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

law_struggles wrote: »

Do people think there's any possibilty of getting traineeships at the moment, and if so, how do you apply? Where do you look?
I'm currently waiting for the postponed Tort exam to take place with the other 7 passed.

Thanks

The big firms often hire trainees years in advance and so they won't be massively reducing their future intake as the TC's they hand out now will be starting probably years from now when the economy picks up again. They usually open applications in the Autumn.

Coulter97 wrote: »

You're almost done your Fe-1's and you haven't considered applying for any Training Contracts yet?

Really don’t stress too much about having passed 7 fe1s with no contract. You’re in a great position now with so many passed; most small and many medium sized firms will require that you have the exams all passed before applying for a traineeship, obviously larger firms are more flexible but it’s definitely worth thinking about what kind of firm you’d like to train with. Big firm applications open in October, but in the meantime keep an eye out for work experience in firms, or even a transactional kind of role as that would be really beneficial to a traineeship application. Your cv will have to be strong overall for a large firm but it seems that a lot of the time, as with so many things in life, it can come down to right place right time!

It seems you would be going to blackball 2021 earliest, so in the meantime pass your last exam, get good experience and start making applications! For what it’s worth I was offered a traineeship last month, the first one I’d applied to with 7 fe1s passed (didn’t expect to get 7 exams this year), so it definitely seems that firms haven’t yet shut their doors due to covid.
Wishing you all the best with your applications!

Fe1newbie wrote: »

Hey does anyone have any nutshells for Tort?
I could swap some materials, I’ve 2019 manuals, Papers, sample answers, and all that for most subjects.
Private message if you’d like these.
Hard to know when to start studying, don’t wanna burn out.

By “nutshells” I was just going on what I’d heard mentioned here before? Are they no use or littered with errors does anyone know?
Thanks

Lealaw wrote: »

I have the Nutshells for Criminal Law. I ended up getting both the International version by Adam Jackson, Joanne Clough, and Natalie Wortley (on kindle) and the Irish version, Round Hall, 4th Edition, by Cecilia Ni Choileain (which has Irish case law and legislation).
I find it useful but I am using it to supplement notes that I have. Not sure about them for other FE1 subjects but just be careful with the version (Irish publication) and the edition you get.

Cheers for that,
I reckon I’ll stick to the manuals, probably the best shout.

I have PDF manuals, does anyone just read the manuals or do they write out the notes.
I think I’m going to start writing out the notes for these exams in the first or second week in July.

naraic27 wrote: »

Sorry this is a bit off topic but can anyone who has done the Autumn exams tell me when exactly they usually take place. I have a race on the 26th of September but I'd rather not commit to it if it was on too close to the exams. Is it always in the first week?

It is usually the first and second week of October, but this year, who knows.

woodyman wrote: »

Has anyone who was due to sit EU and/or Tort in March received an email from the Law Society in the last week?
The notice placed on the website last Friday said that those candidates would receive confirmation of the August sitting within 5 days but I still haven't received anything.

Nope I never received an email either

lawgrad15 wrote: »

Nope I never received an email either

Same here

If one wasn’t working at all till after October, how many exams would be realistic to sit? 2 in Aug and then another 4 maybe?

Does anyone have exam grids for Tort and EU by any chance?

Coulter97 wrote: »

That makes sense. If it takes 8 weeks study to do 4 subjects, and there's 2 months in between Aug and Oct sitting, that might be realistic.

When you say 8 weeks, do you mean 8 weeks from opening the manuals and start note taking or 8 weeks of actual learning off etc?

mmullen wrote: »

8 weeks from opening manuals - but try test yourself as you go along (closing the page and seeing if you remember the cases etc) as otherwise you’ll just have written out reams of info and left the important work til the very end!

Great tip- thank you!

Does anyone know anyone that did the Hybrid course this year and what it’s like?

Any advice on getting a traineeship

I have been looking through case note questions for EU and they seem somewhat predictable with many popular cases rotating every few years. I reckon its worth having as a backup at least.

Could anyone recommend where to get the material for case notes as the manuals are quite slim on individual cases?

Fe1newbie wrote: »

Anyone started studying for August yet? Or when do people plan on doing so

Just started on notes for Tort and EU. Work full time so it'll have to be flat out now untill August!