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

Jaspoon12 · 14-06-2019 10:07am

Congrats dude! Super annoying for me, I had two getting bre checked , came back the exact same. 48 and 48 ðŸ˜ª

Daly29 wrote: »

Best of luck everyone on the rechecks, I received mine in the post there.

I needed Company to go from a 42 to a pass to get my magic three.

Recheck came back as 54. Very happy.

Anyone who says that it is totting up of marks again is obviously wrong.

It looks to me that you have the best chance of going up in Company. I received a lot of messages where people had gone up significantly in this subject or heard of people who had. The external examiner marks much fairer than the internal and thankfully the original mark doesn't seem to affect them when rechecking.

JHalpin · 14-06-2019 10:46am

Same, I sent in a recheck of 42 hoping to be marked up as it would give me the Magic three. but to no avail, I'm a bit raging but then again not surprised having read this thread and seeing a few people say the same!

njd2010 · 15-06-2019 10:50am

Kyree Bumpy Shrimp wrote: »

Do you have a link for more information on this?

There’s no information online about it yet, it seems - an email was sent to people who’d passed the FE1s but not yet started PPC1 last week. Text of the email is in the PPC1 2019 thread here on boards. Presumably it will be publicly announced at some point, but they’re taking applications for it soon so would want to hurry up.

It’s frustrating that such an important development has been communicated in this way - but that’s the Law Society for you, it seems. Even the top five firms don’t seem know much about it. A friend of mine with a traineeship offer for 2020 in a top 5 got an email saying they weren’t planning to let their trainees take this option right now (which makes sense - they’re already in Dublin and getting paid to do the course, and the hours those firms require aren’t exactly conducive to doing an online course in the evenings.)

Tony_TwoLegs · 15-06-2019 12:17pm

I spoke to a person I know in the Education Centre in the LS.
It Jan - November and it's a Fri/Sat/Sun once a month in Dublin.
There's 2 weeks during the year too.
You start the 2 year phase in November 2020 then.
You can subtract 5 months if working in a firm during the PPC1 as credit.

I think those relying on FE1s in Autumn to do it will be allocated limited places, if any are left, so I was told.

wunwun11 · 15-06-2019 12:50pm

I'm Just starting Company Law for the first if anyone could give a heads up on what the esential topics to cover are?

extra gravy · 15-06-2019 3:37pm

Apologies if this is slightly off topic, I'm just looking for some advice. Am considering retraining to be a solicitor but am nearing 40. In an accounts position at the moment but it's not an area I have much interest in - I sort of fell into it. Is there anyone here that has decided to take the plunge late in life? I don't have a family or mortgage to worry about so it's something I could focus fully on. I competed a law degree 5 years ago and it's always been in the back of my mind to do this but the circumstances were never right. So am I mad?!

KMPT · 15-06-2019 7:59pm

extra gravy wrote: »

Apologies if this is slightly off topic, I'm just looking for some advice. Am considering retraining to be a solicitor but am nearing 40. In an accounts position at the moment but it's not an area I have much interest in - I sort of fell into it. Is there anyone here that has decided to take the plunge late in life? I don't have a family or mortgage to worry about so it's something I could focus fully on. I competed a law degree 5 years ago and it's always been in the back of my mind to do this but the circumstances were never right. So am I mad?!

No you're not mad. I'll be 40 this year.

Reya10 · 15-06-2019 8:21pm

extra gravy wrote: »

Apologies if this is slightly off topic, I'm just looking for some advice. Am considering retraining to be a solicitor but am nearing 40. In an accounts position at the moment but it's not an area I have much interest in - I sort of fell into it. Is there anyone here that has decided to take the plunge late in life? I don't have a family or mortgage to worry about so it's something I could focus fully on. I competed a law degree 5 years ago and it's always been in the back of my mind to do this but the circumstances were never right. So am I mad?!

Not at all, plenty of people do it in their 30s or older! If you’ve done your research and are sure it’s something you want then why not. Having an accounts background would probably be useful for lots of practice areas as well

Tony_TwoLegs · 15-06-2019 9:57pm

extra gravy wrote: »

Apologies if this is slightly off topic, I'm just looking for some advice. Am considering retraining to be a solicitor but am nearing 40. In an accounts position at the moment but it's not an area I have much interest in - I sort of fell into it. Is there anyone here that has decided to take the plunge late in life? I don't have a family or mortgage to worry about so it's something I could focus fully on. I competed a law degree 5 years ago and it's always been in the back of my mind to do this but the circumstances were never right. So am I mad?!

Depends on what you're searching for. I'm 35 and have passed the FE1s and poised to go to Blackhall. However, I've decided on a slightly different route now after spending time in-practice(s).
The actual environment is quite similar so maybe do an Internship first and see if it's for you. Keep in mind it'll take about 4 years (incl FE1s..... 5 yrs if your FE1s slow you down ) albeit we'll all be working to 70 so there's plenty of work left on you lol!!! I know a guy about 50 doing a traineeship with a Big 5 firm now!!
Find a local firm willing to back you/ give you a taste.
Spoiler alert: there's a lot of paper-pushing/ repetition. It's not like the tv dramas.

extra gravy · 15-06-2019 10:27pm

Thanks folks, I think I will give the FE1s a go next spring and take it from there! Will try and line up an internship before that to get a taste for it.

b.anna · 15-06-2019 11:01pm

Jaspoon12 wrote: »

Congrats dude! Super annoying for me, I had two getting bre checked , came back the exact same. 48 and 48 ðŸ˜ª

Happened to me before, my company re-check came back and they marked me down. But thankfully this time they brought me up 14% in company. So just want to say that re-checks are definitely worth it. As someone said before on this thread, if it's your last exam definitely go for it. If it wasn't for this forum I'd just leave it and wouldn't bother with a re-check so thanks to whoever posted that comment. I owe you one!!!

SwD · 17-06-2019 4:45pm

Has anyone here enrolled in Griffith College? Specifically, I'm looking for someone who has access to the Sample Answers they provide. I desperatley need material for Constitutional law. Haven't glanced at it in any significant detail since first year college.

Mod
Pls do not discuss individual colleges

SwD · 17-06-2019 4:49pm

Yohnathan wrote: »

PM me with your email address. I'll send you what I have. If anyone else needs them, then you can provide them to them! I don't need anything in return.

Would you mind sending me on the Constitutional materials please? I tried contacting Jewles to no avail. I'll happilly pass it on if needs be.

DoomDaDa · 17-06-2019 5:45pm

Hi.
Would someone be able to share the syllabus for Tort please?

Thanks in advance

Reya10 · 18-06-2019 3:01pm

DoomDaDa wrote: »

Hi.
Would someone be able to share the syllabus for Tort please?

Thanks in advance

The syllabus for all the subjects is on the Law Society website

Reya10 · 18-06-2019 3:21pm

DoomDaDa wrote: »

Hi.
Would someone be able to share the syllabus for Tort please?

Thanks in advance

The syllabus for all the subjects is on the Law Society website

holliek · 18-06-2019 9:15pm

Does anyone have up to date grids for EU, property or tort?

Scuid Mhór · 20-06-2019 1:02am

Would be much appreciated if someone could PM me and up to date grid for tort!

lisac223 · 21-06-2019 1:33pm

For contract would anyone recommend bringing in the legislation or do you really need it?

BemusedKettle · 23-06-2019 10:54pm

Updated Grids for Contract and Constitutional required please

also if anybody has any of those handy dandy << recent case law >> sheets for either of the above that would be fab.

I got lots of random bits here and there for most other subjects to give in return

KMPT · 25-06-2019 1:00am

Hi Guys. I'm doing the following but I don't have a copy of March's papers so don't know what came up. If you don't mind can you let me know please? Whichever ones you recall. Thanks.

1. Tort
2. Company
3. Property
4. Constitution

Daly29 · 25-06-2019 12:10pm

KMPT wrote: »

Hi Guys. I'm doing the following but I don't have a copy of March's papers so don't know what came up. If you don't mind can you let me know please? Whichever ones you recall. Thanks.

1. Tort
2. Company
3. Property
4. Constitution

Easiest to do might be to order the paper for E6.

https://www.lawsociety.ie/Public/Become-a-Solicitor/Order-Past-Exam-Papers/Exam-Papers/

Small Wonder · 25-06-2019 1:40pm

lisac223 wrote: »

For contract would anyone recommend bringing in the legislation or do you really need it?

Definitely bring it in. I passed contact last time out, 50% on the nose. I clawed out a fifth answer using just the legislation. You're virtually guaranteed a question on it.

HappyKitten62 · 25-06-2019 2:15pm

Hi, I am sitting the FE1s in October for the first time and was wondering how you all planned your study? I haven’t a clue how to approach making a study plan as there is just chapter after chapter. The exams I will be sitting are Company, EU, equity and criminal.

Thanks

KMPT · 25-06-2019 2:17pm

Daly29 wrote: »

Easiest to do might be to order the paper for E6.

https://www.lawsociety.ie/Public/Become-a-Solicitor/Order-Past-Exam-Papers/Exam-Papers/

Thanks. Do you know if that €6 is for all 8 per sitting (spring or autumn) or if it's €6 per subject?

KMPT · 25-06-2019 2:24pm

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

Hi, I am sitting the FE1s in October for the first time and was wondering how you all planned your study? I haven’t a clue how to approach making a study plan as there is just chapter after chapter. The exams I will be sitting are Company, EU, equity and criminal.

Thanks

Start with exam grids. You need to cover as many topics as possible to guarantee 5 questions but there are some you could leave out or spend less time on. The exam grids will guide you.

Once you have an idea how many topics you're covering you could start making notes. And attempt past papers as you go along. It's not a fool proof way but it works for some people. Everyone is different. Some people jump straight into the questions and take it from there. Others study and then closer to the exams they do their own mock exams. But I think once you know which topics you're covering and you actually start you'll find your own strategy. Good luck!

HappyKitten62 · 25-06-2019 2:26pm

Thank you so so much. I have exam grids, but they only go as far as 2017, so I will have to add in the 2019 topics ASAP. Thank you!

KMPT · 25-06-2019 2:37pm

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

Thank you so so much. I have exam grids, but they only go as far as 2017, so I will have to add in the 2019 topics ASAP. Thank you!

I have up to last year for company and criminal so I'll PM you later this evening.

HappyKitten62 · 25-06-2019 2:44pm

That would be amazing, thank you so much

Daly29 · 25-06-2019 5:14pm

KMPT wrote: »

Thanks. Do you know if that €6 is for all 8 per sitting (spring or autumn) or if it's €6 per subject?

It's 6 for the 8 subjects, so for the sitting.

Tony_TwoLegs · 26-06-2019 5:37pm

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

Hi, I am sitting the FE1s in October for the first time and was wondering how you all planned your study? I haven’t a clue how to approach making a study plan as there is just chapter after chapter. The exams I will be sitting are Company, EU, equity and criminal.

Thanks

I'd re-evaluate Equity as a first-sit subject. It trips a lot of people up. If you haven't paid, I would suggest Property.
Do Equity and Contract together.

Charlie Gove MP · 27-06-2019 6:48pm

Spam. Deleted
Mod

Small Wonder · 27-06-2019 11:43pm

Tony_TwoLegs wrote: »

I'd re-evaluate Equity as a first-sit subject. It trips a lot of people up. If you haven't paid, I would suggest Property.
Do Equity and Contract together.

I second that. I failed it twice despite it being a subject I quite enjoy and, in terms of the remedies, one I have some real world experience with. Each time I was happy with the questions asked yet I tied myself up in knots trying to answer them.

Handle with care.

lawless11 · 28-06-2019 10:09am

Small Wonder wrote: »

I second that. I failed it twice despite it being a subject I quite enjoy and, in terms of the remedies, one I have some real world experience with. Each time I was happy with the questions asked yet I tied myself up in knots trying to answer them.

Handle with care.

It is to handle with care, but personally I passed it first time and 2 other friends of mine did too. You just need to know it's a tough one, but feasible. You need to be really meticulous when learning it, have a ton of case law and be really logical in the application part. Don't be too discouraged.

lisac223 · 28-06-2019 3:38pm

Could anyone one recommend which particular EU legislation to bring in? I heard that Foster's is easy to decipher. Any thoughts? Thank you :-)

HappyKitten62 · 01-07-2019 2:02pm

Tony_TwoLegs wrote: »

I'd re-evaluate Equity as a first-sit subject. It trips a lot of people up. If you haven't paid, I would suggest Property.
Do Equity and Contract together.

Thank you so much!! That’s very helpful. Thankfully I haven’t paid so can do property instead.

HappyKitten62 · 01-07-2019 2:04pm

Hi Guys me again just wondering if it’s a bad idea to work a part time job while studying? I got a job and it’s only 12 hrs a week. Is this not recommended? Thanks

Darragh12 · 01-07-2019 3:52pm

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

Hi Guys me again just wondering if it’s a bad idea to work a part time job while studying? I got a job and it’s only 12 hrs a week. Is this not recommended? Thanks

It is really stressful to work and do them but I did it! Last sitting I sat three - Company, Tort & Criminal whilst working full time in a big 4 financial services firm and managed to pass the three. You should be grand!

Tony_TwoLegs · 01-07-2019 9:50pm

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

Hi Guys me again just wondering if it’s a bad idea to work a part time job while studying? I got a job and it’s only 12 hrs a week. Is this not recommended? Thanks

Ah if you pace yourself in the lead up.
Start now.
I did 90 min in morning before work and 90 min in evening. Increase in the last month.

Cover all the material over next 2 months.
Revise in last 4 weeks or so.
I worked fulltime throughout all 8 and was ok.

ahhhhhFE1s · 02-07-2019 9:15pm

Would anyone have up to date exam grids for Equity, Company, EU and Contract??
Have some equity notes to swap if that suits anyone??

rightytighty · 03-07-2019 12:02pm

Is the best approach to sitting contract and equity together to focus on rescission and the likes, specific performance etc?

lawless11 · 03-07-2019 12:55pm

rightytighty wrote: »

Is the best approach to sitting contract and equity together to focus on rescission and the likes, specific performance etc?

Yeah I enjoyed the fact of double-learning information and cross-referencing for contract & equity, so I would recommend sitting those together if that doesn't confuse you. In my mind it was "less" work

.

jommer01 · 04-07-2019 4:29pm

Hi all, I've only just started looking into this and the thread is quite the beast so apologies if this is all covered already.

I'm early to mid 30s with an engineering degree and a background in IT. I'm at a bit of a crossroads career wise and have just recently considered going down the law route. I could stick with the IT for the money but I've never really enjoyed it. I have no mortgage (not am I a homeowner) and no dependents and have some savings.

How much more difficult are the exams coming from a non-law background? I was strong at English in school but I haven't sat an essay style exam in 15 years so the volume of writing alone seems a bit daunting.

It sounds like 4 exams per cycle is the way to go. Do I still have enough time to prepare to sit 4 this October? Is there 4 I should start with? How much time/effort is involved for studying? Is studying while working full time feasible?

Any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks

ahhhhhFE1s · 04-07-2019 8:16pm

ahhhhhFE1s wrote: »

Would anyone have up to date exam grids for Equity, Company, EU and Contract??
Have some equity notes to swap if that suits anyone??

Have actually managed to source exam grids for equity and EU so would be able to swap those for Criminal or Company??

ahhhhhFE1s · 04-07-2019 8:27pm

jommer01 wrote: »

Hi all, I've only just started looking into this and the thread is quite the beast so apologies if this is all covered already.

I'm early to mid 30s with an engineering degree and a background in IT. I'm at a bit of a crossroads career wise and have just recently considered going down the law route. I could stick with the IT for the money but I've never really enjoyed it. I have no mortgage (not am I a homeowner) and no dependents and have some savings.

How much more difficult are the exams coming from a non-law background? I was strong at English in school but I haven't sat an essay style exam in 15 years so the volume of writing alone seems a bit daunting.

It sounds like 4 exams per cycle is the way to go. Do I still have enough time to prepare to sit 4 this October? Is there 4 I should start with? How much time/effort is involved for studying? Is studying while working full time feasible?

Any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks

I haven't actually sat any FE1s yet so take this advice with a grain of salt.. October might be a bit soon if you have never written a law essay, while not outrageously difficult it is a skill that takes a bit to get a hang of and you would be putting yourself under pressure for Oct to do 4 exams that require 5 essays each in 3 hrs.

If you feel up to the challenge, I would recommend completing a preparatory course to get all the study materials necessary to complete the exams eg manuals, exam grids, sample answers, exam grids etc

I've heard that good ones to start with would be criminal and contract because they are shorter and straight forward ish and then after that it's a preference.

It definitely is achievable to complete them from a non-law background and have met plenty of solicitors that didn't have a primary degree in law!

Good luck!

Breacnua · 04-07-2019 11:33pm

jommer01 wrote: »

Hi all, I've only just started looking into this and the thread is quite the beast so apologies if this is all covered already.

I'm early to mid 30s with an engineering degree and a background in IT. I'm at a bit of a crossroads career wise and have just recently considered going down the law route. I could stick with the IT for the money but I've never really enjoyed it. I have no mortgage (not am I a homeowner) and no dependents and have some savings.

How much more difficult are the exams coming from a non-law background? I was strong at English in school but I haven't sat an essay style exam in 15 years so the volume of writing alone seems a bit daunting.

It sounds like 4 exams per cycle is the way to go. Do I still have enough time to prepare to sit 4 this October? Is there 4 I should start with? How much time/effort is involved for studying? Is studying while working full time feasible?

Any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks

If you are a bright spark, can understand concepts quickly and learn and retain information then my advice would be to sit Criminal (easiest but cover all 14 chapters) property as its easy to pin down topics and not a massive course and contract, nothing in contract can be left out and she looks for a good understanding over quantity so means alot of learning.

My reasoning:
(1) The pressure would be on to pass the 3 to carry them forward but at this stage it is to much to do 4 with no background in law. Even if you didn't pass them it would give you a real feel for the exams and be a good grounding for March.
(2) I would join an online course and catch up asap and do the homework Qs as its the only way to learn what the examiner wants with no law background.
(3) I would spent as many hours as humanly possible (alongside your job) working away at the books in order to have any real chance to secure 3 exams in oct.
(4) It is an investment of well over E1000 so there is no point unless your willing to graft. Join an online coure that lets you repeat for free!
(5) try and meet with someone who has sat the exams, if not meet with a lecturer in the college u join for the real low down. you have sat many exams, exam tecnique is half the battle.
(6) It's 5/8 Q's in 3 hours - breath over depth!

My tuppence worth! If you are serious , move soon and you have a good chance of getting 3 this year!

lisac223 · 05-07-2019 9:21am

Would anyone have an EU grid to swap for grids for any other subject?

ahhhhhFE1s · 05-07-2019 8:36pm

lisac223 wrote: »

Would anyone have an EU grid to swap for grids for any other subject?

I have an EU grid I can send on anyways?? If you had criminal or company one that would be ideal but PM your email and I'll send on EU.

HappyKitten62 · 06-07-2019 10:29am

Writing notes from the manuals seems to take HOURS. Did anyone type their notes? Thinking I should type first and then condense from those.

Small Wonder · 06-07-2019 10:38am

HappyKitten62 wrote: »

Writing notes from the manuals seems to take HOURS. Did anyone type their notes? Thinking I should type first and then condense from those.

Yeah I type everything. I'll do some handwriting in the week or two leading up to the exam but other than that it's keyboard all the way.

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

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