone have any advice or experience?

I came into this lark by a fairly roundabout route, and while the costs in time and money have been tough, almost being there makes it worthwhile. There is no doubt that getting an apprenticeship is far more difficult than the fe1s, in the current climate its going to be even harder. But if you have a genuine interest in the law it is worth pursuing despite the hard road.
Talk to any solicitors you know, first for advice (you might get all 8 exams in march april next year, but more realistically you might be able to get in to the ppc 1s in sept 2010), and build a relationship with them, don't ask outright for a position, but use the talk as a means of impressing them so when you do ask they'll remember you.
As far as the courses for the fe1s are concerned, check out past posts on the fe1 and griffith discussions here, Independent are very good with great lecturers in tort, equity, company, contract and criminal. The facilites are first rate online and onsite and the support is great.
Griffith's land and constitutional courses are good (Langwaller if he's on form) and the parking and restaurant are quite a bonus. they have a good library but it is a bit more crowded than Independent.
overall they both have advantages but I think independent shades it with the backup, homework and support. Again check previous posts on boards before you make a decision.
Good Luck