Failed my class :( please help

[newbie99]

I just wrapped up 2L and received my grades today (uottawa) and found out I failed my admin law course. I don't really know what to do but honestly feel like shit. I contacted the student centre and was told that I qualified to have a rewrite. I'll be summering at a big law firm and not really sure how I should manage my time between studying and working. Should I tell my hiring manager that I failed a course? If I fail the retake I will have to "repeat" the year apparently and I just received my articling offer and don't know what the implications of me failing would be. I know I'm all over the place but I would really appreciate some feedback/tips/advice on how to navigate this situation please.

[SNAILS]

That's a tough one. I personally would not volunteer the information that you failed a course at the big law firm if you do not have to. 

You do really do need to make sure you pass the exam on this rewrite. That means taking time to study, which means you have to find some reason to tell your boss that you have less time to work until the date of the rewrite. You can also study at work, but the risk there is that your work output will be slow and lower in quality, which may make the big law firm think that's all you are capable of. I would not attempt to work 50+ hours (as is often the case with a big law firm) and risk being unprepared for this very important rewrite.

I would assume the rewrite is not too farm away (end of May?). So you can dedicate yourself 100% to your summer job after that.

[GGrievous]

2 hours ago, SNAILS said:

You can also study at work

No

OP this is a tough one but I think if I were in your shoes I’d disclose. I can’t imagine how stressful it would be to go through this and I feel like it would take the pressure off a bit of you also weren’t sneaking around.

It’s uncomfortable but students usually get a few days off during the summer so you could take those right away. You also wouldn’t need to lie on the day of the retake, which I assume will be on a weekday during the day.

I don’t know what the vibe is at your office or how they would react, maybe bad maybe supportive, but obviously passing this test has to be your priority right now. Also, I would definitely be talking with the professor throughout this process, something obviously went very wrong here and you’re likely going to need to figure out what that is before you just start studying the same way again. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by Barry

[Chewy]

Why are you concerned about not having enough time to study for this retake while working?

[QueensDenning]

I wouldn't tell them. If it's just one class I can't imagine it'll be that hard to fit in some time here and there and over the weekend to study. 

More importantly, did you figure out why you failed in the first place? Was it insufficient prep? Major fuck up on the exam?

[JurisPrudent]

Ultimately, you'll be in the best position to determine whether or not you need to proactively tell your firm in order to be given certain accommodations to study/take the test (I agree with the posters above - I would have thought you could both work and study - but you know your circumstances best).

However, you should absolutely, under no circumstances, lie to your firm. If you end up passing the course and doing great work over your summer and articling term, no one will care that you failed an initial write of an exam. But if the firm learns that you've lied to them, that will effectively end your career at that firm (and may have ramifications as you look for other employment elsewhere on the street). Lawyers live and die by their reputations.  A failed exam and even a repeated year can be overcome - a tarnished reputation is a deep hole to dig out of.

If you end up in a circumstance where your only choice is to tell the firm you failed this exam or lie, think hard before you choose the latter.

[newbie99]

Thank you for everyone's feedback and those that took the time to direct message me studying tips. I've contacted the prof and set up a meeting to go over my exam and prepare for the rewrite. I do not intent on informing my current firm unless I fail the rewrite and have to repeat my year. I am hoping to build a study schedule after getting more information from my prof. 

[capitalttruth]

On 5/13/2023 at 11:19 AM, newbie99 said:

Thank you for everyone's feedback and those that took the time to direct message me studying tips. I've contacted the prof and set up a meeting to go over my exam and prepare for the rewrite. I do not intent on informing my current firm unless I fail the rewrite and have to repeat my year. I am hoping to build a study schedule after getting more information from my prof. 

Sorry to hear this happened to you. What prof's admin law exam was this?

[VIPigeon]

I‘m not sure why you’d have to repeat the year? Can’t you just re-take Admin law next year in 3L? I’m sure they could figure out another way to make up for those missed credits from last year. I find uOttawa pretty reasonable. 

Sorry that happened though. I recommend listening to Forcese’s admin law podcasts, they should be a good review/study aide. 

[myth000]

20 minutes ago, VIPigeon said:

I‘m not sure why you’d have to repeat the year? Can’t you just re-take Admin law next year in 3L? I’m sure they could figure out another way to make up for those missed credits from last year. I find uOttawa pretty reasonable. 

Sorry that happened though. I recommend listening to Forcese’s admin law podcasts, they should be a good review/study aide. 

Admin law might be a prerequisite for 3L-only courses.  So if he failed Admin this year, then next year he'll be limited to taking 2L courses until he passes Admin. 

But if all the required 3L courses are half-courses then it may be possible to take Admin 1st semester of next year and then finish off the required 3L courses in the 2nd semester.  

[VIPigeon]

36 minutes ago, myth000 said:

Admin law might be a prerequisite for 3L-only courses.  So if he failed Admin this year, then next year he'll be limited to taking 2L courses until he passes Admin. 

But if all the required 3L courses are half-courses then it may be possible to take Admin 1st semester of next year and then finish off the required 3L courses in the 2nd semester.  

I go to uOttawa and we can take admin law in 2L or 3L (I haven’t taken it yet) and it’s not a pre-req for anything else that’s required. That’s why I found it so odd. And 3L can be made up of entirely semester-long courses.