Skip to main content
PARALEGAL-SKILLS5 MIN READ

Build the chronology before the theory

Create a fact chronology that keeps observed facts separate from legal analysis.

The move: separate fact, source, and issue. IRAC protects legal reasoning by giving each kind of thinking a job. In a chronology, the equivalent is: what happened, where we know it from, and why it may matter. Mixing those too early creates messy work product. You end up with entries that sound persuasive but cannot be checked. Fact Write only what the source supports. Avoid verbs like 'admitted,' 'proved,' or 'ignored' unless the document actually says that. Source Capture Bates number, file name, email date, transcript page, or interview note. A fact without a source is a memory, not a…

Read the full lesson

Sign up free — one personalized lesson every day, matched to your role and goals.

Already have an account? Sign in

← Back to library
Contact us