The Art of Legal Problem Solving
Published on 19. February 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
138 pages
978-1-009-77822-0 (ISBN)
Description
The Art of Legal Problem Solving: A Criminal Law Approach is a sophisticated skills book designed to help students develop the problem-solving techniques necessary for their legal careers. This succinct yet comprehensive book provides the perfect mix of general instruction and specific examples to encourage students to think about problems both in depth and broadly. It follows a clear roadmap presented in a logical progression, beginning with the fundamentals, fact finding and statutory interpretation before turning to the advanced areas of analysing and writing answers to problem questions. While written primarily for criminal law students, the skills imparted are generic and can be applied equally in any area of the law and in any jurisdiction. The Art of Legal Problem Solving is an indispensable work for law students who want to not only improve their problem-solving skills but master them.
More details
Person
Dr Brendon Murphy is Professor of Law at the School of Law, Southern Cross University. He has served as an Associate Professor at the Thomas More Law School, Australian Catholic University, and at Canberra Law School, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle, and a Foundation Lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Prior to joining the academy in 2007, he worked as an in-house solicitor for the University of Newcastle, and in litigation in Newcastle after being admitted as a legal practitioner in the NSW Supreme Court.
Content
1. Introduction; 2. Fundamentals of problem solving; 3. Fact finding; 4. Statutory interpretation of criminal matters; 5. Analysing a problem; 6. Putting it all together; 7. Writing it up; Appendix A. Hypothetical example problem; Appendix B. Hypothetical example problem answer; Appendix C. Memorandum of advice in the matter of DPP v Ray Smith.