Different Areas of Law in the UK

Law is a complex a wide reaching area. Law is essentially a system that consists of rules which govern what people are, and are not allowed to do, as well as consequences for those who fail to abide by the law. Punishments are dependent on the type of crime and severity of the crime that has been committed.

Like in any country, in the UK there are many different types of law. This article looks at five of these. It is far from an exhaustive list as that could never be covered in one article.

Criminal Law

Criminal Law is the area of law that is related to criminal offenses having being committed. This covers a huge range of offenses; anything from murder to fraud and driving over the speed limit. The most serious crimes within criminal law are instances of serious physical abuse. The most serious criminal offences carry strong punishments, in some cases leading to someone spending the rest of their life in prison.

Family Law

As the name suggests, family law is an area of law relating to family. The most obvious area here is divorce. Any legal aspect around the break-up of a relationship is covered, including the splitting of assets such as property and finances. Decisions regarding children after a separation is another area that comes under this umbrella of law. This includes deciding which parent will primarily care for children thereafter, the rights of each parent to see their children, and where one parent must pay child maintenance to the other. Civil partnerships, including the dissolution of civil partnerships, are also covered here as are adoptions.

Employment Law

Anything related to being employed or employing people is covered under employment law. There is a set of regulations that employers must adhere to when employing people, during their employment and when ending an employee’s role in their organisation. This includes not being able to discriminate against someone for any reason, and supplying good working conditions as are dictated by employment regulations. People cannot be sacked without good reason, and depending on the length a member of staff has been with the company and the nature of their dismissal, sufficient warning may need to be given. There are also rules around redundancy; there must be an adequate reason for the redundancy and if employment has lasted longer than two years redundancy compensation must be paid. In most cases this equates to one week’s pay for every year someone has been with the company.

Estate Law

This area refers to someone’s estate after they die, including their finances and their assets. This begins before someone dies when a will is written. It is important this is written according to the law otherwise there is a danger of it being challenged at a later date. At the end of someone’s life estate law involves their wishes being followed and the execution of their will.

Real Estate Law

Legal aspects around property are covered under real estate law. This generally refers to buildings and land. This includes people’s homes and commercial real estate, from shops and offices to factories and farmland. When someone is buying or selling a home they must make sure they adhere to real estate law. This is also the case when renting a home or letting one out.

Andrew Marshall ©

Lester Aldridge is a law firm who cover a wide range of different areas of law.