Criminal Lawyer vs Civil Lawyer vs Corporate Lawyer in India

Three branches, three different practices

• Criminal lawyer: Handles matters under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS, formerly IPC), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS, formerly CrPC), and other criminal statutes. Appears in criminal courts. Magistrates' Courts, Sessions Courts, High Courts. Handles bail applications, trials, appeals, and white-collar crime matters.
• Civil lawyer: Handles non-criminal disputes. Property cases, contract disputes, matrimonial matters, succession, injunctions, consumer protection. Appears in civil courts (Munsiff Courts, District Courts, High Courts in civil jurisdiction).
• Corporate / commercial lawyer: Handles business and transactional law. Company incorporation, shareholder agreements, M&A, intellectual property, employment law, regulatory compliance, investment documentation. Most work is transactional (drafting, advising) rather than litigious, though corporate disputes do go to court.

Which type do you need?

• Police complaint, FIR, arrest, bail: Criminal lawyer
• Property dispute, contract breach, injunction: Civil lawyer
• Divorce, maintenance, custody: Family lawyer (specialisation within civil law)
• Company setup, shareholder agreement, ESOP scheme: Corporate lawyer
• Employment dispute, termination: Labour and employment lawyer (civil or corporate)
• Tax assessment, GST dispute: Tax advocate
• Cyber crime, data breach, online fraud: A criminal lawyer with cyber law experience
• Real estate developer fraud: Can involve both civil and criminal remedies. May need both

Frequently asked questions