private law

American  

noun

1. a branch of law dealing with the legal relationships of private individuals.

2. a statute affecting only one person or a small number of persons directly.

---

private law British  

noun

1. the branch of law that deals with the rights and duties of private individuals and the relations between them Compare public law

---

Etymology

Origin of private law

First recorded in 1765–75

Compare meaning

How does private-law compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• public law vs. private law

Example Sentences

Her closest colleagues all came from private law firms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

“The billing rate is high or not insignificant at private law firms,” Bonta said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2025

Blanche, as the Washington Post reported, "previously worked at the prestigious federal prosecutor’s office in Manhattan," even working alongside Bragg before going to a private law firm.

From Salon • May 2, 2024

Family courts hear both public law cases, where children may be removed from their families, and private law cases, where parents are separating.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2023

Retiring from politics, he entered private law practice, which he pursued until his death in 1936.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler