Civil law deals with the upholding of rights for individuals. Civil law attorneys typically try cases that involve alleged infringements on people's personal rights, such as incidents of wrongful death or defamation of character, according to typeoflawyer.com. Those practicing civil law do not usually cross over into criminal cases. Even though the civil cases may be related to an ongoing criminal case, the charges filed and the potential verdict are always a separate case entirely. For example, a murder trial is a criminal case in which prosecutors attempt to prove the guilt of a party who allegedly committed a murder. Regardless of the outcome, the family of the murder victim could bring a civil suit for wrongful death against the same person, accusing him of being responsible for the murder even if he did not commit the act.
Family law is a broad area of the legal profession that relates to marriage, divorce, adoption, legal guardians, child custody, child support, division of property and more. Lawyers who practice family law generally stay within the family law arena, and there is plenty of work to keep them busy. Many family law situations develop into heated and angry battles between ex-spouses or parents of children who are unable to agree on the terms of separation or come to an agreement for providing for their child. Some of these cases can be settled in a short time, but it is common for family law cases to linger on for months or even years.
Criminal law, or penal law, is the area of law that is most familiar to the public, and it is a big part of what law students study. Criminal defense lawyers try to prove the innocence of their clients in court when they are accused of crimes. These crimes can range from misdemeanor offenses, such as reckless driving, all the way up to felonies, like murder, that can result in a lifelong prison sentence.
Prosecutors try to prove the guilt of the accused and are the ones who initially bring the charges against the alleged perpetrator. Prosecutors typically represent the state where the crime occurred, unless it is a federal offense, in which case the prosecutor would represent the United States.
Corporate law is an area of law in which the attorney represents a business. The corporate lawyer must be well versed in business-related laws and tax laws to ensure compliance by her clients and may have to defend the company in court in the event of any accusations by the public, government or other companies.