This write-up will guide you on the use IRAC to answer law questions. The importance of using IRAC for problem -based law questions cannot be overstated.
IRAC stands for Issue, Rule, Application. Most universities in England and Wales usually ask students to use IRAC to answer problem-based or scenario-based questions.
Law tutors can guide you on how to make adequate use of IRAC to achieve excellent results. IRAC is necessary to answer, for example, law of contract, land law, criminal law, employment law, equity and trusts, constitutional and administrative law, public law, European union law, company law, law of evidence, international law, law of tort, English legal system, Human rights law, family law, and international commercial law etc. questions.
Structured Method
Identify the Issue
Start by pinpointing the legal issues in the question. Take note of the key questions or problems that should be addressed in the question. What are the key questions or problems?
State the Rule
Additionally, this is where you should clearly articulate the relevant legal rules or principles that apply to the issues. For example, you should cite specific legislation or statutes, cases, and legal doctrines. These are very important.
Apply the Rule
Furthermore, the identified legal rules should be applied to the facts of the case or the problem question. Ensure that you analyse how the identified rules are relevant to the facts, most especially how they influence the resolution of the legal issues that you have identified. This is where you should consider whether there are similarities and differences with past legal authorities, for example, cases.
Draw a Conclusion
Finally, ensure that you summarise your findings and also provide a concise conclusion. Your opinion should be stated on how the legal issues should be resolved. This should be done based on the application of the rules to the facts in the problem-based question.
Example of Using The Law of Contract
Issue– Is there a valid contract between part A and Part B?
Rule– Bearing in mind the principle of offer and acceptance in the law of contract, a valid contract needs a clear and unambiguous offer, an acceptance, consideration, and an intention to create legal relations. What are the relevant legal authorities such as cases?
Application– Explain here how Party A has made a clear offer and how Party B has accepted the offer and explain the presence of consideration. Therefore, there is a valid contract.
Conclusion– Explain here that there is a valid contract between the parties based on the elements of a valid contract, offer, acceptance and consideration.
Take note that law tutors or private law tutors can guide you in the systematic use of IRAC to analyse legal problems and present your analysis in a very structured and organised way which is very important for effective legal writing. Such law tuition can take place online or face to face. You can look for law tutors near you, undergraduate law tutors, LLB tutors or postgraduate law tutors.
Making use of law tutors for university students can help to improve your grades.