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

mydogwentroof · 12-04-2020 07:36PM

channing90 wrote: »

Yeah pretty much the same as you so, was going applying big time in the summer, all I am doing now is farming atm not relevant to the legal world, think I’ll just try to get working ASAP and go from there, what’s your plan now?

Farming is important too.

lawgrad49 · 13-04-2020 12:23PM

Hi All,

New user so hoping someone could give me some advice and up to date info on FE1 process. Might be a lengthy post, so feel free to answer only one specific question if you want.

I am an LLB graduate from Queen's University Belfast and as I want to train as a Solicitor in South of Ireland, I am planning on studying for my first every FE1's at the next available sitting (appreciate nothing confirmed because of Covid-19!). We have the institute exam up North, which is only one exam so the FE1's are completely new and daunting process looking in form the outside...

In Northern Ireland we study very similar subjects (EU/Criminal/Contract/Tort/Property etc.) as part of our LLB but these modules have an NI/UK focus, so although I am not starting from scratch (as I would understand a lot of the legal principles) I will still need to learn a lot of new case Law and developments in Irish system post partition in 1922 etc.

I've been reading through Law Society website and threads on here for a few weeks so I have managed to get a number of questions answered but some still remain. Firstly am I right in saying the following:

1) You have to always sit at least 3 FE1 exams at a time. Even if you have passed 7/8, you would still need to do 3 exams in a sitting to get that 'last one'... for example you've failed Contract in 2 sittings but passed the other 7, in your third sitting you will have to do contract and two others of your choice (despite having already passed them).

2) As a first timer, what combinations do people usually go with or advise? Appreciate this may be case specific but I would hope to go for 4 or 5 in first sitting.

3) As a first timer, would be it wise or realistic and aim to sit 5? If you were to start studying well in advance, i.e 3/4 months out and balancing a full time job?

4) Where do people generally start? I was thinking of printing out FE1 Syllabus from Law society website and making my way through each of the points under topics. Or would you advise going straight to someone for FE1 grinds/study notes and cut out unnecessary study if some topics rarely come up on exams?

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

lawstudentirl · 13-04-2020 12:42PM

lawgrad49 wrote: »

Hi All,

New user so hoping someone could give me some advice and up to date info on FE1 process. Might be a lengthy post, so feel free to answer only one specific question if you want.

I am an LLB graduate from Queen's University Belfast and as I want to train as a Solicitor in South of Ireland, I am planning on studying for my first every FE1's at the next available sitting (appreciate nothing confirmed because of Covid-19!). We have the institute exam up North, which is only one exam so the FE1's are completely new and daunting process looking in form the outside...

In Northern Ireland we study very similar subjects (EU/Criminal/Contract/Tort/Property etc.) as part of our LLB but these modules have an NI/UK focus, so although I am not starting from scratch (as I would understand a lot of the legal principles) I will still need to learn a lot of new case Law and developments in Irish system post partition in 1922 etc.

I've been reading through Law Society website and threads on here for a few weeks so I have managed to get a number of questions answered but some still remain. Firstly am I right in saying the following:

1) You have to always sit at least 3 FE1 exams at a time. Even if you have passed 7/8, you would still need to do 3 exams in a sitting to get that 'last one'... for example you've failed Contract in 2 sittings but passed the other 7, in your third sitting you will have to do contract and two others of your choice (despite having already passed them).

2) As a first timer, what combinations do people usually go with or advise? Appreciate this may be case specific but I would hope to go for 4 or 5 in first sitting.

3) As a first timer, would be it wise or realistic and aim to sit 5? If you were to start studying well in advance, i.e 3/4 months out and balancing a full time job?

4) Where do people generally start? I was thinking of printing out FE1 Syllabus from Law society website and making my way through each of the points under topics. Or would you advise going straight to someone for FE1 grinds/study notes and cut out unnecessary study if some topics rarely come up on exams?

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

Welcome to the world of Fe1s!

1. No, you’ve picked that up wrong. In the past, you used to have to pass 3 exams together to be allowed to “bank” them, but once you had that “magic 3”, you could then sit as few as you wanted. So if you had 7 passed, you would just sit 1. Now, the “magic 3” rule has been abolished, so you can sit as few or as many as you want at all times. So, you could just sit 1 your first go if that’s what you wanted to do.

2. I don’t think the combination is very important. Property is the shortest course so most people do that in their first go as it is considered to be the easiest. Property and Equity have some overlap so might be nice to do together. Constitutional and Tort are both really long, so it’s up to you whether you’d prefer to do them in different sittings or do them both your second go when you have a better hang of the system. I think the best way to decide your subjects is to consult the timetable (which isn’t out yet) and try avoid having too many in a row.

3. You could do 5, but it would be really tough if you’re balancing a full time job right up until the exams start. There is hell of a lot of content to get through. I don’t know you and how efficient you are so it depends. Even people who aren’t working at all usually start 2 months before the exams when they are sitting 4, in my experience. Maybe sit down and cover one topic, see how long it takes you, and then gauge it from there.

4. The syllabus is kind of useless because it’s only 1 page per subject. You would waste loads of time trying to make your own Fe1 notes from your college notes. You don’t need grinds but you definitely need Fe1 study notes. Grind schools sell courses and notes (including past papers) for extortionate prices, but lots people get these notes second hand, you can buy them online from someone who did the course.

That’s my 2 cents anyway. You’ll get different advice from the next person probably!

lawgrad49 · 13-04-2020 04:08PM

Thanks very much for that! Was a bit confused around the first question and how many you had to sit each time etc.

rightytighty · 13-04-2020 04:14PM

lawgrad49 wrote: »

Hi All,

New user so hoping someone could give me some advice and up to date info on FE1 process. Might be a lengthy post, so feel free to answer only one specific question if you want.

I am an LLB graduate from Queen's University Belfast and as I want to train as a Solicitor in South of Ireland, I am planning on studying for my first every FE1's at the next available sitting (appreciate nothing confirmed because of Covid-19!). We have the institute exam up North, which is only one exam so the FE1's are completely new and daunting process looking in form the outside...

In Northern Ireland we study very similar subjects (EU/Criminal/Contract/Tort/Property etc.) as part of our LLB but these modules have an NI/UK focus, so although I am not starting from scratch (as I would understand a lot of the legal principles) I will still need to learn a lot of new case Law and developments in Irish system post partition in 1922 etc.

I've been reading through Law Society website and threads on here for a few weeks so I have managed to get a number of questions answered but some still remain. Firstly am I right in saying the following:

1) You have to always sit at least 3 FE1 exams at a time. Even if you have passed 7/8, you would still need to do 3 exams in a sitting to get that 'last one'... for example you've failed Contract in 2 sittings but passed the other 7, in your third sitting you will have to do contract and two others of your choice (despite having already passed them).

2) As a first timer, what combinations do people usually go with or advise? Appreciate this may be case specific but I would hope to go for 4 or 5 in first sitting.

3) As a first timer, would be it wise or realistic and aim to sit 5? If you were to start studying well in advance, i.e 3/4 months out and balancing a full time job?

4) Where do people generally start? I was thinking of printing out FE1 Syllabus from Law society website and making my way through each of the points under topics. Or would you advise going straight to someone for FE1 grinds/study notes and cut out unnecessary study if some topics rarely come up on exams?

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

I’ve seen most of your qs have been answered, but just on combinations. If you want to do 5 I’d recommend doing property, contract, criminal, equity, and then one of the big 3 (EU, Tort, Constitutional). Constitutional might be better left alone for the first sitting since it’ll all be new to you. EU and Tort you’ve probably covered already so a matter of preference. I’d say EU is the smaller of the two.

lawgrad49 · 13-04-2020 04:33PM

Hi rightytighty! Thanks for the info also!

To be honest the idea to do 5 at first sitting was linked with my confusion over the “magic 3” rule. As I had thought (if the study was feasible) I'd be better of doing as much as possible in the first sitting.

Thanks to lawstudentirl for clearing the rule up, knowing I can do as many subjects as I want in any sitting means I will probably just go with the combination of 4, Criminal, Contract Property & EU or Equity(if timetables make sense etc.) to start me off!

Rebelette288 · 14-04-2020 10:20AM

I thought I was seeing things about the magic 3 being abolished but I checked the paperwork again that I got re the March sittings and No I see it is right as of January 2020.

Of course I am happy for the people that will be sitting these exams in the future that the process is a whole lot easier but I am also extremely annoyed that this wasn't done sooner (the magic 3 was in for years why all of a sudden did they change the rules now!)

I like thousands of others had to resit exams that I had already passed and of course we still had to pay for them even though we had passed them in order to get the magic 3!And that was just the exams, we also had to fork out hundreds on accommodation in the Red Cow!I am hopefully nearing the end of the FE1 process now but given the current climate I realistically won't get a traineeship for ages now.So it is grating on my nerves a bit that I could very well have been in Blackhall Place and doing a traineeship all along and it is also grating on my nerves the amount of money that I forked out to the Law Society to sit exams that I had already passed.

Again I am happy for the people who will be sitting these exams going forward but it is extremely unfair for those of us who it is too late for.Wonder will they give us a refund or a reduction on PPC fees when we eventually get a traineeship(not likely for a while yet) I doubt it somehow!

lawstudentirl · 14-04-2020 10:47AM

Rebelette288 wrote: »

I thought I was seeing things about the magic 3 being abolished but I checked the paperwork again that I got re the March sittings and No I see it is right as of January 2020.

Of course I am happy for the people that will be sitting these exams in the future that the process is a whole lot easier but I am also extremely annoyed that this wasn't done sooner (the magic 3 was in for years why all of a sudden did they change the rules now!)

I like thousands of others had to resit exams that I had already passed and of course we still had to pay for them even though we had passed them in order to get the magic 3!And that was just the exams, we also had to fork out hundreds on accommodation in the Red Cow!I am hopefully nearing the end of the FE1 process now but given the current climate I realistically won't get a traineeship for ages now.So it is grating on my nerves a bit that I could very well have been in Blackhall Place and doing a traineeship all along and it is also grating on my nerves the amount of money that I forked out to the Law Society to sit exams that I had already passed.

Again I am happy for the people who will be sitting these exams going forward but it is extremely unfair for those of us who it is too late for.Wonder will they give us a refund or a reduction on PPC fees when we eventually get a traineeship(not likely for a while yet) I doubt it somehow!

This might not be relevant for you, but just thought I’d say in case you don’t know: you can now apply to the Law Society to carry over any passes you got before the magic 3 rule was abolished.

Rebelette288 · 14-04-2020 10:56AM

lawstudentirl wrote: »

This might not be relevant for you, but just thought I’d say in case you don’t know: you can now apply to the Law Society to carry over any passes you got before the magic 3 rule was abolished.

Thanks for that but yes unfortunately too late for me if it had been abolished even a year ago could have done that but Thanks anyways

JCJCJC · 14-04-2020 11:56AM

Rebelette288 wrote: »

I thought I was seeing things about the magic 3 being abolished but I checked the paperwork again that I got re the March sittings and No I see it is right as of January 2020.

Of course I am happy for the people that will be sitting these exams in the future that the process is a whole lot easier but I am also extremely annoyed that this wasn't done sooner (the magic 3 was in for years why all of a sudden did they change the rules now!)

I like thousands of others had to resit exams that I had already passed and of course we still had to pay for them even though we had passed them in order to get the magic 3!And that was just the exams, we also had to fork out hundreds on accommodation in the Red Cow!I am hopefully nearing the end of the FE1 process now but given the current climate I realistically won't get a traineeship for ages now.So it is grating on my nerves a bit that I could very well have been in Blackhall Place and doing a traineeship all along and it is also grating on my nerves the amount of money that I forked out to the Law Society to sit exams that I had already passed.

Again I am happy for the people who will be sitting these exams going forward but it is extremely unfair for those of us who it is too late for.Wonder will they give us a refund or a reduction on PPC fees when we eventually get a traineeship(not likely for a while yet) I doubt it somehow!

Yes, it’s a bit easier than it was. The law school had to relax the rules because the number of trainees coming in was dropping sharply. I did it the old way, and had to re-sit two that I passed at the first attempt. Now that you can sit them as an undergrad, it’s a great opportunity - as soon as you have done FE1-relevant subjects in College, sit the exam the following autumn. Where you have elective choices in college, pick FE1 subjects, not wacky things. I’ve been in practise now for four years, but laid off due to Covid. The traineeship scene will be very difficult, whenever we re-open law firms will take a while to get fee income up and running again. Wills are busy right now, but they don’t generate the larger fees. Litigation is at a standstill, conveyancing also very uncertain. Without courts sitting, routine family law and insolvency are quiet. These are tough times, no precedent to guide us on when they will end.

jewels652 · 15-04-2020 11:46AM

Hi guys so I emailed the law society in relation to the exam results date. Here is the answer:

“Please note the provisional release date was set for 1st May 2020 however this may change due to the ongoing health pandemic.”

rightytighty · 15-04-2020 03:48PM

jewels652 wrote: »

Hi guys so I emailed the law society in relation to the exam results date. Here is the answer:

“Please note the provisional release date was set for 1st May 2020 however this may change due to the ongoing health pandemic.”

Thanks for this!

mydogwentroof · 16-04-2020 11:16AM

Do we think the dates for the additional sittings will be announced with the results for the previous sitting?

CMUL · 16-04-2020 03:13PM

When you log in to the law society do all your past results show up? i tried logging in there and go to the results and its saying logging access issue but it is saying im logged in but I cant see results from last October?

lawgrad15 · 16-04-2020 03:36PM

CMUL wrote: »

When you log in to the law society do all your past results show up? i tried logging in there and go to the results and its saying logging access issue but it is saying im logged in but I cant see results from last October?

I checked my account recently and something like that came up. Mentioned that I had no recheck results. Nothing else came up. I was looking for the October results as well.

aideenc18 · 16-04-2020 05:39PM

CMUL wrote: »

When you log in to the law society do all your past results show up? i tried logging in there and go to the results and its saying logging access issue but it is saying im logged in but I cant see results from last October?

No they’ve never showed up for me after more than a week. You can email them and ask for them to send you them! I usually just take screenshots at the time and then have to go and source them afterwards.. not great!

Blue_pens17 · 17-04-2020 09:28AM

Has anyone heard more about the date for the additional sitting? I'm due to start BH in Sept and I need to pass Tort beforehand. Starting to freak out...

HappyKitten62 · 17-04-2020 10:32AM

Blue_pens17 wrote: »

Has anyone heard more about the date for the additional sitting? I'm due to start BH in Sept and I need to pass Tort beforehand. Starting to freak out...

I’m in the same boat.

nmurphy1441 · 17-04-2020 10:36AM

Blue_pens17 wrote: »

Has anyone heard more about the date for the additional sitting? I'm due to start BH in Sept and I need to pass Tort beforehand. Starting to freak out...

I would guess whenever the leaving certs are sitting, additional sittings will be then

lawDani · 20-04-2020 10:59AM

nmurphy1441 wrote: »

I would guess whenever the leaving certs are sitting, additional sittings will be then

I’d imagine so too

lawDani · 20-04-2020 11:02AM

Hi guys.
Was it both Tort and Eu that were cancelled in the last sitting?

JCreaghy · 20-04-2020 11:10AM

lawDani wrote: »

Hi guys.
Was it both Tort and Eu that were cancelled in the last sitting?

Tort was postponed until further notice. For EU some people still sat it but anyone who was sitting either exam were given the option to sit or refund or defer to the next sitting.

vid36 · 20-04-2020 08:06PM

I have a lot of sympathy for students stuck in limbo, but it is very possible the replacement sittings do not take place. Even with an easing of the current lockdown, there will still be restrictions on mass gatherings. Hundreds of students in both Dublin and Cork would seem to be, by definition a mass gathering.

igobuy · 20-04-2020 08:17PM

Just wondering has anyone received a refund for tort or EU exam from the law society? I know initial email said they would send them out. Thanks

HappyKitten62 · 20-04-2020 09:53PM

vid36 wrote: »

I have a lot of sympathy for students stuck in limbo, but it is very possible the replacement sittings do not take place. Even with an easing of the current lockdown, there will still be restrictions on mass gatherings. Hundreds of students in both Dublin and Cork would seem to be, by definition a mass gathering.

It’s very possible to do it with smaller amounts of people. Spread out.

I know you are sharing sympathy, but please this just adds to anxiety.

spygirl · 20-04-2020 10:06PM

igobuy wrote: »

Just wondering has anyone received a refund for tort or EU exam from the law society? I know initial email said they would send them out. Thanks

Not as of yet. I just assumed it would go towards the next sitting.

lawgrad15 · 20-04-2020 10:18PM

It's really painful that we cannot do the final tort and EU papers online, especially those who agreed to sit the tort paper for definite. At the end of the day, the FE-1 exams are entrance exams to Blackhall. There are other university courses, especially in the remit of health science, whereby people are actually receiving professional accreditations and will have direct interaction with people but yet and still are being allowed to undertake exams in the comfort of their own homes. I have tort as my final FE-1 and it's not as if I'm going to be a qualified solicitor by the time I have it finished.

The lack of information out there is nothing short of a disgrace. Students are in dire need of an update as to what is happening regarding the exams. Is the exam going to be sprung on us the day after the lockdown has cleared? It is terrible that people actually have to contact the Law Soc and then report back to Boards, even in relation to basic issues such as the above.

In my case, I have made so many sacrifices to get this far. Between endless interviews to try and get a training contract sorted down to the sheer expense of the FE-1's, revision courses etc, it is proving to be such a difficult process and it's by no means a surprise that 93% of law students feel under serious stress, pressure and emotional upset from a recent Guardian article I read.

HappyKitten62 · 20-04-2020 10:31PM

lawgrad15 wrote: »

It's really painful that we cannot do the final tort and EU papers online, especially those who agreed to sit the tort paper for definite. At the end of the day, the FE-1 exams are entrance exams to Blackhall. There are other university courses, especially in the remit of health science, whereby people are actually receiving professional accreditations and will have direct interaction with people but yet and still are being allowed to undertake exams in the comfort of their own homes. I have tort as my final FE-1 and it's not as if I'm going to be a qualified solicitor by the time I have it finished.

The lack of information out there is nothing short of a disgrace. Students are in dire need of an update as to what is happening regarding the exams. Is the exam going to be sprung on us the day after the lockdown has cleared? It is terrible that people actually have to contact the Law Soc and then report back to Boards, even in relation to basic issues such as the above.

In my case, I have made so many sacrifices to get this far. Between endless interviews to try and get a training contract sorted down to the sheer expense of the FE-1's, revision courses etc, it is proving to be such a difficult process and it's by no means a surprise that 93% of law students feel under serious stress, pressure and emotional upset from a recent Guardian article I read.

I 100000% agree. All we can do is wait - which I know is so hard. I really hope the Law Society are considering all their options. I emailed last week for an update and was told they ‘intend to hold the sittings as soon as the current health crisis permits.’

I guess nobody knows anything at this point.

neon123 · 20-04-2020 11:31PM

Hi folks, so I'm looking to do Company, Tort and EU in the next proper sitting (I know Tort and EU are due to held this summer but would prefer just to do all three in one sitting). I have a rough idea from previous threads of what to look at in EU, so just wondering what people who are studying/studied Tort & Company would consider key topics for these exams. Thanks:)

lawDani · 21-04-2020 09:35AM

JCreaghy wrote: »

Tort was postponed until further notice. For EU some people still sat it but anyone who was sitting either exam were given the option to sit or refund or defer to the next sitting.

Thank you. So it will definitely be tort in the re sit anyway. Just want to be sure I’m not steadying time studying for an a exam won’t be held..

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

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