When engaging in international business, one inevitably encounters aspects of law that are unfamiliar. It is tempting to assume that the legal principles you know will apply everywhere, but this is rarely the case. Your understanding of the law is shaped by the country where you were raised, the places you have travelled, and the industries in which you have worked. This creates a perception of how law operates, but perception is not the same as knowledge, and true understanding requires deliberate focus and study.
Law is not a single discipline; it encompasses numerous branches, many of which have evolved to address modern realities. The Colleges of Law (2025, www.collegesoflaw.edu) identifies 21 major types of law, each covering distinct areas, and yet the field continues to evolve alongside global developments.
In many countries, the “law of the land” has been heavily influenced, if not entirely, shaped by colonization. Commonwealth nations, for instance, adopted English law during the colonial era, often imposed without consent to serve the colonizers’ interests. Property laws were rewritten to facilitate foreign control, while many traditional practices were rendered unlawful or outright illegal. A similar legacy exists in francophone countries, where the influence of French legal systems has arguably endured even longer. Remarkably, many of these colonial-era laws remain in force today, often without significant updates, some still retaining archaic provisions, including Latin phrases rooted in old English legal traditions.
While core criminal laws tend to be broadly similar worldwide, reflecting universal principles of logic and justice, significant variations exist in civil, commercial, and regulatory frameworks. For those engaged in cross-border activities, such as, operating social media platforms, managing intellectual property, trading goods, providing banking services, or navigating shipping regulations, understanding these differences is critical. Local practices, norms, and legal structures may differ sharply from those you are accustomed to, and relying on assumptions can easily place you on the wrong side of the law. In such contexts, even distinguishing between what is “unlawful” and what is “illegal” may be challenging without local expertise.
The only safe approach is one of caution, question your assumptions, seek competent local guidance, and adapt to the jurisdiction in which you operate. After all, one universal legal truth applies everywhere, ignorance of the law is no excuse, as expressed in the enduring maxim, “ignorantia juris non excusat”
Capt Pappu Sastry/ CEO – ASL
