Law refers to the rules that govern society and individuals. These laws can vary from one country to another, but they all share certain principles.
The purpose of law is to keep the peace, maintain the status quo, preserve individual rights, protect minorities against majorities, promote social justice and provide for orderly social change. Some legal systems do this better than others, however.
Religion and the law
Many cultures have their own legal systems based on religious precepts. Examples include Jewish Halakha and Islamic Sharia, while Christian canon law also survives in some church communities.
These systems are usually written down in a body of law called “jurisprudence” and can be interpreted and applied in court by judges. This is often a process that involves reasoned analogy, precedent and consensus (called “Ijma” in Islam) to reach a final decision.
This type of law is often based on a set of moral and unchangeable principles, rather than on specific instances or events. This is often called “natural law” and reflects the views of natural philosophers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who held that “laws reflect essentially moral and unchangeable laws of nature.”
Regulation
In most OECD countries, governments have taken over many services previously provided by private companies, particularly those in the energy, gas, telecomms and water industries. This has created a need for legislation and regulations that ensure that companies can operate in an ethical way, while maintaining the public’s interest.
Research insights
Many law firms publish research insight articles and blog posts that explore topics in the field of law. These often provide an overview of an issue and key takeaways or implications for the future.
Those who write these articles tend to be lawyers or law students, but they can also be written by non-lawyers. These may come in the form of a note or comment published in a law journal, or as an article that is posted online and can be accessed by anyone who has an internet connection.
Articles are usually drafted in a legal journal and are vetted by other scholars before being accepted for publication. They can be a valuable resource for lawyers, as they help to explain complex issues in an easy to understand way.
It is important to choose a relevant research question for your law review article. This will be the basis for the entire article, so it is important to find something that you are passionate about and want to learn more about.