Final Examination - First Part (FE-1)

The Final Examination - First Part (FE-1) is normally held twice a year in Spring and Autumn and consists of 8 papers: Company Law; Constitutional Law; The Law of Contract; Criminal Law; Equity; The Law of the European Union; The Law of Property; and The Law of Torts.

Applications to sit the FE-1 are completed online. In order to apply you must create an online application account on the Law Society website.

Creating your Law Society online account
Click here to register for a LawSociety.ie account. Please ensure that the information you enter on this form is accurate as it will be used for verification purposes.

Accessing your Law Society online account
Click here to log into your existing LawSociety.ie account.

Required documents and fees
The following documents must be submitted as part of your application:

  • Official photo ID e.g. passport or driver's license, and
  • Examination fee (€120 per subject), and
  • One of the following proofs of eligibility:
You are Documents required
Graduate of an Irish or UK college/university (Level 7 min) Degree certificate
Undergraduate at an Irish university/college (Level 7 min) Final transcript from 1st (or subsequent) year of university/college course (Level 7 min)
Holder of Law Society or King’s Inns Diploma in Law Law Society or King’s Inns Diploma
Qualified Accountant Proof of current membership of one of the listed accountancy bodies
Foreign University Graduate/ Law Clerk or Legal Executive Preliminary Examination Grant of Exemption
Non-Graduate Preliminary Examination Results letter

Refunds
Examination fees cannot be transferred to another FE-1 sitting. A refund of an examination fee will only be given to candidates who produce medical evidence (i.e. a medical certificate from a GP or consultant) for non-attendance. No refund will be given if a candidate is present for the examination/ logs on to the examination, regardless of whether any examination questions were attempted.

Requests for refunds, together with supporting medical evidence must be received within 30 days of the examination taking place. 

The FE-1 is held twice each year in Spring and Autumn. The next FE-1 sitting will be held in March 2025. Please note that applications for this sitting will open in min-January for this sitting

Schedule of FE-1 sitting

As an FE-1 candidate you have an option to sit the FE-1 in-person or online.

You can choose to sit your FE-1 in-person or online. You must indicate your choice on the application form. In person sittings will be in at an examination centre in Dublin.

Sitting the FE-1 In-Person
In person examinations take place at a venue in Dublin to be confirmed shortly after the closing of application. Candidate should note the examination rules and ensure that they only bring permitted legislation into the examination venue.

All in-person examinations run from 10:00 to 13:00.

Sitting the FE-1 Online
If you chose to sit the examination online you must ensure that you meet the technical requirements of the online examination system.

All online examinations run from 10:00 to 13:30.

You must also comply with the rules designed to protect the integrity of the examination process.:

  • External communication with anyone is not allowed during the examination.
  • Do not leave your workspace during the examination.
  • Your webcam and microphone must remain on during the examination.
  • Please be available for up to 30 minutes before the scheduled examination start time.

At any point before or during the exam, your workspace must be ready for inspection and may only include:

  • Photo ID (i.e. passport/driving licence)
  • Permitted legislation
  • Tissues, if required
  • Clock/watch – smart watches are not permitted and/or
  • Phone – turned off and face down(unless you encounter an issue during the exam and need to contact a member of the Law Society).

Applications for the Spring 2025 sitting will open in the new year.

Further information will be provided in due course.Requests for refunds, together with supporting medical evidence must be received within 30 days of the examination taking place.

Requests for rechecks must be received within 14 days of the issue of the results. 

Application fee: €120 per subject (paid online at time of application)

Examination Recheck fee is €140 per subject examination.

Syllabus

The FE-1 is consists of 8 papers: Company Law; Constitutional Law; The Law of Contract; Criminal Law; Equity; The Law of the European Union; The Law of Property; and The Law of Torts.

A detailed syllabus and recommended reading for each examination subject can be accessed here:

FE-1 Syllabus

List of FE-1 Examiners

The following legislation sources can be used during your FE-1 (either in person or online): FE-1 Permitted Legislative Sources

Order Past Examination Papers

Past examination papers and examiner’s reports are available to purchase: Order past papers

FE-1 Preparatory Courses

The Law Society has compiled a list of FE-1 preparatory courses and tuition. However, the Law Society has no control over and makes no input into any of these courses and give no warranty in respect of them. The Law Society does not authorise any of these courses and has not asked any of the course providers to establish them.

Contacts for FE-1 preparatory courses and tuition

The Law Society is committed to ensuring that learners have as complete and equitable access to all facets of student life as can reasonably be provided. The Law Society recognises and values difference and is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for the benefit of all and endorses the principles of inclusive teaching, learning, and assessment.

The supports you might require may depend on the stage of your training. Find more information about the supports offered.

Results

A week before results are issued you will receive an email with information on how to access your results via Law Society account.

If you are taking the FE-1 as an undergraduate your results will remain provisional until you provide the Law Society with evidence of the award of your degree at Level 7 (or above) on the Irish NFQ.

Rechecks

You may apply for a recheck of any failed examination within 14 days of the release of the results for that examination.

The recheck application fee is €140 per examination. If you pass an examination following a recheck, you will be refunded the recheck fee for that examination.

Overend Scholarship
The Overend Scholarship was established by Trevor T. L. Overend, Solicitor, President of the Law Society of Ireland (1894/95). It is awarded to the candidate who achieves the highest combined marks for the FE-1 subjects in a single calendar year and who has registered a training contract with the Law Society. 

Prizes for Individual Subjects
The Law Society awards prizes to the best performers in each of the eight FE-1 subjects based on a first sitting in a calendar year. 

Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible for financial assistance for the FE-1.

For example, the Law Society Access Programme can assist with reduced/waived FE-1 fees and/or access to core texts related to the FE-1.

For further information see Funding Your Studies.

FE-1 Section

Our privacy policy

NEXT STEP: TRAINING CONTRACT Orange arrow pointing right