How do I Become a Commercial Real Estate Lawyer?

To become a commercial real estate lawyer, you must first progress through an undergraduate degree program after which you matriculate to a graduate-level degree program which grants the Juris Doctor (JD) degree. After you have obtained a certified law degree, you must pass the bar exam or another certification exam for the country, state, or region in which you wish to practice. Once you have passed the exam and have been certified, it may be necessary to secure a commercial real estate license.

There are no specific courses of study for the individual who aspires to become a commercial real estate lawyer. Majors such as philosophy, literature, and history may help prepare you for the deductive reasoning and analytical skills required to succeed as an attorney. Moreover, these majors emphasize writing long papers and essays which require students to defend a particular argument with supportive reasoning. As a commercial real estate attorney, it will be your responsibility to defend clients' claim to land or to facilitate land acquisition through legal reasoning and extensive knowledge of your area's commercial real estate law.

Enrolling in a graduate-level law program is the next step for would-be attorneys. In law school, you will encounter past cases concerning real estate disputes including eminent domain, commercial real estate tax issues, and manager-tenant disputes. Your law professors will expect you to defend whichever side you choose with clear logic and noticeable expertise in the legal subject. In addition, understanding the specific laws and regulations surrounding commercial real estate in your country will be duly important while in law school.

Obtaining the law degree means that you have become an official lawyer. Before you can become a commercial real estate lawyer you will have to go through two rounds of certification. The first round requires that you take a certification exam before you can practice law in a specific area, region, or country, such as the bar exam in the United States. If you pass the certification exam, you will be allowed to practice law in that region.

The second round of certification requires that you obtain a specific commercial real estate license. While this certification is not mandatory, it is useful for those attorneys who want to rise above the competition. Some universities offer a graduate degree program for attorneys who would like to specialize in commercial real estate law. Check the commercial real estate lawyer resources in your community to find more information.