How to answer a law problem question
Answer a law problem question by identifying each legal issue in the facts, stating the relevant rule with authority, applying that rule to the specific facts, and reaching a conclusion on each issue. Many students know this as IRAC: issue, rule, application, conclusion.
What most advice leaves out
Most marks in a problem question are in the application, and that is where students lose them. It is tempting to write everything you know about a topic, but a problem question asks what the law means for these particular people on these particular facts. A short rule applied carefully to every relevant fact scores better than a long account of the law that never touches the scenario.
Step by step
- 1
Read the facts twice
On the second read, mark every fact that could matter legally. Examiners rarely include details for no reason.
- 2
List the issues
Write down each separate legal question the facts raise, and for each party if there are several.
- 3
State the rule
For each issue, give the legal rule briefly with its authority, such as a case or statute.
- 4
Apply it to the facts
Go through the relevant facts and say how the rule applies to them, including arguments both ways where the facts are ambiguous.
- 5
Conclude on each issue
Give a clear conclusion for each issue, even if it is "likely" rather than certain, before moving to the next.
Common mistakes
- Writing an essay about the area of law instead of applying it.
- Missing an issue because one fact was skimmed.
- Ending without a conclusion for each issue.
Practise it with Migo AI Students
Pick law as your field when you create a study agent and Migo frames its modes in the language of your course. Case Practice works through scenarios and asks you to defend your reasoning, Chat Tutor explains a rule or case step by step, and Quiz Mode checks you remember the key authorities. All free. It is for study only, not legal advice, and it does not write coursework answers for you.
Questions
Do I have to use IRAC?
Not always. Some tutors prefer variations, but almost all good answers identify issues, state rules, apply them and conclude. Follow your module’s guidance.
How many cases should I cite?
Enough to support each rule you state. One relevant authority applied well is better than a list of cases with no application.
Related guides
- How to answer case study questionsAnswer a case study question by identifying the central problem, choosing the theory or framework from your course that fits it, applying that framework to the specific details of the case, and ending with a justified recommendation or conclusion.
- How to structure an essayStructure an essay with an introduction that states your answer to the question, body paragraphs that each make one point supported by evidence and linked back to the question, and a conclusion that draws the points together. The argument, not the topic, should decide the order.
- How to prepare for a vivaPrepare for a viva by practising answering questions out loud, under pressure, about the work you will be examined on, then fixing the gaps each practice round exposes. Rereading your thesis or notes feels productive but does not train the skill a viva tests.
General study advice. Follow your own course’s guidance and your institution’s rules on assessment and AI use.