From Kings Inns to FE1s?!

jimmylawman

I know this is not the usual path but I am considering studying at the Kings Inns and am wondering if I could cross over to solicitor at some point if I changed my mind. I have never studied law before and like the accelerated progress through the KI diploma (faster than a law degree) however I have heard about the financial difficulties for new barristers and would like have the option change over if worst comes to worst. After two years of the Diploma I feel I should have a good grasp of the law and was wondering if I didn't want to go ahead to the BL at that stage, would I be about ready to sit the FE1s as an alternative? (I know there might be one or two subjects missing but I could catch up on those). What does anyone think? Thanks.

FreudianSlippers

Yes you can, anyone with a degree can take the FE1s (to my knowledge) - it would make no difference whether you had done the KI diploma or not.
It's expensive to do courses at the Inns, so if you're not sure if you want to be a barrister or not and you just want to test the legal waters so to speak I'd just take the extra year and do a law degree.

jimmylawman

OisinT wrote: »

Yes you can, anyone with a degree can take the FE1s (to my knowledge) - it would make no difference whether you had done the KI diploma or not.
It's expensive to do courses at the Inns, so if you're not sure if you want to be a barrister or not and you just want to test the legal waters so to speak I'd just take the extra year and do a law degree.

The KI diploma would put me in a better position to sit the FE1s though as I would have to do some kind of legal course beforehand anyway. I work full time so evening studies are my only option and the evening law degrees don't seem to work out much cheaper when taken over the duration of the courses. Thanks for response.

FreudianSlippers

I think there are 2 different circumstances you mentioned though:
1) becoming a barrister and trying it out (3 years €13,000+) then if it's not working out to become a solicitor.
2) doing the diploma and then deciding whether or not to be a barrister.

Either way it seems that you are unsure about what path to take. IMO if you are worried about money and the life of a barrister you shouldn't take that path. There are a few other threads discussing the pros and cons of going down the KI route and the general consensus is that if lack of success is your concern then the barrister route probably isn't the best choice.

Also, I'm not sure how the diploma could help you decide what route to take.

jimmylawman

At the moment I am working full time for a large corporate. I could do the KI courses because they are by night. The KI Dip works out about 8k over two years (deducting the 20% tax back). Both Independent and Griffith cost around 15k over 3 years. DIT is cheaper but 5 years to get recognised for the BL.

I can do the KI dip by night without interfering with my work arrangements. The BL may also be useful in my work for career progression later on. I see it as a good qualification in its own right. If all went well I would like to practice. However I realise that may or not prove possible (due to finances etc.)

So I see the BL as something I can do by night and that fits around and potentially complements my current career, whereas the solicitor option would be more of a break / jump away from my current path, and would have to take that leap at an earlier stage.

There is also a concern that if you do the FE1s but do not get a training contract you are kind of snookered, whereas with the BL you always have the qualification even if you don't subsequently end up practising. That's my current thinking anyway, don't know if others would agree?

johnfás

You can do a 2 year LLB at UL as a postgraduate which will enable you to bypass the KI Diploma. It would also prepare you for the FE1s. However, it has advantages in that it is a degree and thus would probably open more doors for you than the Diploma would as a stand alone qualification. Certainly it would get you exemptions from some of the Law Society in the UK's exams whereas the KI Diploma would not be recognised for anything unless you continued into the BL.

jimmylawman

johnfás wrote: »

You can do a 2 year LLB at UL as a postgraduate which will enable you to bypass the KI Diploma. It would also prepare you for the FE1s. However, it has advantages in that it is a degree and thus would probably open more doors for you than the Diploma would as a stand alone qualification. Certainly it would get you exemptions from some of the Law Society in the UK's exams whereas the KI Diploma would not be recognised for anything unless you continued into the BL.

Hi John, yes that looks like a very strong offering, unfortunately I am Dublin based and there does not seem to be anything similar up here at the moment.

johnfás

jimmylawman wrote: »

Hi John, yes that looks like a very strong offering, unfortunately I am Dublin based and there does not seem to be anything similar up here at the moment.

Was in the same situation myself as a non law grad. I did the Diploma at DIT, then the FE1s and now I'm doing an LLM. Have a traineeship in place. Of course the disadvantage is that if I suddenly decided I wanted to go to the Bar (which I don't) they won't recognise any of my studies despite a large amount of it being substantively similar to the KI course - some of it lectured by the same people. That is the trade off if you want to stay in Dublin. Once qualified as one or the other it is theoretically straightforward enough to move from one profession to the other. However, until that point you have to trade certain decisions off against others.

jimmylawman

There's aspects of both that appeal to me - I like the advocacy and own boss model of the bar (as well as the pomp and ceremony admittedly ) but I also like the high street aspect of soliciting, and the fact you can get employed or team up with others if can't make it solo.

Would be a fan of a combined profession like they do stateside!

Jowls

Just to confirm jimmy because I cant see from your post - do you have any kind of degree at all?

jimmylawman

Jowls wrote: »

Just to confirm jimmy because I cant see from your post - do you have any kind of degree at all?

Yes primary and masters degrees, neither in law though.