Different Areas of Law Explained
The law is a complex world, comprised of many different areas. Usually, solicitors choose to specialise in one or possibly more of these areas.
In this article, we’ll be exploring a number of those different areas of law in order to offer a better understanding of the legal world.
Family Law
As the name implies, this area of the law covers legal matters related to family relationships. This includes issues such as divorce, child custody, adoption, and domestic violence.
Solicitors in this specialism can provide guidance, mediation, or representation for matters which can often be complex or emotional.
It is common for legal aid solicitors to aid with family law matters, especially in cases of domestic abuse or if children are at risk of harm. Aid is available to those who otherwise can not afford legal guidance, though a person will have to pass several assessment tests to see if they qualify for legal aid.
Other areas in which legal aid solicitors may also be able to help include: criminal law, discrimination, human rights, and homelessness or risk of losing your home.
Property Law
This area of law encapsulates legal issues with land, real estate and property. Property solicitors will most commonly aid with transactions - buying, selling, leasing and developing both residential and commercial properties.
They ensure compliance with legal regulations and will work to resolve any property related disputes.
Commercial Law
If a legal matter is related to business operations, it will fall under commercial law. This includes advice on issues with employment and commercial-use properties.
Commercial law can involve guidance on contracts, business mergers or acquisitions and the legal risks, negotiations and support needed for these matters, in order to protect a business’s interests and make sure all laws, such as commercial specific laws and tax laws, are followed.
Personal Law
Personal law is almost the opposite to commercial law. It covers the same areas as family law, but it also focuses on the individual in situations such as bankruptcy, property issues, wills, and more.
Both personal and commercial laws can be seen as umbrella terms for a myriad of other types of law.
Criminal Law
Even criminals deserve or need representation in court, plus they may be innocent. It’s a human right to have representation, and this is also covered in Human Rights Law.
Criminal law involves any criminal act or offence such as theft, assault or fraud, to name a few.
If accused of a crime, you’ll need a criminal defence solicitor to represent you. They will either defend against accusations if you’re not guilty or fight to get you the most fair and reasonable sentencing – whether that means a lower prison sentence, suspended sentence, lower fine, community service/volunteer work, and so on.
Employment Law
This can fall under both commercial and employment laws depending on the issue. It governs the relationship between employers and employees and covers issues such as contracts, discrimination, unfair dismissal, workplace rights and disputes, etc.
Solicitors specialising in employment law advise both employers and employees on rights, obligations, and anything else that fall under employment related legalities.
Personal Injury Law
If you’ve suffered physical or psychological harm caused by an accident, medical negligence, or a defective product, it may be worth talking to a solicitor who specialises in personal injury law.
You may be entitled compensation for things such as medical expenses, lost wages, and/or pain and suffering.
Medical Law
As well as the medical negligence mentioned above, medical law covers the legalities of healthcare – this includes doing everything possible to avoid medical negligence from happening in the first place.
Examples of issues that fall under medical law include: patient rights, medical malpractice, and following healthcare regulations.
A medical solicitor can represent healthcare providers, patients, and even regulatory bodies in disputes and compliance matters. They can provide advice on consent, confidentiality, professional liability and the ethical implications of medical treatments or innovations.
Medical law exists to ensure that healthcare practices follow legal stands and that patient welfare is protected at all times.
Other Notable Types of Law
It’s also important to note that sometimes multiple areas of law can be involved in one case – such as personal injury and medical law above, or personal law, family law, and wills and probate law…
Before we wrap up, there are also several other specialisms that are worth mentioning, such as:
Immigration Law – cover visas, asylum, citizenship and deportation
Wills and Probate Law – involves writing wills, distributing assets, and sometimes disputes
Environmental Law – focusing on protecting the environment by use of regulations and ensuring compliance with those regulations
Intellectual Property Law – this covers copyright and trademarked protection of creations
Tax Law – involves tax planning, compliance, relief, and disputes
Final Thoughts
By highlighting and breaking down the many areas of law, this can help people to understand this overwhelming subject better. If you’re facing any legal issues, you should now know who to go to for the best advice.
Research solicitor’s offices, read reviews, set up an initial consultation, and make sure you contact a solicitor that has experts in the area you need (they usually list what they cover on their website).
