Corporate law deals the formation and operations of corporations and is related to commercial and contract law. A corporation is a legal entity created through the laws of its state of incorporation, treating a corporation as a legal "person" that has standing to sue and be sued, distinct from its stockholders.

As a corporate lawyer, you'll be working for high-profile business clients, helping them to succeed on national and international levels. As a highly-paid area of law with exciting and varied opportunities, corporate law is popular, and can be competitive. Figure out how corporate law works - as well as checking that you've got the desirable skills for it - by reading our handy guide.

What does corporate law involve?

As a corporate lawyer, your portfolio of work will usually involve: acting on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), the restructuring of corporate entities and the hiving-off of unprofitable sections.

You might help list clients on stock exchanges across the world, secure finance from private equity players and venture capitalists.

Your work on any deal or transaction will move through different stages. Firstly, you might negotiate and prepare draft documentation in association with your client’s various accountants, financial advisors and managerial representatives.

Helping to procure finance, either from banks or private investors, securing guarantees and other assets, might form part of the deal, as will completing due-diligence reports and checking on debts, employees, ownership details and existing liabilities.

To top it off, you might finalise the deal with all involved parties, getting necessary approvals through resolutions at board meetings, and completing registration and other formalities wherever necessary.

Amongst the different types of deals and transactions which constitute corporate law, a big portion of work involves dealing with private equity funds and listing clients’ companies on recognised stock exchanges.

A private equity player usually holds some kind of stock or ownership in unlisted companies.

A private equity lawyer’s job is to make relevant financial arrangements when it comes to floating a new business venture, further expansion of operations, a tie-up or takeover with another company, or MBO financing.