{"id":358063,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:22","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/hirealawyer\/choosing-the-right-lawyer\/what-are-the-different-areas-of-law.html"},"modified":"2026-01-26T16:14:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T21:14:00","slug":"what-are-the-different-areas-of-law","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/hirealawyer\/choosing-the-right-lawyer\/what-are-the-different-areas-of-law.html","title":{"rendered":"Legal Practice Areas Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Legal Practice Areas Explained<\/h1>\n\n
\n
\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
\n

The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

\n

Civil and criminal practice areas<\/span> represent two major areas of law<\/span>: criminal law<\/span> deals with offenses against the state, while civil law<\/span> covers disputes between individuals or organizations. Each branch includes its own specialized practice areas<\/span>, procedures, and attorney roles.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Although law students<\/span> learn about almost every legal area in law school<\/span>, an attorney typically only focuses on one or two legal practice areas<\/span> during their legal career<\/span>. This allows the attorney or law firm to give clients the best legal representation<\/span> in their chosen area.<\/p>\n

There are a few general legal areas, such as criminal law<\/span>, civil law<\/span>, and family law<\/span>. Within those areas are many subcategories and specializations. When clients need an attorney, they should look for an attorney<\/a> with experience in the specialization they need.<\/p>\n

Keep reading for a primer on the different legal practice areas<\/span> and common subcategories. For a full list of each area of law<\/span>, see FindLaw\u2019s Practice Area<\/span> Directory<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What Is a Legal Practice Area<\/span>?<\/h2>\n

A legal practice area<\/span><\/a> is the category or subcategory of law that an attorney practices. Some of the primary categories of law are:<\/p>\n