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

stonewash

Would anyone have an up to date (or almost) constitutional grid? Have contract and criminal materials I can give

Hazel774

lsheehaneire wrote: »

Hilary emailed me the bellow

"If you are successful in your FE-1s then there will be a place for you in the Hybrid, regardless of timing of the results"

God only knows, maybe the LS just want to get an idea of numbers by the 7th of Dec and then they might be in a position to mark those papers first and hopefully before the 16th December ....although bearing in mind there was only 2 exams in August it may be more difficult to get them all marked sooner this time round.

I don't think it will make a difference that there were only 2 exams in August because it's still one examiner per exam, as in there were 2 examiners correcting exams in August but will be 8 examiners correcting the November ones

DUMSURFER

DUMSURFER wrote: »

Does anyone have a PDF of the EU Manual that I could get a hold of?

Got materials for most subjects that I can swap.

Still looking... I have a physical copy, just need a PDF because transcribing isn't fun and a big waste of my limited time

michaelot97

Has anyone got up to date grids and/or sample answers for Constitutional, Contract and/or Company? I have material for EU, Tort, Equity, Criminal, Property I can send back.

Wonderstruck

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I hope I’m allowed mention this here..
Has anyone used/know anything about Law Hero’s CV/application coaching? It’s €100 so don’t know if it’s worth it but I’m so lost as what else I can do to try get a traineeship.. 7 FE1s in and I’m about to throw in the towel

It is hard to know. I had a professional i interview coaching and it helped me secure a job in the past (tailored for the role). Do you tend it get interviews but then flop at interview?

Then professional help would be a benefit as you're making it to the final stage but throwing the interview. If your issue is that there aren't many TCs around then even the best professional help can't help there. Looking at how dead legalvacancies.ie is, I feel for you.

Do you have anything on your cv that might make employers wary? Like huge gaps etc?

Meg!

Fe1BB wrote: »

I’m presuming they still took the app fee and all? I’m intending on submitting my application next week just waiting on references

No we dont have to pay the app fees until we find out if we are eligible to attend.

I emailed the person mentioned in the email, no response as of yet.

Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck wrote: »

It is hard to know. I had a professional i interview coaching and it helped me secure a job in the past (tailored for the role). Do you tend it get interviews but then flop at interview?

Then professional help would be a benefit as you're making it to the final stage but throwing the interview. If your issue is that there aren't many TCs around then even the best professional help can't help there. Looking at how dead legalvacancies.ie is, I feel for you.

Do you have anything on your cv that might make employers wary? Like huge gaps etc?

I’m not even getting interviews

I’ve worked since TY, only having a couple months off last year when a work contract ending coincided with FE1s so I took time to study. My LC points were average - 420 - and my first year undergrad results not amazing but got a 2.1 in that degree and in my postgrad.. I’m afraid it’s my results but I did my LC 10 years ago so i don’t feel as if that should make or break my entire career when I’ve done so much else since.. I just don’t know, it’s very frustrating. Understand there must be loads in the same situation so I don’t pity just myself - it’s tough out there!

Law20213

Would online fe1 exams not be corrected much quicker than paper based exams? I don’t understand why it’s taking longer than usual and Covid isn’t a good enough excuse. Surely there not printing off every script to correct. My understanding is that only handful scripts are sent to external examiners or are they all sent to external examiners for correction too?

jus_me

Can’t get thru to anyone in there to clarify if they may be realised sooner than jan...

Shonagoring123

PDF for EU manual and sample answers, Contract and Company

Meg!

Deleted User wrote: »

I’m not even getting interviews

I’ve worked since TY, only having a couple months off last year when a work contract ending coincided with FE1s so I took time to study. My LC points were average - 420 - and my first year undergrad results not amazing but got a 2.1 in that degree and in my postgrad.. I’m afraid it’s my results but I did my LC 10 years ago so i don’t feel as if that should make or break my entire career when I’ve done so much else since.. I just don’t know, it’s very frustrating. Understand there must be loads in the same situation so I don’t pity just myself - it’s tough out there!

I think it is just the pandemic they are not taking people on with no experience in the legal field. My boyfriend is in the exact same position where a year ago when I was look for mine I was getting interviews just no offers until I eventually got an offer! Stick it out the tide will turn.

IgoPAP

Meg! wrote: »

I think it is just the pandemic they are not taking people on with no experience in the legal field. My boyfriend is in the exact same position where a year ago when I was look for mine I was getting interviews just no offers until I eventually got an offer! Stick it out the tide will turn.

I'm not sure about experience part. All of the big firms hand out a large amount of training contracts to college students or recent grads that have no little to no legal experience. But you're right about the effect of the pandemic on legal openings. Firms cut salaries across the board during the summer.

IgoPAP

IgoPAP wrote: »

I'm not sure about experience part. All of the big firms hand out a large amount of training contracts to college students or recent grads that have no little to no legal experience. But you're right about the effect of the pandemic on legal openings. Firms cut salaries across the board during the summer.

I’ve even done a 6 month legal internship ;( it was 2 years ago now and in a small firm but it was a corporate internship and those are the firms I’m applying to now too! Hopefully the vaccine will bring with it a fresh wave of firms wanting trainees! Feels like I need a miracle at this stage :P

Law20213

lsheehaneire wrote: »

This is the response I got when I asked them.

"If you are successful in your FE-1s then there will be a place for you in the Hybrid, regardless of timing of the results"

Also I was speaking to somebody yesterday and they advised a decision had not yet been made but that they should know by the end of next week ...

Theres an education committee date next Thursday 10th December so the website says one would imagine that people waiting on results to start the hybrid would get there results soon after

lsheehaneire

Law20213 wrote: »

Theres an education committee date next Thursday 10th December so the website says one would imagine that people waiting on results to start the hybrid would get there results soon after

That would make sense, they told me to call back at the end of next week.

I guess there is not much more we can do at this stage. Hopefully we will have some clarity next week as it will be a week before the Hybrid starts at that stage ....

starfishxxo

Deleted User wrote: »

I’ve even done a 6 month legal internship ;( it was 2 years ago now and in a small firm but it was a corporate internship and those are the firms I’m applying to now too! Hopefully the vaccine will bring with it a fresh wave of firms wanting trainees! Feels like I need a miracle at this stage :P

I imagine that the greater the time since graduating, the more weight might be given to experience over your college grades. Like if your LC and college grades are average, then you need to distinguish yourself through relevant experience.

Certainly TC's are v competitive (and this year especially) so dont beat yourself up if youre not getting interviews but, depending on how relevant your current job, it may be that you'd need more legal experience. I know thats so much easier said than done in the current climate!

Just wanted to add: don't to be discouraged - you will get there! This will pass, and the opportunities will come your way

Louis Litt

HYBRID PPC

Anyone starting the Hybrid PPC this month know what the story with iPad selection is? I've been asked my address so they can post materials and iPad but nothing about what model iPad i want to select.

lawgrad15

Law20213 wrote: »

Would online fe1 exams not be corrected much quicker than paper based exams? I don’t understand why it’s taking longer than usual and Covid isn’t a good enough excuse. Surely there not printing off every script to correct. My understanding is that only handful scripts are sent to external examiners or are they all sent to external examiners for correction too?

I wonder is it down to the fact that quite a number of the examiners are lecturers and might have Christmas uni exams/coursework to address? Just my thoughts. Hope they get the papers back without delay though as it's a pain having to wait on results.

Law20213

lawgrad15 wrote: »

I wonder is it down to the fact that quite a number of the examiners are lecturers and might have Christmas uni exams/coursework to address? Just my thoughts. Hope they get the papers back without delay though as it's a pain having to wait on results.

Fe1 exams ended the second week of November where as xmas uni exams aren’t until December but maybe it depends on priority I suppose.

waiting for results is excruciating I’d much rather know this year if I’ve failed rather than living in blissful ignorance and wasting time when could been spent studying.

Hazel774

Deleted User wrote: »

I’m not even getting interviews

I’ve worked since TY, only having a couple months off last year when a work contract ending coincided with FE1s so I took time to study. My LC points were average - 420 - and my first year undergrad results not amazing but got a 2.1 in that degree and in my postgrad.. I’m afraid it’s my results but I did my LC 10 years ago so i don’t feel as if that should make or break my entire career when I’ve done so much else since.. I just don’t know, it’s very frustrating. Understand there must be loads in the same situation so I don’t pity just myself - it’s tough out there!

I feel for people in this position, it’s tough at the best of times never mind this year.
Some advice I was given for filling out applications is to give long enough answers. Make a few solid points and expand on them with 1-2 sentences without waffling. Sometimes the word limit seems quite large but it’s representative of how much they want to know.

My work experience wasn’t too relevant to the legal field. I’ve done internships since, but when I was applying my only legal experience was a two week internship in a country firm (I also had an internship in one of the accountancy firms and then some jobs in shops). You just need to find a way to talk it up. My first few applications took several hours each as I was looking up how to make some of my irrelevant jobs sound good on a cv/ application and I found that there are a huge amount of resources out there - you’ll need to use your own words but it is helpful to look up samples of successful applications to get a feel for it. And once I’d put the time into a few applications the rest were easy as I had the bones of most answers prepared.

Also I did some pretty detailed research into each firm, looked at every resource I could find on their website and tried to work some of that in e.g. if their website said they’re the leading Irish firm for advising on IP law you could mention that you have an interest in IP law and you’re drawn to this firm as they’re specialists in this area. Only do this for things you’re actually interested in in case they question you on it in the interview, but I made sure to find something like that for every application.
For some firms I mentioned something that made their particular training programme stand out to me e.g. in one of the Dublin firms all trainees share an office with a partner (sorry, can’t remember which firm) so I discussed how I think that would be great experience to see from the outset what partners do on a daily basis/ listen to how they interact with clients on the phone etc. as I’d hope to be a partner some day. Basically try to flatter the firm and tell them how wonderful they are.

I don’t know if this will be any help lol, but it’s what I did last year when I did the milk rounds and I got interviews with all of the big firms I applied for. Best of luck!!

Hazel774

Hazel774 wrote: »

I feel for people in this position, it’s tough at the best of times never mind this year.
Some advice I was given for filling out applications is to give long enough answers. Make a few solid points and expand on them with 1-2 sentences without waffling. Sometimes the word limit seems quite large but it’s representative of how much they want to know.

My work experience wasn’t too relevant to the legal field. I’ve done internships since, but when I was applying my only legal experience was a two week internship in a country firm (I also had an internship in one of the accountancy firms and then some jobs in shops). You just need to find a way to talk it up. My first few applications took several hours each as I was looking up how to make some of my irrelevant jobs sound good on a cv/ application and I found that there are a huge amount of resources out there - you’ll need to use your own words but it is helpful to look up samples of successful applications to get a feel for it. And once I’d put the time into a few applications the rest were easy as I had the bones of most answers prepared.

Also I did some pretty detailed research into each firm, looked at every resource I could find on their website and tried to work some of that in e.g. if their website said they’re the leading Irish firm for advising on IP law you could mention that you have an interest in IP law and you’re drawn to this firm as they’re specialists in this area. Only do this for things you’re actually interested in in case they question you on it in the interview, but I made sure to find something like that for every application.
For some firms I mentioned something that made their particular training programme stand out to me e.g. in one of the Dublin firms all trainees share an office with a partner (sorry, can’t remember which firm) so I discussed how I think that would be great experience to see from the outset what partners do on a daily basis/ listen to how they interact with clients on the phone etc. as I’d hope to be a partner some day. Basically try to flatter the firm and tell them how wonderful they are.

I don’t know if this will be any help lol, but it’s what I did last year when I did the milk rounds and I got interviews with all of the big firms I applied for. Best of luck!!

Thanks so much for all this! And anyone else too who replied to me with advice!
I really appreciate it

Meg!

Louis Litt wrote: »

HYBRID PPC

Anyone starting the Hybrid PPC this month know what the story with iPad selection is? I've been asked my address so they can post materials and iPad but nothing about what model iPad i want to select.

I am hoping to start pending results. I have been told by a Solicitor in my firm who recently graduated to pay the extra money and get the big size

Meg!

Hilary Kavanagh
10:50 AM (48 minutes ago)
to me

Dear Maggie,



I have noted your interest and that you have sent your application to the Traineeship department.



Kind regards,


Got a message off your one in the LS we were told to email about the hybrid and results. Still very vague !!!

lsheehaneire

Meg! wrote: »

Hilary Kavanagh
10:50 AM (48 minutes ago)
to me

Dear Maggie,



I have noted your interest and that you have sent your application to the Traineeship department.



Kind regards,


Got a message off your one in the LS we were told to email about the hybrid and results. Still very vague !!!

torture !!!

Wonderstruck

Louis Litt wrote: »

HYBRID PPC

Anyone starting the Hybrid PPC this month know what the story with iPad selection is? I've been asked my address so they can post materials and iPad but nothing about what model iPad i want to select.

They just said mine was on the way they never asked me about updating!

Louis Litt

Wonderstruck wrote: »

They just said mine was on the way they never asked me about updating!

Apparently no upgrades are available.

lsheehaneire

Hi All,

I remember somebody mentioning a few posts back about setting up a HYBRID 2020 Fourm - just wondering if this would be helpful? or if that person is still willing to set it up?

I am awaiting results so in the likely event that we dont get our results by the 16th December it would be great being kept in the loop in relation to induction etc...

without bombarding this page !

paburke3

starfishxxo wrote: »

I imagine that the greater the time since graduating, the more weight might be given to experience over your college grades. Like if your LC and college grades are average, then you need to distinguish yourself through relevant experience.

Certainly TC's are v competitive (and this year especially) so dont beat yourself up if youre not getting interviews but, depending on how relevant your current job, it may be that you'd need more legal experience. I know thats so much easier said than done in the current climate!

Just wanted to add: don't to be discouraged - you will get there! This will pass, and the opportunities will come your way

You all make the entire thing seem rather hopeless to be honest

RudiN95

Is there any advice?

starfishxxo

paburke3 wrote: »

You all make the entire thing seem rather hopeless to be honest

Not my intention at all - what i meant is that if you don't get an offer straight from college or feel that your grades are not stand out, all is definitely not lost and that it's probably a matter of just building up the experience that will boost your application and will lead to interviews. The more experience you have the less emphasis on grades - at least in my experience..