法式 is a noun compound with two distinct meanings depending on context. In everyday life it often refers to 'French-style' — used as a modifier for things like food, fashion, or architecture (法式面包 'French baguette', 法式吻 'French kiss'). In formal or legal settings it means 'legal method' or 'rule' (法律形式, 法律方式). Because these senses are very different, it's important to infer the meaning from the context — simply knowing the gloss 'method' can mislead you into using 方法 instead.