The most common areas of practice for lawyers include: Civil litigation: This area of law involves representing clients in lawsuits involving personal injury, contract disputes, and other civil matters. Criminal law: This area of law involves representing clients who have been charged with crimes, such as assault, theft, and drug possession. Corporate law: Corporate lawyers represent businesses across virtually all types of legal matters like taxes, contracts, mergers, and acquisitions. Intellectual property law: This area of law involves protecting the rights of inventors, artists, and other creative individuals. Family law: This area of law involves representing clients in matters related to marriage, divorce, child custody, and adoption.