About This Student Guide
Corporate and transactional law is one of the broadest and most varied paths available to a law school graduate. It covers everything from advising on billion-dollar acquisitions to forming investment funds, structuring debt financings, handling tax consequences of deals, and navigating government investigations.
This guide introduces the 12 most common practice areas within corporate and transactional law. For each area, you will find:
- A plain-English explanation of what the practice actually involves
- A breakdown of what lawyers in that area do day-to-day
- What to expect as a junior lawyer
- Signs that the practice might be a good fit for you
- Key terms and concepts to familiarize yourself with
Use this guide as a starting point to think through which areas of law and coursework may be a good fit for you.
One important note: in practice, these areas frequently overlap. An M&A deal will involve tax lawyers, antitrust counsel, finance lawyers, and IP specialists all working together. Understanding each area individually is the first step to understanding how they connect.
💡 A Note on Terminology
You will often hear the terms “corporate law” and “transactional law” used interchangeably. Both refer broadly to the work of helping businesses structure and execute deals, rather than resolving disputes in court. Litigation is generally considered a separate practice path, though several areas in this guide (like antitrust, FCPA, and restructuring) blend transactional and litigation work.
Quick Reference: The 12 Practice Areas
Click on any practice area to learn more.
| # | Practice Area | In a Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) | Helping companies buy, sell, and merge |
| 2 | Capital Markets & Securities | Helping companies raise money from investors |
| 3 | Private Equity | Legal work at the center of the buyout world |
| 4 | Leveraged Finance & Banking | The legal side of corporate lending and debt markets |
| 5 | Investment Funds & Asset Management | Forming and running the vehicles that invest capital |
| 6 | Tax | The technical backbone of almost every major transaction |
| 7 | Restructuring & Bankruptcy | Legal work when businesses are in financial distress |
| 8 | Intellectual Property (Transactional) | Protecting, licensing, and transferring ideas and innovation |
| 9 | Real Estate | The legal side of buying, selling, developing, and financing property |
| 10 | Energy & Infrastructure | Financing and building the world’s energy and infrastructure systems |
| 11 | Labor & Employment | Advising on the legal relationship between employers and employees |
| 12 | Regulatory, Competition & Government Affairs | Navigating the rules that govern industries, markets, and international business |