Florida Real Property Law Education and Training

Get the right training to practice Florida real estate laws

By Emmet McMahan
Florida property laws deal primarily with the ownership of land. Florida real property law education and training should include recognition of the most important classifications of real property. These include concurrent estates, freehold estates and non-freehold estates.

Real estate laws in FL generally allows the state exclusive jurisdiction over the land within its borders. These laws are not subject to federal law for the most part. There are three phases to an attorney’s education on real property laws in Florida:
  1. Formal education. An attorney who practices real estate law in FL should at least have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. The J.D. degree should come from a law school that is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
  2. Specialization. Attorneys frequently choose to specialize by taking specific training in real property law in Florida. These courses may be taken as a program of concentration in law school or as Continuing Legal Education (CLE).
  3. Membership in professional organizations. There are many legal organizations for attorneys who practice real property law. These may be bar associations, organizations for a particular cause or groups exclusively for practicing real estate attorneys.

 

Attend a law school that specializes in Florida real property law

There are a variety of universities in Florida that provide training in real property law, such as specific coursework, a formal concentration or legal clinics.
Try: The University of Florida Levin College of Law includes a variety of courses in real property law in its curriculum. Florida State University College of Law offers a certificate program in land use and environmental law.

Obtain CLE credit for a Florida real property law attorney

Florida requires attorneys to stay current on changes in employment law with CLE courses. There are a variety of education and training programs in Florida that provide CLE credit in real property law.
Try: The Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar provides a list of upcoming CLE courses on real property law in Florida. LexisNexis offers CLE publication on real property law in Florida, such as Florida Real Property Complex Transactions.

Learn through professional training associations on real property law in Florida

Professional associations frequently offer formal training such as conferences, seminars and workshops in employment and labor law. These organizations also provide more casual meetings that allow attorneys to exchange tips on building and maintaining a practice.
Try: The Dade County Bar Association offers tapes on varying topics that have been approved by the Florida Bar, including property law. The St. Petersburg Bar Association calendar of events includes meetings on real property law.

 

  • An attorney who practices real estate law in Florida may also wish to specialize in a particular type of real property to provide better service for their clients. For example, an attorney may learn about the specific property laws on farming in order to build a practice around agricultural property.