Legal Research Memo Template (IRAC Format)
LEGAL RESEARCH MEMORANDUM
Table of Contents
- Heading
- Questions Presented
- Brief Answer
- Statement of Facts
- Discussion (IRAC Analysis)
- Conclusion and Recommendation
- Research Log
- Appendix
1. Heading
TO: [________________________________]
FROM: [________________________________]
DATE: [__/__/____]
RE: [________________________________]
CLIENT / MATTER: [________________________________] / Matter No. [________]
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL — ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
2. Questions Presented
Question 1: Under [legal standard / statute / rule], does [specific legal question incorporating key facts]?
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Question 2: [________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Question 3 (if applicable): [________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
3. Brief Answer
Answer to Question 1:
[Yes/No/Likely.] [________________________________]
[________________________________]
Answer to Question 2:
[Yes/No/Likely.] [________________________________]
[________________________________]
Answer to Question 3 (if applicable):
[Yes/No/Likely.] [________________________________]
[________________________________]
4. Statement of Facts
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Key Documents Reviewed:
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
Disputed / Unverified Facts:
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
5. Discussion (IRAC Analysis)
Issue 1: [________________________________]
I — Issue
[Restate the specific legal issue in the context of the client's facts.]
[________________________________]
R — Rule
[State the governing legal rule(s), including:
- Statutory text
- Leading case law (with full citations)
- Regulatory provisions
- Restatements or secondary authority (if primary authority is sparse)]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Key Authorities:
| Authority | Citation | Holding / Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
A — Application
[Apply the rule to the client's specific facts. Compare and distinguish relevant cases. Address both favorable and unfavorable arguments. Identify the strongest counterarguments.]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Favorable Factors:
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
Unfavorable Factors / Counterarguments:
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
C — Conclusion (Issue 1)
[State your conclusion on this issue. Assess the strength of the client's position.]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Confidence Level: ☐ Strong ☐ Moderate ☐ Uncertain — further research needed
Issue 2: [________________________________]
I — Issue
[________________________________]
R — Rule
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Key Authorities:
| Authority | Citation | Holding / Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [________________________________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
A — Application
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
C — Conclusion (Issue 2)
[________________________________]
Confidence Level: ☐ Strong ☐ Moderate ☐ Uncertain — further research needed
Issue 3 (if applicable): [________________________________]
I — Issue
[________________________________]
R — Rule
[________________________________]
A — Application
[________________________________]
C — Conclusion (Issue 3)
[________________________________]
6. Conclusion and Recommendation
Overall Conclusion:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
Recommended Course of Action:
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
Additional Research / Investigation Needed:
☐ [________________________________]
☐ [________________________________]
Time Sensitivity: ☐ Immediate action required ☐ Action needed within [____] days ☐ No immediate deadline
7. Research Log
| Date | Database / Source | Search Terms | Results / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| [__/__/____] | [____________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [__/__/____] | [____________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [__/__/____] | [____________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
| [__/__/____] | [____________] | [________________________________] | [________________________________] |
Total Research Time: [____] hours
Databases Used: ☐ Westlaw ☐ LexisNexis ☐ Bloomberg Law ☐ Google Scholar ☐ State court website ☐ Other: [________________________________]
8. Appendix
☐ Copies of key cases cited
☐ Relevant statutory text
☐ Regulatory provisions
☐ Secondary source excerpts
☐ Timeline of events
☐ Other: [________________________________]
Sources and References
About This Template
Practice management documents are the internal paperwork that runs a law firm: intake forms, engagement letters, file management policies, and closing letters. Consistent practice management reduces malpractice risk, speeds up billing, and keeps client relationships organized across the life of a matter. Many bar disciplinary complaints trace back to poor practice management rather than bad lawyering, so these templates directly affect a firm's exposure.
Important Notice
This template is provided for informational purposes. It is not legal advice. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Last updated: May 2026
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