Most people have a very narrow definition of what a lawyer does, but the truth of the matter is that there are plenty of different types of law for people to go into. There are so many options that some might have trouble deciding which one to go with. Here are the different types of law and a brief explanation of each.

Animal Law

Primarily, animal lawyers are the ones fighting for animal rights. This includes fighting for endangered animals and arguing on classifications of such. Lawyers in this field might also specialize in the exposing and prosecution of inhumane practices and facilities.

Admiralty (Maritime) Law

Admiralty law involves the regulations surrounding sailors, marine trade, navigation, and other maritime legal concerns. This includes understanding the minutiae of international public law, rights, and more.

Bankruptcy Law

Lawyers in this field help individuals and businesses alike work their way through the process of bankruptcy and debt consolidation.

Business Law

Business law, as the name suggests, handles all legal sides of businesses and corporations. Tasks include handling mergers, resolving disputes, researching liability, and more.

Civil Rights Law

A civil rights lawyer specializes in protecting the rights of the people. Jobs for civil rights lawyers include within the government and non-profit organizations.

Constitutional Law

Constitutional law requires the interpretation, adherence, and defense of the U.S. Constitution. There are a variety of ways to find employment with this specialty.

Criminal Law

Criminal lawyers are what many people imagine when they think of lawyers. They handle the prosecution and defense of those accused of committing crimes.

Education Law

Education lawyers are focused on any legal concerns surrounding schools, be they colleges, private schools, or public. Most lawyers in this field are advocating for students’ or teachers’ rights.

Entertainment Law

Even the entertainment industry needs lawyers, as tasks such as payments, contracts, compliance, and more need an in-depth legal understanding and education.

Environmental Law

Environmental law is the examination of natural resources and the laws surrounding them. Specifically, these lawyers are concerned with the way humans can or cannot interact with their environment.

Family Law

Family law is a specialty that covers many different aspects, from divorce to surrogacy, adoption, and domestic violence. Anywhere that requires paperwork or legal concerns within a family frequently falls under this branch.

Health Law

Health law is the specialty that handles the healthcare industry, from dealing with malpractice suits to fighting or creating new policies.

Immigration Law

Immigration law deals with the legal concerns of arriving in a new country, specifically the U.S.

Intellectual Property Law

Intellectual property law deals with patents, domains, and copyrights. They help to create, defend, and understand these creations.

International Law

Lawyers that deal with the legal complications that arise from dealing with other countries are working within the field of international law.

Labor Law

Labor law pertains to the dealings that arise between employers and employees, including wages, hours, and rights.

Military Law

Military law requires understanding the Uniform Code of Military Justice and dealing with legal concerns within the armed forces.

Personal Injury Law

Personal injury law specifically handles injuries (physical or psychological) and their reparations.

Real Estate Law

Real estate lawyers are the ones that keep the housing market running, handling all of the legal concerns that come from owning, buying, and selling real estate.

Tax Law

Tax law is perhaps the most infamous category, if only for what it is designed to handle. Here lawyers must be experts in current tax laws, staying up to date.

Article originally published on AnthonyNPicillo.net