FE1's Advice

kousamahsi

Hi everyone,

I'm considering doing the FE1's, however, I'm not entirely sure.

I'm just finishing up a BA in European Studies, so no previous law experience except one EU law class.
I eventually would like to end up in human rights here or abroad so I felt that the FE1's would aid me in achieving that.

I'm looking for advice on people who have completed the exams.
What were the easiest/hardest? Did you do a Griffith revision course (I'm leaning towards them right now) as well as what have you done since completing the exams?
Also if anyone has sample notes or answers I'd greatly appreciate them.

Samuel T. Cogley

FE1's are for entry to Blackhall, they'll do nothing else for you. If you want to do a legal qualification do the Inns diploma. If you want to work in human rights though this probably won't be of much use either, but it would be a start and you could be a qualified barrister a year after that, that may be of some assistance but you'd need the relevant experiance and languages.

kousamahsi

My idea was to do a part time MA in International Relations in DCU and then the FE1 revision course with that and do the 4 in March. So when I am finished with the FE1's I would have a masters too.

I've looked at the King's Inn Diploma but I'm just unsure if that's the route I want to take because I was under the impression a MA would be more beneficial to the route of the FE1's and the FE1's and what follows would compliment the MA in the future.

Hope that makes sense.

Samuel T. Cogley

Basically there'sno point doing the FE1's (IMHO) unless you want to become a qualifies solicitor. I'm open to correction of course.

kousamahsi

Have you done the FE1's?

Samuel T. Cogley

kousamahsi wrote: »

Have you done the FE1's?

God no. I'm on the proper track. :pac:

A few friends going though or gone through. Not a single one not looking to go the Blackhall though I'm afraid.

kousamahsi

Sorry for the questions if its stupid

" the proper track" what do you consider that to be?

and if there doing the FE1's or have done them what are they doing now if not in Blackhall?

Samuel T. Cogley

kousamahsi wrote: »

Sorry for the questions if its stupid

" the proper track" what do you consider that to be?

and if there doing the FE1's or have done them what are they doing now if not in Blackhall?

Proper track = barrister and by on it I mean not studying for the entrance exams. So proximatley near it may be, but I only joshing.

They're all going, at or finished Blackhall (solicitor route). Some people take quite a while to get all the FE1s done.

Hopefully someone else will be along presently to give you better insight than I can!

hullaballoo

It might be of assistance if you clarified what you mean by, "I eventually would like to end up in human rights here or abroad."

What kind of job are you looking for? Do you mean the kind of human rights advocacy that Amnesty do at a very high level? Do you know what kind of qualifications the type of role you're looking for will require?

As Mr T. Cogley has suggested, completing entry exams for professional courses is of practically zero benefit unless you intend to work as a professional in that field (unless you have been specifically instructed by an employer that a particular professional qualification will advance your prospects.)

It doesn't make much sense to take entrance exams and nothing more as they do not have any qualitative intrinsic value.

Samuel T. Cogley

Oi!

Edit that was a light hearted oi, there was no need to edit!

kousamahsi

As I said I have considered doing an MA in International Relations part time in DCU whilst going through the FE1's.

That way when I finish them I will have a MA whilst doing the training contract. I will specialize in human rights, that's the plan.

So I will have a MA in the political side and legal qualifications with the route to a solicitor.
I don't like the idea of being a barrister hence why I'm not taking that road.

Within human rights I'm most interested in policy.

Samuel T. Cogley

You wouldn't have any qualification you'd have some (or all) the FE1s, which lapse.

Most people doing a professional legal qualification 'for the criac' (and it's a surprising number) go the barrister route because it yields qualifications and the skill set is useful in all walks of life. Solicitors are much more specific. Professions people tend to go into with the BL include politics, Human rights, Journalism and Twitter's Irish MD (I think she is or some high level exec who is basically in charge) civil service and one or two even practice law.

kousamahsi

I don't get what your reply has to do with what I wrote?

I said I'm not just doing the FE1's, I will go the full route to qualify as a solicitor.

Clearly not doing it for the craic, don't know where you got that from.

Samuel T. Cogley

You'll have to excuse (or not) my tongue in cheek posting style. In all honesty this is the first time you've said you're going the solicitor route, and given H's post I don't think it was clear to him either. I'm open to correction there. If you're not going into practice then I call that doing it for the criac, but there's nothing wrong with that.

God love you trying to do the FE1s from zero and a masters at the same time though.

kousamahsi

kousamahsi wrote: »

As I said I have considered doing an MA in International Relations part time in DCU whilst going through the FE1's.

That way when I finish them I will have a MA whilst doing the training contract. I will specialize in human rights, that's the plan.

So I will have a MA in the political side and legal qualifications with the route to a solicitor.
I don't like the idea of being a barrister hence why I'm not taking that road.

Within human rights I'm most interested in policy.

If one has bothered to plan to do a training contract after the FE1's. I would take that as they are going the solicitor route as mentioned in the next line

Samuel T. Cogley

kousamahsi wrote: »

If one has bothered to plan to do a training contract after the FE1's. I would take that as they are going the solicitor route as mentioned in the next line

You'll struggle would be the concern. You might try and get the main lump (I think it's 4 in one sitting) done before you start the masters, if that's possible.

What you find easiest will depend on you but you'd find plenty of opinions on that in the FE1 thread. You may find doing EU law easier because of your existing qualification.