Law is a set of rules that governs human conduct and is enforced by a controlling authority through penalties. The purpose of law is to create and maintain order in society by ensuring that all members of the community are treated fairly, and that individuals’ property rights are protected.
Different countries have different law systems. For example, the U.S. employs a common law system, where laws are derived from decisions made by judges in cases that have been heard before them. The compilation of these decisions is known as case law. Other countries, such as Japan, have a civil law system, where laws are written in code that specifies how judges should make their decisions.
Lawyers represent clients in court cases and assist with the research of legal issues. They can be found in both the private and public sectors. They can also act as a voice for change by writing articles about important issues and possible reforms. When researching legal topics, a lawyer should start with secondary sources, such as law journals and practice guides, before moving on to primary sources such as statutes and cases. They should always be sure to cite their sources when writing an article about law. This helps other researchers find the original sources and ensures that they are following academic conventions when citing legal precedents. A lawyer should never publish an article that could be considered plagiarism. A violation of this principle could result in a lawsuit and even imprisonment.
