FE1 Exam Thread (Read 1st post!) No trading

lawDani · 14-01-2021 1:55pm

FE1s2021 wrote: »

Is 46% worth rechecking I answered 5 questions reasonably well and thought I did enough to pass?

was this contract by any chance

Corplawtrainee · 14-01-2021 1:57pm

Didn't do crazy well in contract (58), but I really just focussed on continually practising the exam qs and went through every examiners report and noted down all the cases that she mentioned in the,. The examiner was also quite good for stating what she was looking for in the answers. E.g. She flagged Williams v Rofey in past exam reports, and if you didn't know that case well this time around you would have been screwed for one of the PQs.

I think she asked a few of the PQs a bit differently and the essays were a tad specific, but I found that a lot of the cases and questions were quite simmilar to past qs. So maybe just really focussing on doing exam qs and combing through the examiner reports from the start. Although, I know that's probably not very useful advice.

Lallers96 · 14-01-2021 1:59pm

After reading everyone's posts from the past 2 hours I just want to say 2 things.

First and most importantly, please do not lose hope or give up on these exams. I understand that 2020 was the hardest year ever to do these FE-1 exams, and that is just a testament to your willpower and perseverance - which should stand to all of us when interviewing for TCs. Please hang in there and don't give up (especially the guy who has 7/8 done!!)

Secondly, on a less cheerful note, I agree about the need for a clear marking scheme. Ever since I started studying Law, we were told getting 70% in a law exam/essay is extremely rare. I feel this is the same for the FE-1s and it is a disgrace. Exams are not marked out of 75, they are are marked out of 100. I know for a fact that the examiners for these exams do not spend any more than 2-3 minutes on each paper. Whether that is because, for some archaic reason, only 1 person marks 1000+ papers or because they are lazy and do not care - I don't know. I passed Property and Contract, getting 55 and 54 respectively. I got 50 in Tort back in August aswell. I found Property Law extremely easy compared to the rest and breezed through the exam for the most part. I will be interested to see why I got 55, only 1 percent more than an exam I found tricky. How do I know they spend 2-3 mins per paper? Well I got my Tort paper back some weeks back and to say the marking scheme is a joke is a serious understatement. There is no rhyme or reason to the marks given. I came out of that exam answering 5 questions. My first 3 were very good (I felt), my next 2 were so scrawled together and done in a massive panic. Especially the question where Murr got hit with a drone by some kids. I had no flipping idea what that question was about. What did my corrected paper look like?

5 numbers scribbled on the entire paper. 10, 10, 11, 9, 10. I am telling you for a fact there is zero way that person actually read my answers because my first 3 were levels above my last 2, particularly Q5 which was just me picking out the best out of a bad lot.

FE1Hopefully1 · 14-01-2021 2:01pm

Lallers96 wrote: »

After reading everyone's posts from the past 2 hours I just want to say 2 things.

First and most importantly, please do not lose hope or give up on these exams. I understand that 2020 was the hardest year ever to do these FE-1 exams, and that is just a testament to your willpower and perseverance - which should stand to all of us when interviewing for TCs. Please hang in there and don't give up (especially the guy who has 7/8 done!!)

Secondly, on a less cheerful note, I agree about the need for a clear marking scheme. Ever since I started studying Law, we were told getting 70% in a law exam/essay is extremely rare. I feel this is the same for the FE-1s and it is a disgrace. Exams are not marked out of 75, they are are marked out of 100. I know for a fact that the examiners for these exams do not spend any more than 2-3 minutes on each paper. Whether that is because, for some archaic reason, only 1 person marks 1000+ papers or because they are lazy and do not care - I don't know. I passed Property and Contract, getting 55 and 54 respectively. I got 50 in Tort back in August aswell. I found Property Law extremely easy compared to the rest and breezed through the exam for the most part. I will be interested to see why I got 55, only 1 percent more than an exam I found tricky. How do I know they spend 2-3 mins per paper? Well I got my Tort paper back some weeks back and to say the marking scheme is a joke is a serious understatement. There is no rhyme or reason to the marks given. I came out of that exam answering 5 questions. My first 3 were very good (I felt), my next 2 were so scrawled together and done in a massive panic. Especially the question where Murr got hit with a drone by some kids. I had no flipping idea what that question was about. What did my corrected paper look like?

5 numbers scribbled on the entire paper. 10, 10, 11, 9, 10. I am telling you for a fact there is zero way that person actually read my answers because my first 3 were levels above my last 2, particularly Q5 which was just me picking out the best out of a bad lot.

I agree I’ve gotten to see 4 of my exam scripts and there’s no ticks or anything just a circled number beside each question no comments or anything

I don’t really understand the marking tbh in college I was getting As and high BS so all over like 66 %and so far my highest grade has been 63%

The papers are very similar to my college exams so not sure what extra they’re looking for

Hamerzan Sickles · 14-01-2021 2:03pm

Got the highest FE1 result I've ever got, and the lowest FE1 result I've ever got. So 7 down, 1 to resit. I don't know why but I am very frustrated by this. I was mentally ready to move on to the next stage of my life.

FE1s2021 · 14-01-2021 2:03pm

lawDani wrote: »

was this contract by any chance

No it was property.

I sat four this sitting and failed one and im so dissapointed.

Has anyone come up from 46%?

Fe7 · 14-01-2021 2:07pm

I'm hearing a lot of positive re-check stories. Has anyone not passed from a re-check?

Also, how many weeks during normal times does it take for re-checks to be processed. I see the cut-off date is end of January, so thats two-weeks out the window anyway, leaving one month left for re-check results.

nicolesd · 14-01-2021 2:07pm

Just got my equity result i got 58 when I only answered basically 4 qs it is my second time sitting it though. I am going to request my script but will happily send it on to anyone when I receive it if anyone wants to have a look or use for study purposes

lawDani · 14-01-2021 2:09pm

AnnabelleK wrote: »

Got 43 in contract . I really thought that I passed

i was the same with contract. i requested copy of my script straight away. last sitting i got 46 and this time i got 47

lawDani · 14-01-2021 2:10pm

nicolesd wrote: »

Just got my equity result i got 58 when I only answered basically 4 qs it is my second time sitting it though. I am going to request my script but will happily send it on to anyone when I receive it if anyone wants to have a look or use for study purposes

i would be obliged to receive your copy script

and well done!

Chickennugget1 · 14-01-2021 2:10pm

Fe7 wrote: »

I'm hearing a lot of positive re-check stories. Has anyone not passed from a re-check?

Also, how many weeks during normal times does it take for re-checks to be processed. I see the cut-off date is end of January, so thats two-weeks out the window anyway, leaving one month left for re-check results.

I got 48 in Equity in the last sitting and no change to my result after recheck. It took about 6 weeks to come back!

FE1new · 14-01-2021 2:10pm

nicolesd wrote: »

Just got my equity result i got 58 when I only answered basically 4 qs it is my second time sitting it though. I am going to request my script but will happily send it on to anyone when I receive it if anyone wants to have a look or use for study purposes

That would be amazing thank you!

lawDani · 14-01-2021 2:13pm

Corplawtrainee wrote: »

Didn't do crazy well in contract (58), but I really just focussed on continually practising the exam qs and went through every examiners report and noted down all the cases that she mentioned in the,. The examiner was also quite good for stating what she was looking for in the answers. E.g. She flagged Williams v Rofey in past exam reports, and if you didn't know that case well this time around you would have been screwed for one of the PQs.

I think she asked a few of the PQs a bit differently and the essays were a tad specific, but I found that a lot of the cases and questions were quite simmilar to past qs. So maybe just really focussing on doing exam qs and combing through the examiner reports from the start. Although, I know that's probably not very useful advice.

would you be willing to share your script? ive sat contract twice now hitting above 46 each time

Lovestolisten · 14-01-2021 2:14pm

Fe7 wrote: »

I'm hearing a lot of positive re-check stories. Has anyone not passed from a re-check?

Also, how many weeks during normal times does it take for re-checks to be processed. I see the cut-off date is end of January, so thats two-weeks out the window anyway, leaving one month left for re-check results.

I paid for 3 rechecks , first round results 43% , 37% , 47%

After recheck
42% , 37% , 47%
Raging .. lost a mark and wasted €345

FE1student560 · 14-01-2021 2:16pm

Does anyone think they marked harder to account for people who cheated?

FE1new · 14-01-2021 2:17pm

FE1student560 wrote: »

Does anyone think they marked harder to account for people who cheated?

I think there is a lack of transparency around the marking system. Even getting your paper doesn't shed light on where marks are awarded or deducted.

Fe7 · 14-01-2021 2:24pm

I have a TC due to start this September. I would greatly appreciate someone's perspective I might not have yet considered:

I have passed Property, Tort and Equity. Failed Company and Contract today. I was planning on writing EU, Constitution and Criminal this sitting. However, with little time for re-checks, I have two options.

A) Forget Company and Contract this time round and push through with original plan for March 2021 which is Criminal, Constitution and EU (which are not guaranteed passes anyway) two of which are heavy course load. This then leaves Contract, Company and any failed from upcoming sitting for October 2021.

Tack on all five and hope for the best (since it seems to be a **** show with these results anyway) but compromising the other three I have not yet attempted. Again, no guaranteed pass, but with hope to begin TC in September.

I am literally in tears at the thought of having to wait over another year to start. I was so ready to begin the next chapter of my life three months from now.

IgoPAP · 14-01-2021 2:25pm

FE1student560 wrote: »

Does anyone think they marked harder to account for people who cheated?

This makes sense. To account for the people that we think are cheating, we're going to mark the exams harder for those that didn't.

Lallers96 · 14-01-2021 2:27pm

I don't understand how it makes sense to mark everyone harder "to account for cheating" (which may or may not have even occurred).

Hardly seems fair to honest people getting a fail because they decided to lower the bar for everyone

FE1_2020_ · 14-01-2021 2:27pm

nicolesd wrote: »

Just got my equity result i got 58 when I only answered basically 4 qs it is my second time sitting it though. I am going to request my script but will happily send it on to anyone when I receive it if anyone wants to have a look or use for study purposes

Firstly, well done on getting the result and this exam under the belt. Secondly, that would be brilliant for comparison in terms of reviewing the scripts and how they qualified marks for each of the papers.

Corplawtrainee · 14-01-2021 2:27pm

lawDani wrote: »

would you be willing to share your script? ive sat contract twice now hitting above 46 each time

Yeah no worries just requested them there. Got 65 in crim if any one wants a look at that one either, but I think most people find the exam managable.

FE1Hopefully1 · 14-01-2021 2:28pm

Fe7 wrote: »

I have a TC due to start this September. I would greatly appreciate someone's perspective I might not have yet considered:

I have passed Property, Tort and Equity. Failed Company and Contract today. I was planning on writing EU, Constitution and Criminal this sitting. However, with little time for re-checks, I have two options.

A) Forget Company and Contract this time round and push through with original plan for March 2021 which is Criminal, Constitution and EU (which are not guaranteed passes anyway) two of which are heavy course load. This then leaves Contract, Company and any failed from upcoming sitting for October 2021.

Tack on all five and hope for the best (since it seems to be a **** show with these results anyway) but compromising the other three I have not yet attempted. Again, no guaranteed pass, but with hope to begin TC in September.

I am literally in tears at the thought of having to wait over another year to start. I was so ready to begin the next chapter of my life three months from now.

I think you’d need to talk to the firm to make sure that they would be okay if you pushed it back a year ! But if they are fine with it I’d go with the original plan with the March sittings 5 is way too many in my opinion and I think would cause a lot of stress which may in turn make you lose focus and increase chances of a mess up just from being too tired

Saved.bythelaw · 14-01-2021 2:28pm

Im in the exact same boat as you. Was ready to move on with my life and im left now feeling distraught at this stage.

FE1new · 14-01-2021 2:31pm

Fe7 wrote: »

I have a TC due to start this September. I would greatly appreciate someone's perspective I might not have yet considered:

I have passed Property, Tort and Equity. Failed Company and Contract today. I was planning on writing EU, Constitution and Criminal this sitting. However, with little time for re-checks, I have two options.

A) Forget Company and Contract this time round and push through with original plan for March 2021 which is Criminal, Constitution and EU (which are not guaranteed passes anyway) two of which are heavy course load. This then leaves Contract, Company and any failed from upcoming sitting for October 2021.

Tack on all five and hope for the best (since it seems to be a **** show with these results anyway) but compromising the other three I have not yet attempted. Again, no guaranteed pass, but with hope to begin TC in September.

I am literally in tears at the thought of having to wait another year to start. I was so ready to begin the next chapter of my life.

I genuinely think today is not the day to make big decisions. Personally I am shocked and angry and that is never a good mindset to make a decision.

When you have had time to process you need to sit down and be honest with yourself what you can do. Can you do all 5 or are you taking on too much? If you do too much will it impact all your subjects and delay you more? These are questions you need to think about and do what you can yourself.

Theses exams are the most stressful thing I have ever experienced so you need to be kind to yourself.

Saved.bythelaw · 14-01-2021 2:31pm

I know exactly how you feel. But my best advice is to give them all a go in March and do your best and thats all you can do. I was meant to start my TC last year and now I may not even be able to start this year. Don't give up and have some hope that everything will work out.
If you need notes message me

Lcork23 · 14-01-2021 2:33pm

I still don’t understand the reason why we have the FE1s still due to the United Kingdom and for mutual recognition between them and us. Due to Brexit that has gone so the FE1s seem to me to be pointless. Maybe I’m wrong but I just don’t get it. They don’t teach you anything about being a solicitor!

EmmaO94 · 14-01-2021 2:33pm

This thread is always buzzing on results day but I've never seen it like this. So frustrated & heartbroken for the people who have been screwed over today :-(

The petition & it's edits are awesome so big thanks to the person who created it and I'll give it another boost here: http://chng.it/zZ8gqnMHp6

It is imperative that we receive a marking scheme and more transparency altogether. I, and it sounds like many others on here, have had enough.

Corplawtrainee · 14-01-2021 2:33pm

Fe7 wrote: »

I have a TC due to start this September. I would greatly appreciate someone's perspective I might not have yet considered:

I have passed Property, Tort and Equity. Failed Company and Contract today. I was planning on writing EU, Constitution and Criminal this sitting. However, with little time for re-checks, I have two options.

A) Forget Company and Contract this time round and push through with original plan for March 2021 which is Criminal, Constitution and EU (which are not guaranteed passes anyway) two of which are heavy course load. This then leaves Contract, Company and any failed from upcoming sitting for October 2021.

Tack on all five and hope for the best (since it seems to be a **** show with these results anyway) but compromising the other three I have not yet attempted. Again, no guaranteed pass, but with hope to begin TC in September.

I am literally in tears at the thought of having to wait over another year to start. I was so ready to begin the next chapter of my life three months from now.

Depends how strict your firm is re your start date. Will they accomadate you if you don't get them all done by September?

If there's no issues on that front, maybe you're as well to give the 3 your best shot. If not, do you have any other choice but doing the five?

Sorry about that though, must be quite stresfull. Have to get them done in max 3 sittings with my firm, which also is a bit of unnecesary pressure, so know how it feels.

LawStudent999 · 14-01-2021 2:34pm

Comforting to see other people in the same position as me. I was also due to start a TC this year but now given these results, it seems almost impossible. I am thinking about talking to the firm and seeing about putting off the commencement by a year and tackling the rest over a couple of sittings. Has anyone any experience with this sort of thing before about asking firms to delay start dates etc. Any info on this would be hugely appreciated. Head is melted. Thank you

Saved.bythelaw · 14-01-2021 2:34pm

Went from 43 to 42 in equity last March.

FE1_2020_ · 14-01-2021 2:36pm

Can anyone who receives a response regarding their request for exam scripts update us here. I think we need to put the pressure on collectively in order to get these exam scripts returned to us in an expedited fashion so we have time to consider our options with rechecks/repeats.

14-01-2021 2:37pm

Does anyone know if you’re doing the hybrid do firms tend to take you on for a few months prior, like when you start in April for blackhall in September? Or do you start in the firms in December same time as the hybrid?

FE1Hopefully1 · 14-01-2021 2:37pm

Lcork23 wrote: »

I still don’t understand the reason why we have the FE1s still due to the United Kingdom and for mutual recognition between them and us. Due to Brexit that has gone so the FE1s seem to me to be pointless. Maybe I’m wrong but I just don’t get it. They don’t teach you anything about being a solicitor!

They FE-1s are for anyone who has graduated from a level 7 degree in any subject that wants to be a solicitor - don’t think it has anything to do with brexit or brexit would have any impact tbh - in my opinion they should be scrapped for law grads as we have already sat and passed all these exams but don’t think we will see an exemption for law grads any time soon

Lallers96 · 14-01-2021 2:38pm

FE1_2020_ wrote: »

Can anyone who receives a response regarding their request for exam scripts update us here. I think we need to put the pressure on collectively in order to get these exam scripts returned to us in an expedited fashion so we have time to consider our options with rechecks/repeats.

It took 3 weeks exactly for my Tort script to come back from the date I requested it.

johnnash2020 · 14-01-2021 2:39pm

I think the sudden change in the marking style of equity might be attributed to a change in examiner. It seems Noel McGrath is now involved, whereas previously it was Oonagh Breen.

Worth remembering that the statistical difficulty of passing each FE-1 varies wildly. Equity is the most difficult to pass, followed by Contract, followed by Tort.

These are brutal exams, to an extent that is very tricky to explain to parents who aren't in the legal world. Most people fail one or more along the path of getting through them. I know of individuals who received high firsts from Trinity / UCD, yet failed one FE-1 exam on several occasions.

I massively feel for everyone disappointed today, having failed some myself before I got the 8. Just know, persistence is key, you'll get there soon and be all the stronger for it. Would also recommend the CityColleges courses. Expensive, but they really help with the extra push, even if you've studied law at undergraduate.

Darragh12 · 14-01-2021 2:41pm

What are the chances of the amount of fail grades being due to technical faults from the sitting being online? ie errors in adding up marks from questions. Just putting it out there

Hazel774 · 14-01-2021 2:41pm

Fe179user wrote: »

Can you request your scripts if you passed and how do you do this? Is there a charge for looking at your scripts? Also if you request scripts is there a chance your exam grade will be changed, I was expecting a fail for contract law but somehow managed to get 51 so I’m absolutely shocked.

"Candidates may request a copy of their exam script under the GDPR. If you wish to exercise this right, please send a request with a copy of your passport or driving licence to fe1dataprivacy@lawsociety.ie"

Just email that email address saying which exams you sat, your candidate ID (this is your username on LS website) & attach an ID.
They email it out to you, but it does take ages, could be 8 weeks. There's no charge to view it under GDPR and no they're not going to recheck it and change your grade unless you apply for a recheck

Congrats on passing!

channing90 · 14-01-2021 2:41pm

Do you ring the law society to get a full copy of all 8 results when finished all 8 or so they do it or what's the story? I assume you need a copy of all the results.

Corplawtrainee · 14-01-2021 2:44pm

johnnash2020 wrote: »

I think the sudden change in the marking style of equity might be attributed to a change in examiner. It seems Noel McGrath is now involved, whereas previously it was Oonagh Breen.

Worth remembering that the statistical difficulty of passing each FE-1 varies wildly. Equity is the most difficult to pass, followed by Contract, followed by Tort.

These are brutal exams, to an extent that is very tricky to explain to parents who aren't in the legal world. Most people fail one or more along the path of getting through them. I know of individuals who received high firsts from Trinity / UCD, yet failed one FE-1 exam on several occasions.

I massively feel for everyone disappointed today, having failed some myself before I got the 8. Just know, persistence is key, you'll get there soon and be all the stronger for it. Would also recommend the CityColleges courses. Expensive, but they really help with the extra push, even if you've studied law at undergraduate.

Didn't realise Noel was the new examiner. Found he was a bit love/hate in his marking in college. You either did really well or very badly, not a large middle ground.

FE1Hopefully1 · 14-01-2021 2:45pm

channing90 wrote: »

Do you ring the law society to get a full copy of all 8 results when finished all 8 or so they do it or what's the story? I assume you need a copy of all the results.

I think you can request a letter stating that you have passed all 8 exams

Not sure if your results to be on it however

14-01-2021 2:47pm

FE1Hopefully1 wrote: »

They FE-1s are for anyone who has graduated from a level 7 degree in any subject that wants to be a solicitor - don’t think it has anything to do with brexit or brexit would have any impact tbh - in my opinion they should be scrapped for law grads as we have already sat and passed all these exams but don’t think we will see an exemption for law grads any time soon

Also level 8! Heck you could have a PHD in law and still have to do the FE1s...

FE1Hopefully1 · 14-01-2021 2:49pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Also level 8! Heck you could have a PHD in law and still have to do the FE1s...

I meant level 7 and above sorry haha

nicolesd · 14-01-2021 2:51pm

Have 7 passed now (though it did take me quite a while to get there with many fails and rechecks and lots of tears) just have constitutional law left for March couldnt really study the past few weeks with nerves any one who passed constitutional have tips/advice on passing? Or have any good notes from the last sitting they could give me I have really good up to date materials for all other exams I can swap I'm hoping to start ppc 1 in September if I get a TC that is and pass constitutional law

Fe7 · 14-01-2021 2:56pm

EmmaO94 wrote: »

This thread is always buzzing on results day but I've never seen it like this. So frustrated & heartbroken for the people who have been screwed over today :-(

The petition & it's edits are awesome so big thanks to the person who created it and I'll give it another boost here: http://chng.it/zZ8gqnMHp6

It is imperative that we receive a marking scheme and more transparency altogether. I, and it sounds like many others on here, have had enough.

Will someone post this on the Facebook pages? I think there is a Reddit as well if I'm not mistaken. The last petition to push out the October exams was 600+ signatures. Surely with more people this time round needing more time than the number of people in August (and additional rage from various other things) we can get more support than that.

EM11 · 14-01-2021 2:57pm

nicolesd wrote: »

Have 7 passed now (though it did take me quite a while to get there with many fails and rechecks and lots of tears) just have constitutional law left for March couldnt really study the past few weeks with nerves any one who passed constitutional have tips/advice on passing? Or have any good notes from the last sitting they could give me I have really good up to date materials for all other exams I can swap I'm hoping to start ppc 1 in September if I get a TC that is and pass constitutional law

I would definitely keep an eye out for recent case law with Constitutional! Of all the exams, it's the most important here. A lot of questions on the last paper referenced specific cases, and it would have been hard to answer without knowing them

FE1_2020_ · 14-01-2021 2:58pm

Lallers96 wrote: »

It took 3 weeks exactly for my Tort script to come back from the date I requested it.

They're going have to step it up and get in line with their own timelines. There is no due process afforded to a candidate in respect of their rights in terms of rechecks/appeals. In any case a candidate should be able to view their script and then have time to consider whether or not they wish to proceed with a recheck based upon a thorough review instead of pursuing a recheck with blind faith.

That would be fair, just and reasonable its time we start shoving these policy considerations back on them. After all its what we should be duly afforded in addition to a transparent marking scheme. The examiners reports do not qualify in this regard and there is a big discrepancy in terms of value within those reports as quiet a few of those examiners reports are written with such a pompous attitude outlining two sentence comment as opposed to outlining what the topic of the question was and in particular what was needed.

14-01-2021 3:04pm

FE1_2020_ wrote: »

They're going have to step it up and get in line with their own timelines. There is no due process afforded to a candidate in respect of their rights in terms of rechecks/appeals. In any case a candidate should be able to view their script and then have time to consider whether or not they wish to proceed with a recheck based upon a thorough review instead of pursuing a recheck with blind faith.

That would be fair, just and reasonable its time we start shoving these policy considerations back on them. After all its what we should be duly afforded in addition to a transparent marking scheme. The examiners reports do not qualify in this regard and there is a big discrepancy in terms of value within those reports as quiet a few of those examiners reports are written with such a pompous attitude outlining two sentence comment as opposed to outlining what the topic of the question was and in particular what was needed.

This is so well worded! I hope you sent it in an email off to the law soc!

FE1_2020_ · 14-01-2021 3:09pm

Deleted User wrote: »

This is so well worded! I hope you sent it in an email off to the law soc!

Thanks

and for sure I will definitely be doing that.

Fedonezo · 14-01-2021 3:14pm

So sorry to hear of all the anger/disappointment from today’s results. The process is a complete disgrace and the LSI need to be held accountable. I have seen some extremely good points being made on this thread today and believe this should be brought to the papers/media in some way. This seems to be the only way to get a response.

IgoPAP · 14-01-2021 3:17pm

Is anyone still struggling to log in?

FE1 Exam Thread (Read 1st post!) No trading

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