There are lots of different types of lawyers. But which role is right for you? You may be a little overwhelmed at how much variety there appears to be in the legal sector. Every kind of law seems to have an entire legal industry built around it, in need of specialist lawyers.
With the aid of our expert academics in Law, we’ve mapped the different types of lawyers, so you can see the variety of career choices ahead of you, and how our range of modules will prepare you for different career pathways.
Civil litigation
A civil litigation lawyer is a mediator. They are involved in trials that aren’t concerned with criminal charges – instead, they are work on cases where two or more parties are in dispute about an issue, and a trial has been organised to seek an outcome.
Civil litigation is a very wide discipline, as the disputes it can resolve are so varied. Civil litigation lawyers therefore require a good all round background and knowledge of law.
Helpful modules
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (Optional module, second year) – Law
Corporate lawyers deal with legal matters concerning businesses. This can cover a range of issues, from claims against businesses from the public, to overseeing mergers and acquisitions between companies.
Corporate lawyers are also distinct as they can operate both within law firms, and from within the businesses themselves as part of an in-house legal team. Small companies will likely seek out private law firms to represent them, whereas large firms will employ their own lawyers who are entrusted to have a better in-depth knowledge of the whole company.
Our Law with Business Law degree is an ideal starting point for a career in corporate law, as it will give you a balance of legal knowledge and insight into the day to day running of a business.
Helpful modules
- Contract Law (Core module, first year) – All courses
- Business Law (Core module, second year) – Law, Law with Business Law
Criminal law
One of the most recognised types of law, a criminal lawyer will work on cases that involve criminal charges. They can work on behalf of defendants, or on behalf of the crown as a prosecution lawyer.
As criminal law covers everything from minor traffic violations to murder, there are lots of sub-specialisations within the sector, and criminal lawyers can work everywhere from small local courts all the way up to crown courts.
Our Law with Criminal Justice degree will not only give you a solid legal foundation, but also allow you to look into the theories behind crime, giving you a balanced view of both sides of criminal law.
Helpful modules
- Criminal Law (Core module, second year) – All courses
Employment law
As opposed to corporate lawyers, who are concerned with cases that deal with claims and complaints from outside the company, employment lawyers focus on cases involving employees and employers.
These cases could stem from issues with pay, wrongful dismissal, or health and safety negligence. One similarity employment lawyers and corporate lawyers share is that they can both work for either a private firm or in-house for the employers.
Helpful modules
- Employment Law (Optional module, second year) – Law, Law with Business
Family law
Issues between family members can be tricky to resolve, so family lawyers are highly specialised. As most cases arise from break-ups between couples, it can be an emotionally charged sector.
Divorce is a main component of the work family lawyers deal with, but divorce can also involve aspects of property law, finance law and child custody. Family law also covers matters surrounding adoption. It therefore requires a good overall knowledge of law.
Helpful modules
- Family Law (Option module, final year) – Law
Law at BCU
Interested in Law? Check out the law courses we offer at BCU.
Human rights
Human rights lawyers are on the front line of ensuring that society remains equal and just for everyone, in line with the Human Rights Act 1998.
This broad job description means that human rights lawyers cover subjects as varied as prisoner rights and freedom of speech, discrimination and hate crimes. Internationally, this sector can also cover lobbying against governments that are believed to be committing human rights violations.
This is a cause close to our hearts at Birmingham City University - our Centre for Human Rights has worked alongside the UN and the EU on human rights issues across the world.
Intellectual property
With new inventions popping up left, right and centre in today’s world, intellectual property law, or IP law, is an ever-growing field. Intellectual property lawyers are concerned with the protection of new ideas.
Day-to-day, they will work to patent or trademark new inventions, ranging from new pieces of technology to song lyrics. Intellectual property lawyers can also register complaints if IPs are copied by other parties.
Helpful modules
- Intellectual Property Law (Optional module, final year) – Law
Personal injury
Injuries are an everyday part of life. But personal injury lawyers step in when injuries are more than just bumps and bruises. They work on cases that involve injuries sustained during accidents, whether at home, at work or in public.
Similar to lawyers who specialise in personal injury, clinical negligence lawyers work with cases that involve injuries that occur while under medical care. This can include botched surgeries, misdiagnosis, and complications during childbirth.
Helpful modules
- Medical Law and Ethics (Option module, second year) – Law