民法法系（civil law system）又称为大陆法系、罗马一德意志法系、法典法系，它是指以古罗马法, 特别是以19世纪初《法国民法典》为传统产生和发展起来的法律的总称。其影响范围主要是在欧洲大陆国家，特别是法国和德国，其主要法律的表现形式均为法典。属于这一法系的除了欧洲大陆国家外，还有曾是法国、德国、葡萄牙、荷兰等国殖民地的国家及因其他原因受其影响的国家。其英文释义为：Civil law is a legal system originating in Continental Europe and adopted in much of the world. The civil law system is intellectualized within the framework of Roman law, and with core principles codified into a referable system, which serves as the primary source of law. The civil law system is often contrasted with the common law system, which originated in medieval England, whose intellectual framework historically came from uncodified judge-made case law, and gives precedential authority to prior court decisions.

普通法系(common law system)又称普通法法系、英国法系、判例法系、英美法系，它是指以英格兰中 世纪的普通法为基础和传统产生与发展起来的法律的总称。它主要渊源于英国普通法，以 判例法为法的主要表现形式。在现代它由英国法与美国法两大分支构成。这一法系的范围，除了英国(苏格兰外)以外，主要是曾为英国殖民地、附属国的许多国家和地区。其英文释义为：Common law is a body of unwritten laws based on legal precedents established by the courts. Common law influences the decision-making process in unusual cases where the outcome cannot be determined based on existing statutes or written rules of law. The U.S. common-law system evolved from a British tradition that spread to North America during the 17th- and 18th-century colonial period. Common law is also practiced in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

如：

1.The trust is a special legal system originating in England and widely used in the common law system, which then introduced to the civil law system gradually. 

信托制度是起源于英国的一种独特的法律制度，在普通法系运用十分广泛，并逐渐被引入到大陆法系国家。

2.Notwithstanding any duty otherwise existing at law or in equity, but subject to the provisions of this Section 4.12, each of the Partners and any Related Persons may engage in, invest in, participate in or otherwise enter into other business ventures of any kind, nature and description, individually and with others, including, without limitation, the ownership and investment in Securities, and neither the Partnership nor any Partner shall have any right in or to any such activities or the income or profits derived therefrom. If the General Partner determines, in its discretion, that any proposed transaction contemplated by this Section 4.12(d) to which a Related Person would be a party presents a material conflict of interest with respect to the Partnership, then the General Partner shall submit the proposed transaction to the Advisory Committee for approval.

在现行普通法或衡平法规定的任何责任下，但又根据本条即第4.12条，每个合伙人和任何相关人士都可以独自或共同参与、投资或签订任何种类、性质和内容的合资公司，包括但不限于，持有或投资证券，以及本合资企业和任何合伙人都没有权利从事任何此类活动并从中获取收入或盈利。如果普通合伙人自行决定本条即第4.12(d)条考虑到的任何交易提案(其中某一相关人士将成为参与方)会与本合伙企业造成重大利益冲突，则普通合伙人应将交易提案提交至顾问委员会批准。