Law is the system of rules a particular community recognizes as regulating its members’ activities. It may be a set of regulations or simply a collection of precedents. The aims of law are to ensure social stability, promote orderly social change, and provide justice for all citizens. It is a complex discipline, not least because of the ways in which it influences politics, economics and history.
A legal system may include written or tacit constitutions, which contain a bill of rights and determine the basic structure of a state. They may separate the legislative, executive and judicial powers of the state and may contain other provisions such as a prohibition on religious discrimination or limits on military activity. They may also address the status of international law by giving it or denying it direct internal effect.
The study of Law can involve a wide range of topics, but the most common are contract law (regulating agreements to exchange goods and services) property law (defining people’s rights to their tangible possessions such as land or cars) and family law (divorce proceedings and children’s rights). Other areas include administrative law, which regulates government action, and criminal law.
Those who study Law can also choose to specialise in certain fields, such as intellectual property law (which protects creations like art or music), company law (setting out the rules for companies) and tort law (helping those who have been injured). There is also a branch of law called comparative law that compares the laws of different nations or communities.
People who study Law are generally respected in the work place as being intelligent, hard-working and career driven. This means that when you finish your degree, there is plenty of room for growth in the workforce and you can move up the ladder quickly. There is also a lot of variety in the work that can be done, which is great for those who enjoy change and want to be constantly challenged. The salary is also pretty good, especially in the early stages of your career. The financial rewards of studying Law are definitely something to consider when choosing a career. However, many lawyers find that they can become burnt out if they don’t take breaks from their hectic schedules and don’t manage their stress levels effectively. For this reason, it’s important to have a strong support network around you while studying. If you don’t, then you might struggle to get through the years of hard work that are required to be a successful lawyer. This includes your friends, family and fellow students. If you don’t have a supportive network, then it might be best to look for another route into the workplace. This way, you can avoid burning out and have a more sustainable career.