The Top 10 Law Schools for Real Estate Law
Discover the top 10 law schools for Real Estate Law and take your legal career to the next level.
Posted May 17, 2024
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Real estate law has become an increasingly popular legal field in recent years. If you are looking to pursue a career in real estate law, choosing the right school is the first step towards achieving your career goals. In this article, we will explore the top 10 law schools offering real estate law programs, and discuss the various factors to consider. Let’s dive in!
What is Real Estate Law?
Real estate law is a branch of civil law that regulates the ownership and utilization of land and structures. It determines who can occupy a property and for what duration, covering aspects such as titles, deeds, zoning, estate planning, and property taxes.
These laws define ownership rights and any constraints imposed by governmental regulations or agreements like leases and purchase contracts. It's essential to note that property and land use laws vary by state, necessitating real estate attorneys to be licensed in the specific state where they oversee transactions.
What is the Difference Between Real Estate and Real Property Law?
Real estate law and real property law are often used interchangeably, but there is a slight hint of distinction between the two.
- Real estate law generally refers to the legal aspects related to transactions and disputes involving physical properties, including land and buildings.
- Real property law, on the other hand, covers a broader scope such as tangible assets and the legal rights and interests associated with them. Real property law delves into ownership rights, land use regulations, easements, and other legal considerations that affect the ownership and use of real estate.
In essence, real estate law focuses more on the tangible aspects of property transactions, whereas real property law addresses the broader legal framework governing property rights and interests.
Read: Achieving Success in Property Law: A Step-by-Step Guide
Factors to Consider When Choosing a J.D. Program for Real Estate Law
Real estate is a crucial economic sector. Top law schools provide tailored programs covering key areas like taxation and leasing, with hands-on components through externships and legal clinics. Other than these aspects, when selecting a law program for real estate law, the following should also be considered:
- Specialization: Look for programs that offer specialized coursework or concentrations in real estate law–and areas within real estate law–to gain in-depth knowledge and skills relevant to the field and your future aspirations.
- Faculty Expertise: Research the faculty's backgrounds and expertise in real estate law to ensure you'll be learning from experienced professionals.
- Curriculum: Evaluate the curriculum to ensure it covers key topics in real estate law, such as property transactions, land use regulations, environmental law, and finance.
- Experiential Learning Opportunities: Consider programs that offer hands-on experiences, such as legal clinics, internships, or externships, to gain practical skills and real-world experience.
- Networking Opportunities: Look for programs with strong connections to the real estate industry, offering opportunities to network with professionals and potential employers.
- Reputation and Rankings: Consider the reputation and rankings of the law school and its real estate law program to ensure it meets your academic and career goals.
- Location: Take into account the program's location and proximity to major real estate markets or industry hubs, which can provide valuable networking and career opportunities. This is particularly important for law school, as most lawyers end up passing the Bar and practicing in the state they went to school in.
- Alumni Success: Research the success of alumni from the program in the real estate industry, including job placement rates, career trajectories, and notable accomplishments.
By considering these factors, you can choose a law program that best aligns with your interests, goals, and aspirations in the field of real estate law.
Best Real Estate Law Schools (2024)
1. Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is highly regarded for its real estate law program due to its location, curriculum, faculty, experiential learning, and alumni network.
- Sample Courses
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Transactions
- Affordable Housing, Law Practice & Policy
- Land Use and Real Estate Development Skills
- Real Estate Drafting
- Faculty/Instructors
- Nestor M. Davidson: Albert A. Walsh Chair in Real Estate, Land Use, and Property Law; Faculty Director, Urban Law Center; a widely published expert in urban law, property, and affordable housing law and policy. He founded and directs the law school’s Urban Law Center and has also served as Fordham’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
- James Kainen: Brendan Moore Chair in Advocacy; areas of expertise include Business Crime/White Collar Crime, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Property, Real Estate, Zoning, and Land Use.
- Eleanor Brown: Professor of Law; a leading scholar of property, migration, globalization, development, and race and the law; teaches Property Law at Fordham Law.
2. University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (Penn Law)
At Penn Law, Property Law is a cornerstone of the curriculum, offering students a comprehensive understanding of the legal principles governing real property rights and transactions. Taught by esteemed faculty members with expertise in the field, the Property Law program at Penn Law covers a broad spectrum of topics, including property rights, land use regulations, and real estate finance.
- Sample Courses
- Faculty/Instructors
- Sarah Barringer Gordon: Arlin M. Adams Professor of Constitutional Law and Professor of History, Emerita. Sally Gordon is renowned for her expertise in religion's intersection with American public life and the law of church and state, particularly focusing on the evolution of religious liberty throughout American history.
- Osagie Imasogie: Adjunct Professor of Law; a distinguished graduate with an LLM degree from Penn in 1985, boasts over three decades of expertise spanning law, finance, business management, healthcare, and the pharmaceutical industry. At Penn, Imasogie is an esteemed member of the Board of Overseers of the Law School and received the prestigious Penn Carey Law Alumni Award of Merit in 2008.
- Melissa Blanton: Adjunct Professor of Law; a chair of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP’s Finance Practice Group and a member of the Real Estate Practice Group; specializes in representing financial institutions across a spectrum of real estate ventures; handles complex real estate sales and acquisitions for investors and institutional clients, as well as commercial leasing transactions for both landlords and tenants.
3. Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School's Property Law curriculum provides students with a comprehensive understanding of real property rights and transactions, preparing them for diverse roles in the legal field. Columbia Law School provides students with a solid foundation in both traditional and emerging issues in property law.
- Sample Courses
- Faculty/Instructors
- Douglas M. Bregman: Founding partner of Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, L.L.C.; Bregman has established a diverse civil practice focused on transactional real estate and business representation in over 35 years of experience, as well as mediation and arbitration for real estate and business disputes. Additionally, Bregman offers expertise in civil litigation, providing comprehensive legal support across various legal matters.
- Richard J. Sobelsohn: Professor of Practice at Brooklyn Law School; adjunct professor of law at Brooklyn Law School; Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; Fordham University School of Law; practiced law for more than two decades as a real estate attorney with a sub-specialty in sustainable building law.
- Nicole Mesard: Corporate partner at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; expert in real estate law, including acquisitions and sales of retail and commercial properties, intricate financings, joint ventures, infrastructure transactions, and restructurings of commercial real estate loans.
4. Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School provides three Property courses, with Property (217) being a compulsory component of the first-year JD curriculum. This course delves into the intricacies of land possession and ownership, exploring various aspects such as private and public restrictions on land use and development, nuisance, trespass, concurrent interests, landlord and tenant relationships, and eminent domain.
- Sample Courses
- Property | Section 01 Class #1025
- Property | Section 02 Class #1026
- Property | Section 03 Class #1027
- Faculty/Instructors
- Gregory Ablavsky: Marion Rice Kirkwood Professor of Law; Gregory Ablavsky's scholarly pursuits center on early American legal history, with a specific emphasis on themes of sovereignty, territory, and property within the context of the early American West.
- Jud Campbell: Helen L. Crocker Faculty Scholar; Jud Campbell's academic focus is constitutional history and First Amendment law. His extensive publications, featured in prestigious journals such as the Stanford Law Review, Yale Law Journal, Harvard Law Review, Texas Law Review, Constitutional Commentary, and Law and History Review.
- Barton H. Thompson, Jr.: Robert E. Paradise Professor of Natural Resources Law; Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment; Professor, Doerr School of Sustainability; focuses on how to improve resource management through legal, institutional, and technological innovation.
5. Harvard Law School
Studying property law at Harvard Law School equips students with a versatile skill set applicable across numerous legal domains. Beyond traditional property matters, such as housing law and zoning, the curriculum encompasses a broad spectrum of areas including bankruptcy, commercial law, corporate law, environmental law, family law, natural resources, nonprofits, and taxation. Additionally, property law extends to intricate facets such as federal public lands, intellectual property rights like copyrights and patents, official records of various rights, legislative and constitutional antidiscrimination laws, and constitutional provisions relating to takings.
- Sample Courses
- Faculty/Instructors
- Robert H. Sitkoff: Austin Wakeman Scott Professor of Law; John L. Gray Professor of Law; a leading expert in wills, trusts, estates, and fiduciary administration. His research focuses on economic and empirical analysis of trusts, estates, and fiduciary administration.
- Maureen Brady: Deputy Dean; Louis D. Brandeis Professor of Law; teaches property law and related subjects; Maureen Brady's research employs historical analyses of property institutions and land use doctrines to delve into broader theoretical questions.
- Eloise Lawrence: Assistant Clinical Professor of Law; Deputy Faculty Director, Harvard Legal Aid Bureau; co-teaches Housing Law and Policy every other year and is part of the teaching team for courses designed for HLAB student attorneys.
- Clinics
6. University of Chicago Law School
The courses listed at Chicago Law School provide an overview of Family Law, Property Rights, Torts, and Insurance Law courses available at the school. Please note that not all courses are offered annually, but this list offers a representative sample of the courses available over a two-year period. Additionally, new courses may be introduced during your time at the Law School.
- Sample Courses
- Faculty/Instructors
- Lee Fennell: Max Pam Professor of Law; has been part of the Law School faculty since 2007, after serving as a Bigelow Fellow from 1999 to 2001; teaches and researches property, torts, land use, housing, social welfare law, state and local government law, and public finance.
- Jeff Leslie: Director of Clinical and Experiential Learning; Clinical Professor of Law Paul J. Tierney Director of the Housing Initiative; Faculty Director of Curriculum; represents community-based affordable housing developers and teaches courses in commercial real estate, affordable housing law and policy, negotiations, and transactional lawyering skills.
- Lior Jacob Strahilevitz: Sidley Austin Professor of Law; Lior Strahilevitz's teaching and research focus on property and land use, privacy, law and technology, and consumer contracts.
- Clinic
Note: As for the academic year 2024-2025, Chicago Law School currently does not include courses for the current academic year.
7. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law
The Property Law course at UCLA School of Law examines property as a social institution, focusing on how competing resource claims are recognized and protected. Key topics include the historical evolution of property interests, housing, landlord-tenant relations, public and private land use, urban planning and development, as well as real estate sales and financing.
- Sample Course
- Faculty/Instructors
- Angela Riley: Director, MA/JD Joint Degree Program in Law and American Indian Studies; Director, Native Nations Law and Policy Center; serves as a Special Advisor to the Chancellor on Native American and Indigenous Affairs at UCLA, overseeing the Native Nations Law and Policy Center and the J.D./M.A. joint degree program in Law and American Indian Studies. Her research centers on Indigenous peoples' rights, particularly focusing on cultural property and Native governance.
- Mark Karlan: Has nearly forty years of international experience in commercial real estate finance and investment, has been teaching Real Estate Transactions at UCLA School of Law since 2020. Additionally, he has instructed Real Estate Finance and Investments to nearly 5,000 students at UCLA Anderson School of Management since 2012.
- Nisha Vyas: Senior Attorney at Western Center on Law & Poverty; instructs Problem Solving in the Public Interest and Los Angeles Housing Law and Policy. With experience in community law and fair housing, she advocates for ensuring everyone has access to safe and affordable housing options.
8. Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown Law School's Real Estate Law program covers a wide array of legal issues pertaining to real estate and real property. Students delve into topics such as sales, purchases, leasing, and other transfers of real estate, as well as the intricacies of title to real property and settlement of claims against property rights. The curriculum also addresses landlord-tenant issues, property development, zoning and land use regulations, and related environmental compliance and agricultural issues. Additionally, students learn about financing, mortgages, and foreclosures, as well as securitized real estate investments and other relevant topics crucial to navigating the complexities of the real estate industry.
- Sample Courses
- Comparative Property Law: Focus on the US and Europe
- Finance of Real and Personal Property
- Introduction to the Capital Markets and Financing of Income-Producing Property
- Land Use Law
- Taxation of Property Transactions (LLM Course)
- Faculty/Instructors
- J. Peter Byrne: John Hampton Baumgartner, Jr. Professor of Real Property Law; Faculty Director, Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Program; Faculty Director, Georgetown Climate Resource Center; teaches and writes in the areas of Property, Land Use, Constitutional Law, and Higher Education Law and Policy.
- Sheila Foster: The Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of Urban Law and Policy; Professor of Public Policy; Sheila Foster writes about environmental law and justice, urban land use, and state and local government.
- Michael R. Diamond: specializes in housing, economic development, property, contracts, and corporations. He has authored a text on real property, a corporations casebook, and numerous articles on poverty, community lawyering, and property. Additionally, he has authored several books on business law.
- Clinics
- Affordable Housing Transactions Clinic (Harrison Institute)
- Law Students in Court
9. Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law's Property Law course offers a comprehensive exploration of the principles and doctrines governing property rights and interests. Students delve into various topics including the acquisition, transfer, and use of property, possessory interests, concurrent estates, easements, covenants, personal property, bailments, intellectual property, conveyancing, adverse possession, zoning and land use regulations, and landlord-tenant law. Through case studies and legal analysis, students gain a thorough understanding of how property law shapes individual rights and societal interactions in both physical and digital spaces.
- Sample Courses
- Faculty/Instructors
- David L. Cameron: Professor of Practice Emeritus; Associate Director of the Graduate Tax Program and Professor of Practice at Northwestern Pritzker Law; focuses on property transaction taxation and real estate development; teaches courses covering Federal Income Tax, State and Local Taxation, Real Estate Finance, and Property.
- David A. Dana: Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law; Professor of Real Estate, Kellogg School of Management (Courtesy); Director, Program on Sustainability and Food and Animal Law; distinguished scholar renowned for his expertise in environmental law, property, land use, and professional responsibility.
- Hari M. Osofsky: Dean and Myra and James Bradwell Professor of Law; Professor of Environmental Law and Culture (Courtesy); her leadership and mentorship work was recognized by the Association for Law, Property, and Society’s 2016 Distinguished Service Award and the University of Minnesota 2015 Sara Evans Faculty Woman Scholar/Leader Award.
10. University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School's Property Law course provides a comprehensive overview of property law, exploring the interests, rights, and duties related to spaces and possessions recognized and protected by the law. This foundational course covers various aspects such as possessory estates, future interests in land, concurrent estates, easements, covenants, personal property, bailments, intellectual property, conveyancing, adverse possession, nuisance, zoning and land-use regulations, takings, and housing law. Students examine the concepts of property, possession, and ownership, and analyze how property law shapes interactions between individuals in physical, social, and economic spaces.
- Sample Courses
- Property
- Trusts and Estates I
- Torts
- Contracting in Complex Transactions
- Faculty/Instructors
- Alexandra B. Klass: James G. Degnan Professor of Law; Co-director, Environmental and Energy Law Program; teaches and writes in the areas of energy law, environmental law, natural resources law, tort law, and property law.
- Aaron Perzanowski: Thomas W. Lacchia Professor of Law; teaches and writes about the intersection of intellectual and personal property law.
Notable Mentions
5 Common Career Paths In Real Estate Law
One of the key factors to consider when choosing a law school for specialization in Real Estate Law is the potential for post-graduate employment. Top law schools with strong Real Estate Law programs can provide you with a competitive edge in the job market, thus opening up more employment opportunities. You should research the post-graduate employment statistics for each law school and evaluate them against your career goals and preferences. Here are five common career paths in real estate law:
- Real Estate Attorney: Providing legal guidance on property transactions, contracts, leases, zoning issues, and litigation related to real estate disputes.
- Real Estate Developer: Overseeing the acquisition, development, and management of real estate projects, including residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
- Real Estate Investor: Acquiring, managing, and selling real estate assets for investment purposes, such as rental properties, commercial buildings, or land development projects.
- Government Regulator: Enforcing and interpreting real estate laws and regulations at the local, state, or federal level, often working for agencies responsible for land use planning, zoning, and environmental protection.
- Property Manager: Handling the day-to-day operations, maintenance, and tenant relations for residential, commercial, or industrial properties.
How to Choose the Right Law School for You
Choosing the right law school is crucial when pursuing a specialization in Real Estate Law. The ideal school should have a strong reputation in the field, offer a comprehensive curriculum, provide ample networking and internship opportunities, and boast a track record of producing successful alumni.
Additionally, consider the location of the law school. If you plan to practice Real Estate Law in a specific region, attending a law school in that area can offer valuable connections and a deeper understanding of the local real estate market. Conversely, attending a school in a different region can provide a broader perspective and potentially open up opportunities in other areas.
When selecting a law school for Real Estate Law, evaluate several factors: the school's reputation, curriculum and course offerings, faculty expertise, location, availability of internships and networking opportunities, and post-graduate employment prospects. Thoroughly researching these factors and aligning them with your goals and preferences will help you make an informed decision.
Ask yourself the following questions when choosing the law schools you want to apply to:
- Does the school have a strong reputation in real estate law?
- What specific courses and specializations does the curriculum offer? Are there clubs, clinics, externships, etc. that I’d want to join?
- Are there faculty members with relevant backgrounds and experience that I’d be interested in learning from?
- What is the track record of the school’s alumni in the field? What percentage of past classes went into real estate, or a similar industry? What support does the school offer for career placement and post-graduate employment?
- Is the school in a location where I would like to practice? Is there a market for what I want to do?
- How does the school's overall culture and community align with my personal and professional goals?
- Is there any financial aid, scholarships, or other funding sources available that I am eligible for?
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