A lawyer who handles contracts is usually called a transactional lawyer, a business lawyer, or a corporate lawyer, depending on the setting. “Contract lawyer” also gets used, but it carries two very different meanings in the profession, and knowing which is which saves you from searching for the wrong professional entirely. Specialists go by narrower titles — a real estate lawyer for property agreements, an employment lawyer for offer letters and non-competes — and companies that keep an attorney on staff call that person in-house counsel.
The Two Meanings of “Contract Lawyer”
The phrase creates more confusion than any other title on this list, so start here.
The first meaning is the one most people have in mind: a lawyer whose practice centers on drafting, reviewing, and negotiating agreements. This is who you hire when you need a lease reviewed or a partnership agreement written from scratch.
The second meaning has nothing to do with contract law as a subject. A “contract lawyer” (also called a “contract attorney” or “freelance attorney”) is a licensed lawyer hired on a temporary, project-by-project basis by another lawyer or law firm. These attorneys handle overflow work: document review during large litigation, legal research on a single case, or short-term coverage when a firm is understaffed. The arrangement resembles hiring a contractor in any other industry — the work is defined, the engagement ends, and there is no permanent employment relationship.
Context usually sorts the two. A law firm advertising for a “contract attorney” almost always means a temporary hire. A business owner saying they need a “contract lawyer” almost always means someone to handle an agreement. If you want to avoid the ambiguity when searching, use one of the titles below instead.
Transactional Lawyer
A transactional lawyer handles the legal side of business deals from start to finish. Where someone focused narrowly on an agreement might only draft and review the document, a transactional lawyer manages the entire deal structure: due diligence, regulatory compliance, coordination with accountants and consultants, and making sure the paperwork reflects what the parties actually agreed to. Mergers, acquisitions, commercial lending, and joint ventures are the typical work. When a deal involves multiple agreements, regulatory filings, and money changing hands, this is the title to search for.
Business Lawyer and Corporate Lawyer
These two overlap heavily. “Corporate lawyer” usually signals work with larger organizations and governance matters like board resolutions and shareholder agreements. “Business lawyer” is broader, covering everything from forming an LLC to negotiating vendor contracts to advising on regulatory compliance. Both regularly draft and review contracts as part of a wider advisory role. If your contract work connects to running or growing a business, either title points you toward the right attorney.
Real Estate Lawyer
Property transactions have their own ecosystem of contracts: purchase agreements, leases, title documents, easements, and financing paperwork. A real estate lawyer specializes in these instruments and understands the particular risks that come with land and buildings, like title defects, zoning restrictions, and environmental liability. For any property deal with meaningful money at stake, a generalist may miss issues that a real estate specialist catches instinctively.
Employment Lawyer
Offer letters, non-compete clauses, severance packages, and confidentiality agreements fall into employment lawyer territory, whether you’re the employer or the employee. Non-compete enforceability varies dramatically by jurisdiction, so a clause that would hold up in one state might be void in another. An employment lawyer can tell you what’s enforceable, what’s negotiable, and what you should push back on before signing.
In-House Counsel
In-house counsel are full-time attorneys employed directly by a company rather than by a law firm. A significant share of their day involves contract management: reviewing vendor agreements, negotiating customer terms, and keeping the company’s standard contracts current with changing regulations. They sit closer to the business than outside lawyers do, which gives them useful context about what the company actually needs from an agreement. Many companies use in-house counsel for routine contract work and bring in outside specialists for high-stakes or unusual deals.
Board-Certified Specialists
Some attorneys earn board certification in a specific practice area, which signals a verified level of expertise beyond a general law license. The American Bar Association accredits specialty certification programs through its Standing Committee on Specialization, which currently recognizes 19 certification programs run by eight private organizations.1American Bar Association. Standing Committee on Specialization To earn certification, a lawyer typically needs substantial experience in the specialty area, advanced education, peer references, and a passing score on a specialty exam.
Certification is entirely voluntary, and plenty of excellent attorneys who handle contracts don’t hold one. But when you’re comparing two lawyers with similar experience, certification tells you that a third party has verified the lawyer’s skill level. The ABA maintains a searchable directory organized by state so you can see which certification programs are available and find certified attorneys near you.1American Bar Association. Standing Committee on Specialization
Which Title Should You Search For?
Match the title to the work, not the other way around.
- A single agreement to draft or review — a straightforward lease, an NDA, a service contract — try “business lawyer” or “contract lawyer” plus your state.
- A deal with multiple moving parts, regulatory filings, or a business changing hands — search “transactional lawyer” or “corporate lawyer.”
- Anything involving real property — “real estate lawyer.”
- Offer letters, non-competes, severance — “employment lawyer” or “employment attorney.”
- Ongoing contract work for a company that doesn’t yet have a legal department — “in-house counsel” if you’re hiring an employee, “outside counsel” or “general counsel services” if you’re retaining a firm on an ongoing basis.
Referrals from business associates or other professionals who’ve worked with an attorney on similar matters are usually the most reliable starting point. State and local bar associations also run lawyer referral services that screen participating attorneys and match them by practice area, confirming the lawyer is licensed and in good standing.
When you meet with a prospective attorney, focus on specifics: how many similar agreements they’ve handled, which industries they’ve worked in, their fee structure, and who in their office will do the actual work on your matter. A partner might handle the initial consultation but delegate drafting to a junior associate, and you should know that going in.
One last thing worth asking: most states do not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance. Oregon is the only state that mandates coverage for all practicing lawyers, while a handful of others require attorneys to disclose their insurance status to clients. If you’re entrusting significant financial interests to an attorney’s contract work, confirming coverage gives you a safety net if something goes wrong.