Real Estate Lawyer Jobs in Commercial, Residential & Land Use Law

Explore real estate lawyer jobs for associates, senior counsel, and in-house attorneys advising on commercial property, residential transactions, leasing, development, and zoning. This page is for lawyers working in law firms, real estate developers, REITs, lenders, proptech startups, and corporate legal departments who handle contracts, due diligence, financings, and land use approvals. Discover targeted opportunities on LegalExperts.ai that align with your experience in acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, construction, and property management matters.

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Job Responsibilities

Draft, review, and negotiate purchase and sale agreements, commercial leases, ground leases, and option agreements for commercial and residential properties.
Conduct real estate due diligence, including title and survey review, zoning and land use analysis, environmental assessments, and lease abstracting.
Structure and document real estate finance transactions, including mortgage loans, construction loans, mezzanine financing, and refinancing deals.
Advise on land use, zoning, subdivision, entitlements, and permitting for development and redevelopment projects.
Coordinate closings with title companies, escrow agents, lenders, and opposing counsel, preparing closing binders and post-closing documentation.
Counsel clients on property management issues, landlord-tenant disputes, common interest communities, and real estate-related litigation risk.
Support corporate transactions involving real estate portfolios, sale-leasebacks, and joint ventures with real estate investors and REITs.

Minimum Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school with strong academic credentials.
Active license and good standing with at least one U.S. state bar, often with preference for the jurisdiction where the role is located.
1–3 years of experience in real estate transactions for entry-level or junior roles, or 4–7+ years for mid-level and senior positions.
Foundational knowledge of real property law, land use and zoning principles, secured transactions, and contract law.
Experience drafting and negotiating core real estate documents such as purchase agreements, leases, and loan documents under supervision or independently.
Strong legal research and writing skills, including the ability to interpret local ordinances, zoning codes, and recorded instruments.
Excellent communication, organizational, and matter-management skills, with the ability to handle multiple deals or projects simultaneously.

Preferred Skills

Experience with commercial real estate development projects, including entitlement processes, construction contracts, and public-private partnerships.
Familiarity with real estate investment structures such as joint ventures, REITs, private equity funds, and tax-efficient deal structures.
Comfort working with real estate technology tools, virtual data rooms, document automation platforms, and e-signature workflows.
Prior experience representing lenders, institutional investors, or large portfolio owners in multi-property or cross-border transactions.
Ability to coordinate with multidisciplinary teams, including planners, engineers, brokers, and environmental consultants, on complex projects.

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Find answers to common questions about finding legal and investigative job opportunities through Legal Experts AI

What does a real estate lawyer do day to day?

A real estate lawyer advises clients on buying, selling, leasing, and financing commercial and residential property. Their daily work often includes drafting and negotiating contracts, reviewing title and surveys, coordinating due diligence, and managing closings. They also troubleshoot zoning and land use issues, communicate with counterparties, and respond to client questions about risk and deal strategy. In some practices, they may also handle landlord-tenant disputes or real estate-related litigation in collaboration with litigators.

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