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

saor97

Legalmate wrote: »

The vast majority of the ten largest training firms have already confirmed deferrals.

Does anyone know which of the big firms have confirmed deferments and whether they got in contact with the trainees themselves re this or whether the trainees contacted the firms to find out?

rightytighty

Not naming firms but I know two of the big six have deferred trainee start dates, one until July and one until September. Trainees were contacted about this.

lawyersuffolk

channing90 wrote: »

I need tort too preferably sample answers but I could send you Eu stuff alri.

I have notes on all subjects from the last two sittings I used. They’re detailed - includes everything you need from lectures, manuals and past Q’s but you can summarize it yourself or update newer cases etc, dm me if interested.

HappyKitten62

I’m so stressed that tort won’t be corrected in time for me to start PPC1.

coalition

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

I’m so stressed that tort won’t be corrected in time for me to start PPC1.

There’s no date for tort yet, right?

HappyKitten62

coalition wrote: »

There’s no date for tort yet, right?

No date

jewels652

With everything that’s going on in the country with covid 19 and the emergency legislation introduced the next constitutional exam will be pretty interesting

iamanengine

nmurphy1441 wrote: »

How useful do people find the use of the legislation for the EU exam?

The only legislation I’ve used in an exam is for contract and, although it is useful, it is much easier to remember. The EU legislation seems like it would be far more of significant for the exam

It's essential for EU imo. Contract is only relevant for one topic, EU is relevant for every topic, there is so much information it would be almost impossible to learn it off.

If you were badly stuck in the exam you could make a half decent stab at a 5th question just using the leg

iamanengine

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

I’m so stressed that tort won’t be corrected in time for me to start PPC1.

I'm in the same boat but allowances will be made for sure. It's a completely unprecedented situation so they will be flexible

mydogwentroof

When will results for the March sitting be out and when the duck should I start studying for the Tort re-sit?

Fe1andDone

Does anyone have Tort sample answers they can send? Or if they know someone who is selling them and can direct me, I’d appreciate it.
I have Criminal, Property and EU I can swap. Thanks.

biglawhead420

rightytighty wrote: »

Not naming firms but I know two of the big six have deferred trainee start dates, one until July and one until September. Trainees were contacted about this.

Do you know if they are phrasing them as new definite start dates? Or are they kind of leaving it up in the air a bit?

Also if they push 2020 back to 2021 then I assume they'll have to do the same for all years after that?

johnfás

biglawhead420 wrote: »

Do you know if they are phrasing them as new definite start dates? Or are they kind of leaving it up in the air a bit?

Also if they push 2020 back to 2021 then I assume they'll have to do the same for all years after that?

In 2008/2009 recession deferrals ranged from 6 months to 3 years. Don’t think it will be that bad this time but that was reality then. No firm can be definitive in this climate.

channing90

johnfás wrote: »

In 2008/2009 recession deferrals ranged from 6 months to 3 years. Don’t think it will be that bad this time but that was reality then. No firm can be definitive in this climate.

Do you reckon the legal profession will be hit hard or is there a chance it could be ok, just seeking opinions, imo this recession will be pretty bad.

johnfás

channing90 wrote: »

Do you reckon the legal profession will be hit hard or is there a chance it could be ok, just seeking opinions, imo this recession will be pretty bad.

Yes, it will be badly hit. Already being badly hit by Brexit in M&A activity.

channing90

johnfás wrote: »

Yes, it will be badly hit. Already being badly hit by Brexit in M&A activity.

Was there not a positive effect on it through Brexit though with company’s relocating from uk to Dublin and increase in number uk lawyers wanting to be able to practice here.

cowboy123456

channing90 wrote: »

Do you reckon the legal profession will be hit hard or is there a chance it could be ok, just seeking opinions, imo this recession will be pretty bad.

I’m not an expert by any means I think general expectations are that this recession won’t be on the same level as in 2008. Seems to be a number of reasons for this with the main one being that although we were probably due a naturally occurring recession, this one will have been almost artificially created by covid -19.

The advantage of the recession being accelerated like this is the fact that it will now occur while our national finances are relatively healthy meaning the government have the finances to avoid adopting a policy of austerity and instead can inject cash into the economy to jumpstart it again relatively quickly. (This of course depends on this emergency not lasting for months, which would significantly reduce the states financial ability)

As for your other question above I know one top 6 firm has phrased the covid related deferrals in definite terms, with a new start date. So it appears at the moment at least that they are not expecting to defer due to fears of recession, of course this could be subject to change as the full effect on the economy becomes clear.

iamanengine

My thinking on the effect this will have on law firms:

Law firms were hit really badly in 08 because the property market crashed. Property is a huge part of any corporate law firm, as well as banking which really involves property as well. Because the current recession isn't based on the complete breakdown of the property market it shouldn't have the same effect on law firms as 08 did.

I am completely uneducated on the matter and that is just my very basic reasoning! Not saying it won't hurt law firms, just that it should't be nearly as bad as 08

mydogwentroof

If it hurts SMEs and Big Corporates it hurts the law firms. If it hurts the law firms it hurts the partnership and if it hurts the partnership your training contract is the most miniscule factor in their decision making.

iamanengine

mydogwentroof wrote: »

If it hurts SMEs and Big Corporates it hurts the law firms. If it hurts the law firms it hurts the partnership and if it hurts the partnership your training contract is the most miniscule factor in their decision making.

True enough but in the hopes that my training contract won't be thrown out the window I'm choosing to remain positive

channing90

iamanengine wrote: »

True enough but in the hopes that my training contract won't be thrown out the window I'm choosing to remain positive

I am finding it hard to remain positive with me being someone who needs to secure a contract having completed 6 fe1s

lawgrad15

Will there not be a significant increase in litigation based work though e.g. contract breaches etc?

iamanengine

channing90 wrote: »

I am finding it hard to remain positive with me being someone who needs to secure a contract having completed 6 fe1s

I'm not in a great position myself. I secured a training contract with 0 FE1s done and only 2 sittings to get all 8. I passed 3 out of 4 in the first sitting, leaving me to pass 5 in the recent sitting, still have to do Tort and EU. If I don't pass the 5 exams, with this corona induced recession, it will be bye bye training contract. I think there was a chance I would have got it extended if I didn't get the 5, but now, not a chance.

Have to keep trucking on, I'm just back to the books today though

nmurphy1441

mydogwentroof wrote: »

When will results for the March sitting be out and when the duck should I start studying for the Tort re-sit?

Tip away at tort for the next few weeks now that you have the time! That’s what I’m doing. You won’t regret it when it comes around! I couldn’t see that much of a delay in the results been published but that’s just a personal opinion!

Coulter97

I mean people with training contracts are nervous, imagine doing the FE-1's and not having a TC lined up in this climate with a global depression looming. Back in 2008, in the UK, accepted TC's were getting shredded left, right and center. Nightmare.

At least Tesco is hiring.

biglawhead420

Yeah, I agree. It is very hard to know. There still is a fair bit of slack in certain Dublin law firms anyway. Friends of mine/my parents, have said even if there was 0 or slightly negative growth, many firms would still need the trainees.

Don't forget also, especially in the case of good trainees, they only cost the firm circa 45,000 and can do most of the same work as NQs.

Definitely a bad time to be finishing your training contract though.

Beano7760

Apologies, I'm kinda jumping in here.

I'm nearly finished my FE1 and had planned on getting a grant through Susi to help pay for PPC I. I was looking through the criteria and spotted this "A student who already holds a masters degree at level 9 is ineligible for funding for the Professional Practice Course unless that masters degree is in law".

I'm gutted as I can forget about getting funding through Susi if that's the case. I don't fit the criteria.

I've put lots of work into doing these exams and not it appears for nothing. There's no way I'm taking out a loan to cover it, would cripple me financially.

Does anyone know : is there a way of overcoming this?

Any clarification appreciated.
Thank you.

spygirl

Do you already have a level 9 and when did you obtain it?

Emmaslaw17

What do people think about all of this in terms of the circumstances which the papers are being marked? Being marked at home under pressure by the pandemic is surely an extenuating circumstance in which the law Society should have regard? If not to recognise the impact on all of us, surely it'll be considered where examiners are marking us at home. What do people think about us raising this issue with law Society??

HappyKitten62

Emmaslaw17 wrote: »

What do people think about all of this in terms of the circumstances which the papers are being marked? Being marked at home under pressure by the pandemic is surely an extenuating circumstance in which the law Society should have regard? If not to recognise the impact on all of us, surely it'll be considered where examiners are marking us at home. What do people think about us raising this issue with law Society??

I don’t know. The pandemic didn’t impact until near the very end of the exams, and students had the option of whether to sit the last two or not.