Banking and finance is a diverse area of law which involves the regulation of financial products and is primarily focused on loan transactions. The work of a finance lawyer ranges from advising on simple bank loans to companies to working on highly structured financing arrangements across multiple jurisdictions.
European law is a system of rules affecting member states of the European Union. The fundamental principles of European Law include free movement of people, goods and services.To promote these principles, competition law has evolved to regulate market.competition to prevent any one organisation.
Construction law deals with issues relating to building construction and engineering. It involves aspects of contract law, planning law, property law, commercial law and tort. Lawyers specialising in construction could be working on large building projects or acting in disputes where there has been defective construction.
Criminal law is the branch of law which relates to crime and the punishment of those who violate laws. Most criminal law is established by statute, however in the UK there are many important criminal cases which have created legal principles. The fundamentals of a crime are known as the actus reus and the mens rea. These two Latin terms mean “guilty act” and “guilty mind”.
Dispute resolution can be split into two major types. Adjudicative processes include litigation and arbitration and involve an independent third party coming to a final binding judgement on an issue. Meanwhile, consensual processes like mediation, conciliation or negotiation involve the parties coming to a decision between themselves, sometimes with the help of an independent facilitator.
Employment law is the area of law regulating the relationship between employers and employees; it sets out their respective rights and obligations. Employment law and pensions law are related since employers often provide their employees with access to a pension scheme. However, pensions can also be stand-alone area of specialism which involves advise on the creation.
Lawyers working in this field are often referred to as “projects lawyers”. Infrastructure law encompasses transactions in the energy sector as well as projects in road, rail and telecoms. Energy and infrastructure lawyers have to consider commercial, strategic, technical, geographical and political factors that shape and impact transactions in addition to the legal issues.
Environmental law is shaped by treaties, statutes, regulations, common and customary laws which address the effects of human activity on the natural environment. Environmental law certainly has an international element as many treaties governing everything from pollution to sustainable farming are the result of multi-national agreements.
Family law deals with family matters and domestic relations, including marriage and civil partnerships, the termination of relationships and child law. Family law has grown dramatically since the 1970s, as legislators and judges have re-examined and redefined legal relationships. Family law is now entwined with national debates over the structure of family.