Law is a set of rules created and enforced by societal institutions to control and guide human behaviour. Its precise definition is a subject of longstanding debate. It is sometimes viewed as a social science, an art or a religion. The concept of law informs politics, economics and history and serves as a mediator between people in social and commercial transactions. It also shapes a person’s relationships with other individuals and organisations, including their parents and employers.
Law can be enforced by a variety of mechanisms, from community or family pressure and punishments to state-enforced systems. These can include legislation enacted by a legislature or single legislator, which results in statutes; regulation made by the executive, with decrees and regulations; or common law established through precedent, where judges review decisions from past cases and evaluate new situations. It can be influenced by philosophy, especially utilitarian theory as developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Austin, or by moral and religious principles, such as those proposed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Aquinas.
Different types of law exist for different areas of society and business, and they can be broadly grouped into criminal, property, corporate, employment and family law, among others. For example, contract law governs agreements between people to exchange goods or services and is applicable to anything from buying a bus ticket to trading options on the derivatives market. Property law defines a person’s rights and duties toward their tangible property, such as land or buildings, and intangible property, like bank accounts and shares in a company. Employment law governs relationships between employees and employers, from hiring to firing, and is also known as labour law or workplace discrimination.
Law firms often produce research insights about changes to laws and other legal updates that may affect their clients. These can be in the form of articles, a blog post or eAlerts. They tend to provide an overview of the issue with key takeaways and next steps for potential clients, with clear language and references to relevant legislation. For example, a law firm specialising in labour law might publish an article answering frequently asked questions on pregnancy and parental leave, using separate headings for each question. A blog post might provide a more analytical discussion of the issue, criticising recent legislative changes and using footnotes to support an argument.
