Question

this is not the first time we have had to navigate what we h

Answer 1

this is not the first time we have had to navigate what we have earlier described as a "shoal strewn area of the law."

这不是第一次我们必须在如前面所描述的那种“布满浅滩的法律区域”小心航行.

navigate：航行、导航

shoal strewn area：布满浅滩的区域,就是指很多陷阱、容易触礁的区域,应该可以活译为“雷区”吧.