FE-1 Company Law
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ExploreAbout this exam
FE-1 Company Law is the company law sitting within the FE-1 stage of the Law Society of Ireland's solicitor qualification pathway. The FE-1 examinations are the first set of professional entrance exams that a candidate must clear before progressing to the Professional Practice Course (PPC) at the Law Society's Law School, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. This page is an independent study resource for candidates preparing that company law paper; it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Law Society of Ireland.
The subject matter is Irish company law as it applies in practice: how companies are formed and their constitution, corporate capacity and authority, shares and capital maintenance, directors' duties and corporate governance, members' rights and meetings, minority protection and remedies, charges and debentures, receivership and examinership, winding up and strike-off. Candidates should expect problem-based questions requiring application of rules to facts rather than pure recall.
Preparation should begin with the governing Irish companies legislation and the Law Society's published FE-1 syllabus and past-paper style materials, then move to structured notes per topic, timed written answers, and review against marking schemes. Because the Law Society's site is the authoritative source for entry requirements, exam timetables, fees and results, candidates should verify all such administrative details directly there; this page does not restate them. Note that the Law Society's site is also the source for becoming a solicitor, CPD compliance, and the PPC, and it publishes practice notes and precedents that can support study of business law topics.
What you'll study
About FE-1 Company Law preparation
What is the FE-1 and where does Company Law fit?
FE-1 is the first stage of the Law Society of Ireland's route to qualifying as a solicitor, taken before the Professional Practice Course at the Law School. Company Law is one of the FE-1 subjects. Confirm the current subject list, sitting dates and entry requirements on the Law Society's own site rather than relying on third-party summaries.
Is this page officially connected to the Law Society?
No. This is an independent study page for candidates searching for FE-1 Company Law material. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by the Law Society of Ireland, and it does not speak for the Society on any requirement, deadline or fee. Always treat lawsociety.ie as the authoritative source for administrative matters.
How should I structure my Company Law study?
Work topic by topic: formation and constitution, share capital, directors' duties, members' meetings and remedies, charges, and insolvency. For each, build a one-page rule summary, then practise applying it to short fact patterns under time pressure. Finish with timed full answers and compare your structure against published marking guidance where available.
What format should I expect for the paper?
Expect written, problem-based questions requiring you to identify the legal issue, state the rule and authority, apply it to the facts and reach a reasoned conclusion. The precise format, duration and weightings are set by the Law Society, so check its published exam regulations and any sample papers rather than assuming a format.
How hard is the company law paper?
It rewards application over recall. Candidates who memorise sections but cannot apply them to a scenario typically lose marks. The main difficulty is time management: producing structured, authority-backed answers to several problems. Difficulty is subjective, but consistent timed practice is the most reliable way to reduce it.
Can I retake an FE-1 subject, and what does it cost?
Retake rules, permitted attempts and fees are set by the Law Society and change over time. This page does not state them because they are not confirmed here. Check the Law Society's FE-1 regulations and fees pages directly before you plan a resit, and note deadlines well in advance.
What are the most common failure modes?
Three recur. First, writing everything you know about a topic instead of answering the question asked. Second, stating conclusions without the governing rule or case authority. Third, running out of time because early answers were too long. Practise allocating time per question and leaving space to finish every part of the paper.
Where can I find reliable supporting material?
Start with the Law Society's site, which publishes practice notes, precedents and business law resources, plus its news and events section for updates. Use a current Irish company law textbook alongside the governing statutes. Avoid undated summaries, since company law is amended frequently and older notes may state rules that no longer apply.