I have been thinking similarly since I started the studying for the FE1s in Nov '07! I have 2 left and I'm using them as a distraction from thinking about my options (or lack thereof!) are once I finish them.
Although its the path I have always wanted to go down, I really regret taking them on immediately after college. In retrospect, i think i would have gone through a graduate programme (tax/accounting) and tackled them once i had something to fall back on in the meantime! I also have an unrecognised degree (despite having covered every subject of the FE1s). I don't understand how the law society (of all professions!) can operate entry in this way. It doesnt make sense that there is no limit to the amountt of students that can sit the exams with no regard to the future of those students.If figures were attainable, i.e. no. of students with all 8/close to all 8/sitting all 8 in this sitting, the actual no. of apprentices reg in Blackhall in '08 and an est no. of places available for '09 ( and the followning 3/4 years-depending on when the exams were first passed) taking into consideration the economic downturn, I think it would be interesting to see how concerned the Law Society are with providing such students with a chance of securing and completing an apprenticeship, and would be a good argument as to why the time limit should be extended. It seems unlikely that the Law Society could have any justifiable reason for having such a restrictive time limit considering the challenges which students are facing. I think the professsion is over glamourised and it seems like it is an easy route for graduates who have no other clear cut ambition, esp if they have contacts. I have discouraged, or at least been honest about the exams and the whole process to anyone who thinks it seems like a viable career. I also sat the Irish Exam in January 2008 : ( It seems unreasonable that 'we' cannot be afforded some status to the effect that we have completed professional exams and that such exams are not recognised in other jurisdictions. It really frustrated me when I had difficulties getting a loan, not a student, a graduate but not in full time employment. In between studying for the exams, I was informed by many recruitment agents (and as can be seen on some legal job advertisements) that employers do not want FE1 students. I know a few people who have all eight but have been unable to secure an apprenticeship. John, time begins to run once you pass your first three exams, 'a period of not more than five years from the 31st of December of the year in which that candidate is deemed to have passed no fewer than three examinations'. I would be willing to take any steps necessary to highlight the difficulties of sitting the FE1s and trying to obtain a traineeship within the set limit of time. On 18 Feb, 22:55, the gaffer <[email protected]> wrote: > I'll second that.I'm off to Oz in a few weeks and i'm trying my best > to re-learn Consttutional for March,but i'll help out.I'm gonna get on > to my TDs and Dan Boyle who's in the constituency as well. > Anything ye want to say, PMs... we'll brain storm. > > On Feb 18, 10:51 pm, Caribou <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Hi John, > > > Actually a petition was on of my first ideas - didn't mention it my > > initial post above as i wanted to get a consensus first, and see what > > people thought was warranted and doable. As it happens, before i even > > read your post, i was thinking of ways on how to communicate easily > > with the largest amounts of post fe1 pre blackhall people - in order > > to do just that (get as many names as possible). What do people think > > is the best way to let people know what were planning etc and get > > support..? A face book group? Word of mouth? Obviously here is a great > > place to start and word of mouth would spread the cause. John, i'd be > > happy to work with you on the text of a letter if you were interested? > > > On Feb 18, 5:54 pm, Loft <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hi > > > > I am just finishing a Masters in UL having passed all the FE-1s in Dec > > > 07. Myself and a number of my colleagues on the Masters are seeking > > > the support of our Law Department in tandem with other Law departments > > > in Universities across the state to lobby the Law Society to amend the > > > legislation that stipulates the 5 year rule........ > > > > For example in the UK for the purposes of entering into an > > > apprenticeship and doing the LPC (Blackhall equivalent) ones Law > > > Degree is recogniced for 8 years. So even if there were 3 years extra > > > it would help. > > > > However I think it would be worth the effort if all those who hold the > > > FE-1s sign some form of letter that could be handed into the Law > > > Society - I was also one of the schmucks who had to do the Irish exam > > > last Jan 08 and that was legislated out late last year so if they can > > > amend the legislation on that, I really think that they cannot argue > > > against an extension to the 5 year rule, particularly given the > > > extreme circumstances ??? > > > > By the way please DISCOURAGE anyone u know who may not have made their > > > minds up fully if they should take the FE-1s ! Too much pain for > > > nothing. I left a great job in 2006 to study for them and it really > > > was a waste of money and a career - this country is too small and is > > > incapable of recovery in the short to medium term. > > > > Let me know what u all think about perhaps writing a letter to law > > > society - signed by as many of those as is possible who hold their > > > full set of FE-1s to get an extension on the time frame for entering > > > into indentures of apprenticeship. As I said they cannot really argue > > > agaist it - but we need a large number of people to lobby. Also go to > > > your local TD and explain the situation - if we all go to our local > > > TDs and explain then there is a chance that we might get some form of > > > national coverage. > > > > I sent an e mail to the Pat Kenny Show explaining the plight of us in > > > limbo land with the clock ticking on our entrance exams and and he > > > read it out so there is obviosuly some merit in our argument. > > > > It is so depressing - we are all basically intellectual derelicts - at > > > least if we had an extension on the FE-1s it would be somewhat > > > consoling......... > > > > Later..... D > > > > On 17 Feb, 17:06, Richard Power <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > im following what evryone is saying and agree, its lookin pretty bad > > > > because of the current climate, wonder why we bothered wit college etc > > > > etc,, > > > > > but jus wondering if you were to get app. and qualify would career > > > > prospects be any better??or would you have to practise in a different > > > > country and if so what is the situation on equivalent qualifications? > > > > > but just say you were to get apprenticesgip and qualify, even then is > > > > it any bett> Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:00:47 -0800 > > > > > > Subject: Re: Trainees-to-be and the Recession > > > > > From: [email protected] > > > > > To: [email protected] > > > > > > Gaffer > > > > > > I hear what youre saying. I want to point out to you and others that > > > > > you have 5 years to get onto PPC from when you finish the FE1 exam. By > > > > > finishing the FE1 exam that means sucessfully passing all 8. Youre > > > > > saying you have 1 left to do next March so I'd say hold off on that > > > > > because (assuming you pass it) the clock will begin to tick so to > > > > > speak. > > > > > > Go off to Oz for a year or two and come back and sit that exam. Bear > > > > > in mind however that you have 5 years too from passing the first 3 FE1 > > > > > exams to finishing all 8. > > > > > > I really think the Law Society are wrong to put a time stipulation on > > > > > finishing the FE1 exam considering the current climate. > > > > > It's unfair in my opinion and I wonder is there a legal remedy > > > > > (Judicial Review or something) a person could take against the Law > > > > > Society if they were adversely affected by the 5 year rule? Is it > > > > > arbitrary I wonder? > > > > > > On Feb 17, 12:01 pm, the gaffer <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > I hear us! I'm at this since Nov '07. and have one left to do in > > > > > > March.No job or anything since leaving college.You feel like a bit > > > > > > of > > > > > > a failure/waster.Finding it tough to do any work though,coz I knew > > > > > > the > > > > > > stuff backwards in Oct!Thought I handed up gold for my answers in > > > > > > Constitutional but there ya go. > > > > > > Anyway,I applied all around me in '07 and '08.Got a toal of 1 first > > > > > > round interview from '08 applications (with 7 passed) and 5 > > > > > > interviews > > > > > > last yr (with 0 passed)!! So, and this is easy for me (24,no > > > > > > mortgage,kids,living at home etc), I'm off to Oz 4 days after the > > > > > > exam.Really don't think the FE-1s will stand to me as a backpacker > > > > > > who's basically on a J1!!Especially when the employer knows your > > > > > > visa > > > > > > is only valid for a few months.Bar/restaurant work with handy tips > > > > > > or > > > > > > construction with a few beers on the beach in the evenings seems > > > > > > fine > > > > > > in the sunshine to me anyhow!! > > > > > > But obviously 2 yrs ago I'd envisioned myself in a very different > > > > > > place to where I am now (ie heading to bhall in Sept).But hey, if I > > > > > > was then I couldn't go travelling.I just hope that I get an > > > > > > apprenticeship before my fe-1s go stale? (4 yrs from now) > > > > > > > On Feb 17, 11:34 am, YVONNE C <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > I know exactly how you feel we are definitely a forgotten group > > > > > > > and > > > > > > > the Law society will continue taking our money for the Fe1 exams > > > > > > > and > > > > > > > continue training even though there are no jobs out there for us. > > > > > > > Im > > > > > > > sitting my last 3 fe1s in March and to be honest Id love to be in > > > > > > > blackhall by sept but it seems liike an unrealistic goal now > > > > > > > unless I > > > > > > > offer to do my apprenticeship at a law firm for free which I am > > > > > > > seriously considering as id have more options if I was qualified. > > > > > > > I will help you to do some research and to lobby the law society > > > > > > > once > > > > > > > my exams are over (1st April) we really need to get together and > > > > > > > be > > > > > > > seen as a group who the Law Sociey are responsible for there must > > > > > > > be > > > > > > > things they can do to help. > > > > > > > > On Feb 16, 9:52 pm, Caribou <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Well, and sorry to bring negativity for those studying, I > > > > > > > > assume there > > > > > > > > is many in the same boat as myself – have all 8, but job > > > > > > > > prospects > > > > > > > > look extremely badly. It seems that we are as hard hit as > > > > > > > > anyone else > > > > > > > > (harder in my opinion) but were a group that are totally > > > > > > > > forgotten – > > > > > > > > we aren’t in the Law Society yet, so they’ve no real interest > > > > > > > > in us – > > > > > > > > most of us aren’t brand new graduates – so we fall between all > > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > stools with no none to give us a voice. If you are a recently > > > > > > > > qualified at least then you have the OPTION of transferring your > > > > > > > > qualification to another common law jurisdiction (although > > > > > > > > given the > > > > > > > > global nature of this recession that might not be any great > > > > > > > > benefit). > > > > > > > > > So would people have any ideas on alternatives for the time > > > > > > > > being? Or > > > > > > > > plans of action? Maybe we could investigate job prospects and > > > > > > > > what is > > > > > > > > required in other common law jurisdictions? I’ve done a small > > > > > > > > bit of > > > > > > > > investigating on New Zealand, so maybe a few of could > > > > > > > > investigate > > > > > > > > different countries and report back? Also, the Law Society are > > > > > > > > only > > > > > > > > interested in helping out qualified solicitors and trainees – > > > > > > > > perhaps > > > > > > > > we need them to make them aware of our situation and what they > > > > > > > > may do > > > > > > > > to help us? For instance, maybe they could make other Law > > > > > > > > Societies > > > > > > > > aware of what the FE1s entails and so this might make it easier > > > > > > > > when > > > > > > > > our foreign legal qualifications are being assessed. For > > > > > > > > instance, to > > > > > > > > begin the PPC in New Zealand you must have recognised law > > > > > > > > qualification from a recognised university. I have a PG Diploma > > > > > > > > from > > > > > > > > an unrecognised third level (DIT). That’s where it would be > > > > > > > > handy if > > > > > > > > my FE1s carried some weight. i.e. I’m wondering is there > > > > > > > > anything the > > > > > > > > Law Society could do to help us out in that regard. > > > > > > > > > Generally, I’m wondering if we may work on alternatives to the > > > > > > > > bleak > > > > > > > > Irish situations, just to see what options may be available to > > > > > > > > us. Or > > > > > > > > possibly even alternative careers to law (although that seems > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "FE-1 Study Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.ie/group/FE-1-Study-Group?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
