Areas of Law
Legal problems often overlap. Our work covers a range of legal situations, from disputes and property matters to contracts, inheritance, employment and cross-border issues.
Start with the problem. We can identify the legal area.
You do not have to know exactly which area of law applies before making an enquiry. A single situation can involve several legal issues at once. The important starting point is understanding what has happened, what is at stake and what you are trying to achieve.
Our principal areas of work
Explore the areas below to see the types of issues that may fall within each category.
Disputes & Litigation
Assistance with disputes where negotiation, formal correspondence or court proceedings may become relevant.
- Civil disputes
- Contractual disputes
- Money claims
- Property disputes
- Claims and defences
Property & Land
Legal issues involving residential or commercial property, land ownership, occupation and transactions.
- Property transactions
- Land disputes
- Ownership issues
- Boundaries
- Landlord and tenant matters
Business & Commercial
Practical legal support for businesses, commercial relationships and disagreements.
- Commercial agreements
- Business disputes
- Partnership issues
- Supplier and customer disputes
- Commercial obligations
Contracts & Agreements
Understanding what you are agreeing to, what another party has agreed to do, and what happens when an agreement goes wrong.
- Contract review
- Terms and conditions
- Breach of contract
- Agreement disputes
- Contractual obligations
Employment
Legal issues arising from the employment relationship, workplace decisions and employment documentation.
- Employment agreements
- Workplace disputes
- Dismissal-related matters
- Employment correspondence
- Workplace rights and obligations
Family & Personal Matters
Sensitive legal situations affecting individuals and families, approached with care and appropriate professional guidance.
- Family-related disputes
- Personal legal matters
- Agreements
- Dispute resolution
- Related court matters
Wills, Estates & Inheritance
Legal issues arising from wills, estates, inheritance and disagreements following a person's death.
- Wills and testamentary documents
- Estate administration issues
- Inheritance disputes
- Estate-related claims
- Beneficiary issues
Cross-Border Europe
Matters involving more than one country, including legal, property, family, documentation and succession issues.
- Cross-border property
- International family matters
- European legal issues
- Documents and formalities
- Jurisdictional questions
Documents & Legal Agreements
Help understanding, preparing or reviewing documents where legal wording, obligations or consequences matter.
- Document review
- Legal correspondence
- Agreements
- Declarations
- Formal responses
Finance & Banking
Legal issues connected with financial arrangements, obligations, banking relationships and related disputes.
- Financial agreements
- Banking disputes
- Payment issues
- Financial obligations
- Related contractual matters
Advice & Advocacy
Where appropriate, professional advice, preparation and advocacy may form part of the legal support required for a matter.
- Legal advice
- Case preparation
- Written submissions
- Advocacy
- Representation where appropriate
Urgent Legal Matters
Some situations require immediate attention because a deadline, hearing or other important event may be approaching.
- Court deadlines
- Upcoming hearings
- Urgent correspondence
- Time-sensitive disputes
- Immediate procedural concerns
Your situation may belong to more than one area.
Legal categories are useful, but real-life problems are rarely as simple as one category.
A property dispute may also involve a contract. An inheritance matter may involve property in another country. A business disagreement may involve employment, finance or contractual obligations.
That is why BLP's approach begins with the facts and circumstances before deciding which legal areas need to be considered.
Think about the bigger picture.
When explaining your situation, it can help to consider:
- What happened?
- Who is involved?
- What documents exist?
- What has already been agreed?
- What is the other side saying?
- What outcome are you seeking?
- Is there a deadline?
Legal help can take different forms.
Depending on the circumstances, you may need one specific service or several stages of support.
Understand
Understand the legal terminology, documents, procedure and issues affecting your situation.
Review
Examine an agreement, letter, notice, claim or other important document.
Prepare
Organise the facts, evidence, chronology and documents before taking the next step.
Act
Consider the appropriate route, which may include correspondence, negotiation, proceedings or advocacy.
When more than one country is involved.
Cross-border matters can introduce additional questions about jurisdiction, applicable law, documents, property, family, succession and procedure.
If your situation involves another country, explain the complete circumstances rather than trying to decide which country's legal category applies yourself.
Discuss a Cross-Border MatterYou don't need to choose the right legal category.
If you know something has gone wrong but you do not know what area of law it falls under, start by explaining what happened.
Visit the Legal Decision Centre to work through the situation before deciding what type of legal help may be appropriate.
Start With Your SituationHave a legal problem you need to understand?
Tell us what has happened, what concerns you and what you are trying to achieve. You do not need to know the legal terminology before making an enquiry.
Make a Confidential EnquiryAreas of Law
Legal problems rarely fit neatly into one box. Use the areas below to understand the type of legal issue you may be dealing with — or start with the Legal Decision Centre if you are not sure where your problem belongs.
Find the legal area that best matches your situation.
You do not need to know the correct legal terminology before seeking help. Start with the subject that appears closest to your circumstances.
Property & Land
Legal matters concerning property ownership, land, occupation, transactions and disputes.
- Buying and selling
- Ownership and title
- Boundaries and access
- Landlord and tenant
- Property disputes
Contracts & Agreements
Problems involving written or verbal agreements and contractual rights and obligations.
- Contract review
- Breach of contract
- Terms and conditions
- Termination
- Contract disputes
Business & Commercial
Legal issues arising from businesses, companies, partnerships and commercial relationships.
- Business agreements
- Companies
- Partnerships
- Commercial transactions
- Business disputes
Disputes & Litigation
Disagreements that may require negotiation, formal proceedings, court action or enforcement.
- Civil claims
- Defending claims
- Court proceedings
- Settlement
- Enforcement
Employment
Legal issues arising from the employment relationship between individuals and employers.
- Dismissal
- Disciplinary matters
- Employment disputes
- Pay and contractual issues
- Workplace problems
Family & Personal
Legal issues affecting relationships, family arrangements and significant personal decisions.
- Separation
- Family disputes
- Children
- Financial arrangements
- Personal legal matters
Wills, Estates & Inheritance
Legal matters concerning wills, estates, beneficiaries and inheritance disputes.
- Wills
- Executors
- Beneficiaries
- Estate disputes
- Inheritance property
Cross-Border Europe
Matters involving more than one country, legal system or jurisdiction.
- Property abroad
- Cross-border estates
- International contracts
- Family matters
- Recognition of decisions
Finance & Banking
Legal problems involving lending, borrowing, financial agreements and banking relationships.
- Loans and finance
- Banking disputes
- Guarantees
- Financial agreements
- Money claims
Documents & Legal Agreements
Help understanding, preparing or reviewing important legal documents and agreements.
- Document review
- Legal correspondence
- Agreements
- Formal notices
- Case documents
Advice & Advocacy
Specialist legal advice, preparation and advocacy where appropriate to the matter and applicable professional rules.
- Legal advice
- Case preparation
- Legal strategy
- Advocacy
- Representation where permitted
Criminal Law
Matters involving alleged criminal conduct, police investigation, prosecution or criminal proceedings.
- Police investigation
- Criminal allegations
- Charges
- Criminal proceedings
- Appeals and challenges
Immigration
Immigration and nationality matters involving status, applications, decisions and challenges.
- Visas and applications
- Immigration status
- Nationality
- Home Office decisions
- Immigration appeals
Public Law & Decisions
Legal issues involving decisions or actions by public authorities, government bodies or regulators.
- Public authority decisions
- Administrative decisions
- Regulatory matters
- Challenges and reviews
- Public law issues
Appeals & Challenges
Challenging a decision, judgment or order where an appropriate appeal, review or other legal route may exist.
- Court decisions
- Tribunal decisions
- Appeals
- Reviews
- Procedural challenges
Not sure which area of law applies?
You do not need to diagnose your own legal problem. If you know what happened but do not know what area of law it belongs to, use the BLP Legal Decision Centre. It starts with the event or problem and helps you identify the most relevant legal route to investigate.
Open the Legal Decision Centre →One problem can involve several areas of law.
Legal issues often overlap. The first category you choose may not be the only area that matters.
What kind of legal help do you need?
The legal area is only one part of the decision. You may need a different type of assistance depending on where your matter stands.
Before contacting a legal professional
If possible, prepare a short description of what happened, identify the people or organisations involved, gather the important documents, note relevant dates and explain what you want to achieve. If there is a court, tribunal, immigration or other formal deadline, identify it clearly.
Still not sure where your problem belongs?
Start with what happened. The Legal Decision Centre can help you work through the situation before you decide what to do next.
BLP Areas of Law — Self-Identification Guide