Right I'm going to get my 2 cent in here. Firstly there are quite a few people posting here who have their head up their arse. I suspect these posters are recent graduates and with respect a bit naive. I also suspect they have never worked in a legal practice either.
The situation is that in practice nobody cares what a persons degree is in or where they studied, who their daddy is or what they ate for breakfast. The job is all about reputation not academics. Reputation is gained through experience. As regards the future of the profession I believe it is going to get very tough in the years ahead especially for newly qualifieds. If a young person came to me in the morning asking me whether I'd recommend the job and whether it's a wise move to want to go down the Blackhall route I'd say no. If you are already in the system as the FE1 passed or nearly completed I'd say well go for it but if starting anew I'd discourage anybody. On Apr 4, 4:36 am, b05bf1e4 <[email protected]> wrote: > Agreed LDGantly. > > LaPulga, > > I was under the impression that these courses do up template answers, > grids, summarize recent case law and give extra notes on likely topics > etc. (i've seen them because many of my friends have do the course) > What i'm saying is that they focus on the topics likely to come up... > > As i said, i'm only going on what i'm told. How do they go through > material? Do they focus on likely topics or teach you from scratch. > Because if they do, i'd be very worried as to why the vast majority of > law graduates go there. Do they not have these one day intensive study > courses? Surely then they're completely focusing on what'l come up... > > You merely have to go to previous threads in post mortems saying > "everything such and such said came up...I would have been screwed > otherwise"... > > You must concede that i make a point somewhat? Why do you think so > many pay so much to do these courses? And don't take this to be an > unjust attack...I am curious and as i've said correct me on anything > i've said as i've never experienced a grid/ prep school whether it be > leaving cert, college or otherwise... > > Can i ask then what was your purpose of going there? > > On Apr 4, 12:59 am, LDGantly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > To further qualify my earlier point, id have to add that there is no > > way in hell that id be sitting these exams had i not been fortunate > > enough to obtain an apprenticeship. I think the law society are > > leaving what seems like hundreds of people in limbo land with a 5 year > > time-bomb which starts ticking as soon as one has passed his/her final > > FE1. What a shame, considering the effort people go through to pass > > these exams. This sounds harsh but the reality is that in the current > > economic climate, if you sit the FE1s in the hope of obtaining an > > apprenticeship thereafter you're living on false pretenses. I > > personally feel that its awful that the law society permits this to > > happen. > > In relation to the age old law/non-law debate, i hold no grudges at > > all against non-law graduates. There is a fine line though and im > > aware that what im about to say is contentious. An engineering/science > > graduate may for example turn out to be the fines IP/energy lawyer in > > the country and i would have no problem, as a client, being aware of > > his non-law background to pay his no doubt extremely high fees. > > However, I would think twice about paying a music graduate from an IT > > in the middle of nowhere for same.-i think that was the point kenno > > was trying to make and id have to agree with him. Where this "line" > > should be drawing is a completely subjective question/opinion. > > Can someone please explain to me why kings inns requires non-law grads > > to do a diploma whilst the law society does not? > > As far as the preparatory courses are concerned i know plenty of law > > grads who attend them and their reasoning for doing so is completely > > beyond me. I dont think attending these courses presents anyone with > > any great advantage-its the work you do yourself that will take you > > over the line......hopefully (ive studied for the first of four of > > these exams on my own-havent taken a day off study since the 2nd of > > january-im also in the middle of my second law degree) Good luck to > > all doing exams and looking for apprenticeships > > > Apr 3, 7:42 pm, b05bf1e4 <[email protected]> wrote: > > There have been good points made by the "non graduates" side, and i'm > > > > not going to disagree with the points made as they are all valid. The > > > only grudge as such i would hold with non law graduates is that most > > > of them go to either of the prep courses and are essentially spoon-fed > > > answers...By that i mean they are given tips and predictions on what > > > comes up and tend to focus on essay type questions... > > > Because to be fair, the exams are not that difficult, as in its > > > substance. I do struggle with time, and i think the main reason why > > > people tend to fail is because they don't "hit" their 5 questions, > > > because lets face it if you do you're probably going to pass. It's > > > fair to say that the essay questions are not that challenging in any > > > respect. It's more a case of do i know it or not... > > > What i'm really trying to say is that it's diluting the quality of > > > answers given and this has been picked up by the EU examiner. I'd like > > > to see a more practical based exam, something that'll make you apply > > > your knowledge as opposed to Learning off the manuals without > > > understanding the material... > > > Then you can have a level playing field. A field where money won't buy > > > you the best grind courses available... > > > Now i have never been on one of these courses, so i'm open to be > > > corrected (there's always one) > > > Credit should be given to those graduates that don't attend such > > > courses, and i'd take my hat off to anyone who has done so. > > > Otherwise what's a law degree worth? > > > I would agree with the above posters that proposed some sort of > > > exemptions. Those who have done some practical experience or diploma > > > would have to get recognition but what is clear is that the system > > > needs to be re evaluated... > > > > And too be clear, i have no gripe with non law graduates becoming > > > solicitors. I just feel that it's getting easier for anyone regardless > > > of background to pass these exams. It's like the leaving where > > > everyone went to the institute and was guaranteed high points. > > > > If we are to have a level playing it has to be level... > > > > On Apr 3, 6:55 pm, Lousy Moe <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > People, as a Legal Executive who studied Law by night I have to agree > > > > that the permitting of graduates from a non legal background is > > > > nothing more than a positive move. I have seen throughout my years > > > > that it is often those who come from a different background who have > > > > more to offer their clients. So for example the Engineer can apply > > > > his previous knowledge to the legal situation in defending an > > > > Architect. Ditto for those with any other degree (even if it is in > > > > music). My point is that Law Firms are seeking those who are > > > > flexible! Even if you are going to practice in an area such as > > > > criminal law wherein fundamental liberties, the rules of evidence etc > > > > all aid and assist, I'm certain that non law graduates will receive > > > > the same education as Law graduates within the Law School to have them > > > > adequately prepared to assist their client. Furthermore, any > > > > Solicitor who is in any way uncertain will always refer the matter to > > > > Counsel for an opinion. I agree that a Law Degree is only a stepping > > > > stone to sucessfully qualifying as a Solicitor - as is any other > > > > graduate degree - a mere stepping stone! > > > > > The Law Society Eduacation Committee has kept the standard of > > > > graduates entering the profession to a very high degree, by > > > > maintaining the standard and quality of answers required for each and > > > > every exam question within the FE-1's. The amount of preparation that > > > > is required for a 2.1 Law Degree and the coveted 50% pass in the FE-1 > > > > exams vary very widely considerably. Maybe the integrity of the > > > > University Law Degrees should be more in focus instead of the trivial > > > > question of non law graduates? > > > > > On Apr 1, 11:07 pm, Paudie <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > for the next 2 years, the law society are flooding 700 more qualified > > > > > solicitors into an already saturated field. In the last 10 years, the > > > > > legal profession has doubled and is growing at almost 10% a year. > > > > > There are no jobs now or opportunity for growth - the housing bubble > > > > > distorted the market completely and it is us the guinea fodder that > > > > > will suffer the most. the law society are content to continue > > > > > taking the extortionate fe1 fees and ppc1 fees forever despite the > > > > > condition of the market place as this is a major source of revenue for > > > > > them. They do not have regard that most people have slaved through > > > > > degrees, fe1s and then have to enter an apprenticeship on slave money > > > > > despite the majority of other professions being looked after on > > > > > considerably better terms. we need to form a cohesive voice to > > > > > negotiate better terms as at it stands at the moment - apprenticeships > > > > > are few and far between and are going to revert back to 'family > > > > > connections' being the main door of entry to the legal profession.- > > > > > Hide quoted text - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
