How do I answer a legal problem question?

Remember I-P-A!

(1) ISSUE: which area of law does the question concern? What does the party you are acting for wish to achieve? 

E.g. "C wishes to establish D was negligent in hitting her with his car, in order to recieve compensation for the injuries she sustained."

(2) POINT OF LAW: what is the current legal authoirty on the issue? What are the requirements of the area of law the question is about? State what the law says, with authority (statute or common law). The facts in the problem question will flag up the issues to focus on.

E.g. "To prove negligence, C must first prove D owed her a duty of care (Caparo v Dickman). It has long been established that a driver owes a pedestrian a duty of care (Nettleship v Weston)."

(3) APPLICATION TO THE FACTS: apply the legal authority to the facts of the question. 

E.g. "D therefore owes C a duty of care, as he is a driver and C is a pedestrian".