FE1 exams and working.

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BK2

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I'm working full time at the moment and also doing my FEI's. I'm considering if maybe I should work part time or not at all and focus on doing the exams. I am just wondering for anyone who has done the FE1's whether they worked full time or if at all when doing exams?? I am working in a Solicitors office and am working on my own files with some supervision from a Solicitor but am getting frustrated that a secretary label is being attached to me a lot because I am not an apprentise as such or a Solicitor. Anyone else got experience of this? I have been told that I will be offered my apprenticeship when I am finished my FE1's.
 
If the office you are working in will offer you an apprenticeship, then definitely stay there...I worked full time doing the exams and it is very doable.
 
depends on a lot of factors.

how many exams you're doing.

your level of intelligence and approach to study.
whether you have a BCL/LLB or you're new to studying law.

if doing four it should be fine to work till the end of feb.

again depends on size of firm and your workload, if its a big firm who'll pay your fees and salary, def worth sticking with them;if they are very busy are you're working till 8 or 9 cos its tough to hit the books at that stage.


if you're in griffith def do the homework, you learn a lot in a short space of time. also some of the exams have trends so its easy to cut back a bit.

sort out your job description with the firm also state you'd prefer to be termed legal exec rather than secretary for reference purposes.
 
I did my FE1's in October 05 and April 06. For the October ones, I was not working beforehand and being stuck at home all day made me paranoid and very nervous, as all I had to do was study all day. I went back to work after the October ones and worked until 3 weeks before the April exams. It was much better and I think that I was more diciplined in my study, I also got to get out in the "real world" every day and could talk about something other than study. But I would reccomend having a few weeks off before the exams.
 
It definitely depends on what subjects you are doing. I found Contract, Equity and Criminal Law the easiest and the latter two are also statistically the easiest to pass. I'd give myself at least six weeks full time study before the exams. If the firm you are working for are serious about taking you on as an apprentice they will understand the need for study leave.

I did five exams in my first sitting and found it exhausting working all day and trying to concentrate in the classes at night which are very intense. I passed four but put that down to the fact that I did the easier subjects first. If you are doing EU, Tort or Constitutional, I think working right up until the exams, unless you are very bright with an exceptional memory, would be incredibly stressful.

Other factors to consider are the length of time that has elapsed since you last sat a major exam and whether you are prepared to devote your weekends to reading and homework.

Best of luck

Brenda
 
bor said:
If the office you are working in will offer you an apprenticeship, then definitely stay there...I worked full time doing the exams and it is very doable.
Click to expand...


Maybe I should have added that You should find the exams doable and work full time...if you already have a law degree from university.
 
As a trainee solicitor myself, I would assume that if they are willing to offer you a training contract, then they would prefer that you pass your exams first time around. Have you thought about asking for study leave - even unpaid. This will allow you time to study, get your exams, and not disrupt the files you are working on too much. Also you will be able to get straight back getting paid after the exams.

If you have your own files, this implies that you have a level of responsibility that would be difficult to find in an (unqualified) replacement. As a result, if they are reasonable, they should see the value of a suggestion of study leave.
 
Thanks for advice. I do have a law degree and I am also doing the Griffith College course so I should be okay. I don't work until 8 or 9 at night and my employer is understanding about studying and working at the same time. Because I do my own work I find that if I even take two days off the work piles up so I can't see how I will be able to take a huge amount of time off before exams but as I am doing Griffith course I am seeing that it is covering the same ground as law degree so it won't be so hard when it is revision instead of learning whole new topics.
 

hi bk2, can you tell me what you needed to have to sit the FE1's?

and where and how do you go about sitting them?

thanks a million.
 
to summarise lizam - you need either a degree (any discipline)

or if you don't have a degree you sit the preliminary exam.

then there are 8 FE1 ( final entrance exams part 1 - commonly referred to as 'the blackhalls')

these are:

criminal
contract
equity
property
constitutional
tort
eu
company


you must also sit the first irish exam and find a training contract before entering the ppc1 course in blackhall.

The FE1's are on twice a year: march/april and september/october held in dublin and cork. The fee per subject is roughly 100e and application forms are available from the law society website. also there you'll find the syllabus, past exam papers and various prep courses.

hope that helps!
 
Hi I did my first four in October after completing degree at DIT last summer, it was a dry run so to speak, i had copy griffith manuals but i did work full time up to and during the exams.

I work as a legal exec and have been offered the training contract and totally understand that its not the type of job you can leave your pen down at the end of the day and walk away. Its very hard when you owe a loyalty to clients and job to go on study leave for the 3 weeks.

Anyway i managed to get mid forties in my first attempt and im not too disgruntled. However i feel i could have pulled myself over if i did take the time, so if its offered to you TAKE IT!!!
 

it does, thanks a million.

i dont have a degree so obviously would have to sit the perliminary exam.

But is there a course to guide you towards this exam? i went on the law society website and it seems that you can more or less 'study at home' and then go sit the exam. Surely you need some guidance though? Is there a manual or such?

What would throw me is the irish exam, though a few people ive spoken to says it is very basic. what do you think?

When you sit the FE1's is this a year after the perliminary? and if so, do you do the 8 altogether or can you choose which and when?

God, i realise theres a lot here to answer and i understand if you want to say go away!!!

would appreciate anything though at all ana, thanks so much.

also, finally seriously am i too old???? early thirties to be even THINKING about such a career? like were looking at getting qualified please god in my forties!!!! oh my god, who the hell would hire a trainee solcitor in her forties??
 
look you'll be forty anyway so you might as well go ahead and sit them. Some firms actually like taking on more mature candidates as trainees. Irish is very basic. Two minute oral basically name, age, do you enjoy studying law. written paper will take 20 mins although you're given 3 hrs again very basic. Griffith do a course for the Irish exams.

I probably wouldn't advise sitting all 8 exams together if you're new to law and out of study mode. they're pretty tough exams.

On your first go you must sit 4 exams minimum and pass 3 to keep any ie if you pass 2 you have to start at scratch the next sitting.

Most people find contract, criminal, equity and property the easiest to pass as statistically they have the highest success rates.


i'm not familiar with the prelim exam although have heard its essay format on general and current topics such as law, government and politics.

A prep course would be a good idea for the FE1's. Stanhope and Griffith are thought to be the best if you're in Dublin, but there are others around the country. Fees for courses are generally 350+ per subject.

Then the actual exams are 95 or 100e per subject. and the same cost for a recheck.

All these things add up so it can be an expensive road to go down, then again its a small price to pay for a qualification and ultimately a career you enjoy - we'll all be working long enough!
 
LizaM,
It would be possible to pass the Preliminary Examination in March, start the FE1s in October and have the eight passed within 18 months.This would leave you looking for an apprenticeship before your mid thirties and qualified by mid to late thirties.
It is possible to pass the required exams while working full time and having no prior legal experience or legal education, but it takes a lot of hard work and perseverance.
If you are serious about going this route I would advise,
1. Taking a prep course for the Prelim exam(there is a list on the Law Society website)
2. Not taking a prep course for the First Irish
3. Taking a prep course for the FE1s
Also, don`t forget about the minimum wage for the first couple of years of the apprenticeship. This is turning out to be the most painful part of the whole process for me.
I hope this helps you decide whether to give it a go or not.
 
any one know where you could get sample quesions & answers?

i dont want to sign up to the griffith courses etc because i have all the notes but sample q&a's can be helpful.
 
Hy,Does anyone know of any foreigners that passed FE 1 exams and got an apprenticeship?I am ukrainian and currently studying for FE 1 exams ,any tips?
 
Dear All,
I am in my final yr of doing a degree in Economics, Politics and Law. I am seriously considering a career as a solicitor. I am currently thinking of what I should do next Summer when I graduate, I have heard a lot of students talking about Griffith. I am from the country and It would be quite difficult for me to keep a job and also travel to Griffith for evening class,,,Any suggestions will be ver much appreciated? Also I have people saying that the FE1's are so so dificult and basically very much a mind test etc etc...Comments will be very much appreciated as to what I should do? I was thinking of sitting four next September...
 
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