I'd happily help with any letter/petition. Just to head this one off
at the pass, the most likely reply from the Law Soc is that the FE-1
result expires after 5 years because the law is constantly changing
and a person who passed 5 years ago would be ill-equipped to tackle
issues with out of date knowledge. So get you debating caps on ;-)

On Feb 19, 7:46 pm, john <[email protected]> wrote:
> 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 -
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