Law is the system of rules that a society or government develops in order to deal with crime, business agreements and social relationships. It can also refer to the profession of lawyers or judges who work within this system. It can also be used to describe a general system of rules that a society follows, or a specific rule or piece of legislation:
The word “law” is believed to be derived from the Old Norse lag, which means ‘laying order’ or ‘fixed tune.’ Historically, laws were established to keep members of a community in line and to fix to a specific way of life that promoted peace or discouraged violence. Today, the main role of laws is to protect citizens and businesses, ensure fair competition and regulate a wide range of activities including banking, telecommunications and gambling.
Throughout history, different nations have developed different systems of law. Some follow a common law tradition, in which case decisions by courts are recognized as being on equal footing with legislative statutes and executive regulations. Others use a civil law system, in which legal codes set out the rights and duties of individuals and organizations.
There are many branches of law. Contract law governs agreements to exchange goods or services; property law defines people’s rights and responsibilities toward tangible (real) and intangible property, such as land, cars and books; family law covers marriage and divorce proceedings and the rights of children; and criminal law deals with offenses against other people and the state.
In addition, there are many different areas of specialized law, such as environmental law, employment law and tax law. These areas of law often require a high level of technical knowledge and can be quite complex. For example, tax law is governed by a large body of governmental and private legislation, while employment law is influenced by international treaties and agreements.
Lawyers are trained in law schools and universities. They usually have distinct professional identities that are regulated by the practice of law and a code of ethics. They may be licensed to practice law in one or more jurisdictions, and are supervised by a judge or other legal authority in their work. Some lawyers have honorific titles, such as Esquire to indicate a certain degree of distinction or Doctor of Law to suggest their level of academic achievement. Other lawyers may be referred to as barristers or solicitors, but they are all required to undergo rigorous training and pass qualifying examinations before practicing in the law. In many countries, lawyers are also regulated by professional bodies such as a bar council or law society. This ensures that they have a minimum standard of education, skills and ethical behavior.