Business Law

What is the IRAC methodology?

The IRAC methodology* is a framework that you can use to organise your response to a legal question or essay topic. This framework is commonly used by legal professionals as a tool for problem-solving and analysis, and as a structure for presenting cases at court.

* You may also see this framework referred to as the IPAC methodology. In this case, "P" stands for Principle. 

What does IRAC stands for?

ISSUE

This section will form the introduction to your analysis.

First, look at all of the facts and identify all of the relevant legal issues. Spotting issues is a vital part of legal analysis. 

You'll need to consider:

• What are the relevant facts and problems?
• Who is involved? Who is the plaintiff and who is the defendant?
• Is there any information that we don't know but need to know?
• What area or areas of law is/ are involved?
• What potential conflicts are there between each fact or issue?

If there is more than one issue involved, address each one separately, using the IRAC framework for each one.

RULE/ PRINCIPLE

What are the relevant legal principles?

Refer to specific primary sources:

• This could include both legal statutes and case precedents.
• Consider the weight of authority of each statute or precedent, and the jurisdiction it pertains to.
• Are there any conflicts of law?

APPLICATION

Next, you need to analyse how the legal principles you have identified can be applied to the case in question.

• Detail how each of the relevant laws or case precedents apply to each of the identified issues.
• Do they support the plaintiff's or the defendant's claims?
• If there are multiple plaintiffs. apply the relevant legal principles to each claim separately.
• Remain objective and do not make any assumptions. 
• Consider conflicting legal principles, any ambiguity in the law, and any missing facts.

CONCLUSION

This is where you summarise your solution to the question of law.

• Does the law support the claims of the plaintiff(s)? 
• What is the likely outcome, and why? Consider alternative outcomes.
• Present a conclusion for each of the issues raised.

Sources

Corbett-Jarvis, N., & Grigg, B. (2017).  Effective legal writing A practical guide (2nd ed.). Lexis Nexis Butterworths.

University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Law. (2023). Guide to written communication. https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-08/UTS-Law-Guide-to-Written-Communication-2023.pdf

University of Western Australia Law School. (2014). IRAC guide. https://www.student.uwa.edu.au/faculties/faculty-of-arts,-business,-law-and-education/law-students/Wellbeing/survival-guide/irac-guide

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