Real Estate and Estate Planning Law

Real estate law includes all legal issues related to real property. Some lawyers practice real estate law exclusively, while others engage in real estate law in combination with estate planning, tax, environmental, or commercial law.

Real estate lawyers can be solo practitioners or work in law firms of any size. Real estate lawyers also work for large companies with extensive commercial land holdings. Title insurance and mortgage companies, as well as banks, employ real estate attorneys.

Some real estate attorneys work for local, state or the federal government, specializing in urban planning and land use, eminent domain, or environmental law.

While some attorneys combine real estate with estate planning, others practice estate planning alone. These attorneys help clients arrange their financial affairs in anticipation of death or incapacity. Wills, living trusts, and charitable trusts help ensure that assets will be distributed as intended, and with minimized tax consequences. Lawyers engaged in estate planning often work closely with clients over long periods of time, and develop close relationships.

Resources

Competitions

• Affordable Housing and Community Development Writing Competition
• Forum on the Construction Industry Writing Competition
• Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Student Writing Contest
• The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel Mary Moers Wenig Student Writing Competition

Full-Time Faculty Focusing on this Pathway

• Paul Boudreaux
• Darryl Wilson
• Mark Bauer
• Kristen Adams
• Ben Barros
• Rebecca C. Morgan
• Stacey Rae Simcox

Librarians

• Wanita Scroggs

News

• Land Use Prof Blog
• Probate and Property Magazine
• Property Law Prof Blog
• Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog

Professional Organizations

• American Association of Trusts, Estates and Elder Law Attorneys (AATEELA)
• The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• The Florida Bar Environmental and Land Use Section
• The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section

Student Organizations

• Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Association