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Real estate attorney vs lawyer

The differences between real estate attorneys and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $98,016 average annual salary of a real estate attorney.

The top three skills for a real estate attorney include law firm, litigation and legal advice. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.

Real estate attorney vs lawyer overview

Real Estate AttorneyLawyer
Yearly salary$98,016$115,808
Hourly rate$47.12$55.68
Growth rate7%10%
Number of jobs22,4442,897
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age4946
Years of experience-4

What does a real estate attorney do?

Real estate account executives manage the logistics of commercial or residential real estate accounts. Responsibilities include understanding prospective deals, as well as presenting them to the investment committee, and negotiating and closing transactions. They typically have a solid background in math and computer skills and a good sense of integrity.

What does a lawyer do?

A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.

Real estate attorney vs lawyer salary

Real estate attorneys and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Real Estate AttorneyLawyer
Average salary$98,016$115,808
Salary rangeBetween $67,000 And $143,000Between $64,000 And $208,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateWashingtonNew York
Best paying companySullivan & WorcesterNelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industryEnergy-

Differences between real estate attorney and lawyer education

There are a few differences between a real estate attorney and a lawyer in terms of educational background:

Real Estate AttorneyLawyer
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Real estate attorney vs lawyer demographics

Here are the differences between real estate attorneys' and lawyers' demographics:

Real Estate AttorneyLawyer
Average age4946
Gender ratioMale, 51.1% Female, 48.9%Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.5% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 2.9% White, 81.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage8%10%

Differences between real estate attorney and lawyer duties and responsibilities

Real estate attorney example responsibilities.

  • Manage sales staff inside of the branch to proper real estate loanorigination, servicing, cross-selling and follow-ups.
  • Manage outside counsel for representation and litigation on various matters including leasehold disputes.
  • Prepare probate documents including filing necessary appointments, notice and assents, and powers of sale.
  • Prepare construction loan status reports, develop new business opportunities, and engage in cross-selling of products.
  • Present at seminars to local professionals on foreclosure and short sale topics
  • Negotiate alternatives to foreclosure with bank lenders on behalf of low-income persons facing foreclosure.
  • Show more

Lawyer example responsibilities.

  • Participate in drafting legal documents and prepare business contracts, perform taxation duties for the enterprise and settle disputes with employees.
  • Handle all types of civil claims and provide notary services
  • Review of complaints relate to judicial ethics and employee misconduct.
  • Draft, proofread and ensure filing and service of criminal motions.
  • Draft a variety of pleadings and motions on behalf of the plaintiff.
  • Assist clients at the notary public office and negotiate licensing agreements for virtual data rooms.
  • Show more

Real estate attorney vs lawyer skills

Common real estate attorney skills
  • Law Firm, 15%
  • Litigation, 11%
  • Legal Advice, 6%
  • Due Diligence, 6%
  • Legal Research, 5%
  • Sale Agreements, 5%
Common lawyer skills
  • Litigation, 14%
  • Law Firm, 8%
  • Legal Issues, 7%
  • Real Estate, 6%
  • Legal Research, 6%
  • Civil Law, 5%

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