Had a bad experience with the FE1s, looking for advice on what to do

Bingus

Not sure if this is the right board for this, but if anyone can think of a better one please point me in the right direction.

I had a really disastrous duo of FE1s in March, for a number of reasons but mainly due to a complete lack of studying discipline on my part as well as a number of unfortunate circumstances that happened to occur in and around exam time in my personal life. The combination of the exams as well as the fact I'm 28 and won't be actually on path to a solicitor career until I'm in my 30s (due to the amount of time you have to spend training etc, never mind studying for and actually attempting the exams) at this rate completely put me off the FE1s. The barrister route is obviously no-go for me because I think its an enormous waste of time and money for little gain.

I have a law degree and a masters and I'm currently struggling to find work (there's a lot of work for PPC1 etc but so little for people without professional qualifications in law).

My main question is is there any alternate paths to pursuing the professional qualification route? Or if anyone here has any resources or advice to someone who's post-law degree career has been pretty rough so far? I feel like the pay and the quality of work has been really bad and the amount of opportunities has been lacklustre. I genuinely just feel totally confused and unsure on where to progress as regards a career while so many people my age seem to have found their own niche especially people who did law and went on to become solicitors and all that.

Because of the hard barrier between what I see to be a successful and well-paying career in law (aka the rigmarole with professional qualifications), I feel like this is becoming a sunken cost fallacy where I'm simply sticking with law because I've put so much time in it already. I'm passionate about some aspects of law but the work has been of low quality and I've never felt engaged or interested beyond a short period. Is this a point where I can just cut my losses and feck off to teach English abroad or something? Because I feel so underserved by the labour market unless I devote several more years of my life to pursuing qualifications in law that mightn't even work out in the end.

Any advice or any resources youse can supply I'd greatly appreciate it, in advance.

hullaballoo

If you didn't study and were having personal difficulties around the exams in March, you might be doing yourself a disservice here by abandoning them without giving them a proper go by preparing well?

I don't really buy the issue with your age, 28 is young. 30 is young too. Don't compare yourself to other people. Lots of people become solicitors at different stages in their life.

Frankly I think you need to give yourself a break and go again in the next sitting. If it doesn't come off, look at it again, but I wouldn't be writing off a decent career because of a temporary situation in March.

2020FE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058241730/had-a-bad-experience-with-the-fe1s-looking-for-advice-on-what-to-do

I am in a similar position to yourself (albeit two years older) . I thought it would be a little easier (naively) to get started. It’s a tough situation and I find myself at a crossroads too. Having a first class undergrad/Masters and passing all 8 FE1s first time around hasn’t really opened many more doors for me.

I find that a lot of firms are looking for younger trainees with some sort of experience too. Whilst I knew changing career now would mean taking a few steps back before moving forward. I didn’t think it would involve me possibly having to look for a job in the legal sector first and hoping that it would open more doors re a traineeship.

Ditching the law route and staying where I am is looking more likely than not. As it would probably take 5+ year PQ to earn as much as I currently am.

The above is probably of no help to you 😂 And I’m probably being overly negative after my recent experiences.

If you do decide to give the Fe1s another go. Make sure you give yourself a good bit of time and have a structure for how you want to study. While they are tough exams they’re very passable if you use your time well and don’t have the distractions that you had first time around.

Claw Hammer

look for a job in the Civil Service if you are too lazy to study!

Bingus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118931607#Comment_118931607

Ah, forgot to reply to this but suck me knob

sparklingwater23

hope things have perked up for ya career/exams wise!

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119952452#Comment_119952452

You need to include a case citation when you are quoting judgments. I think the one you used above is from the Chief Justice in the seminal "Bingus v. The World" case from 2022.

But being serious, if you want to work in that field, just do the exams. You have a law degree and a masters. You should be able to get through them eventually. You could go on the dole and sit on your hole and in 5 years have nothing. Or pass a few exams and at least have a qualification in your pocket by then

NUTLEY BOY

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118931607#Comment_118931607

That is a solidly sensible suggestion.

Many have taken this route over the years. Indeed, people leave legal practice every year and who go in to the Civil Service, the public service or industry and do very well. You might actually find that you like it.

The attitude inherent in your reply to Claw Hammer would not be likely to take you far.