Just to clarify a point... Once a candidate have sat 4 and passed 3 he/she has 5 years to sit and pass the remaining 5.
When this is done (ie all 8 passed) the FE1 exam is passed. At this point the candidate has 5 years to secure a place on PPC1, if this isnt achieved the FE1 exam is redundant and the candidate has to resit the exam if he/she wants to try again. It's unfair. There should not be a time stipulation from completing the FE1 and securing a place on PPC1. Just to put the current situation into perspective for people...I work in a small general practice in Dublin Inner City. My boss was looking for a part-time receptionist to come in in the afternoons. He's paying minimum wage-€8.65 per hour. The response to the position was amazing, mosting young people with degrees and the FE1's either mostly completed or passed. He ended up hiring a newly qualified solicitor who was admitted last year. This individual cant get work as a solicitor so has to settle for this position. Crazy but true. On Feb 19, 2:30 am, SarahMcC <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 > > ... > > 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
