Hiring a Real Estate Lawyer in Louisiana
What a home seller in Louisiana must disclose, how foreclosure works, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Louisiana: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. The agreement must be in a writing signed by the client, and the client must get a copy or duplicate original when it is signed. It must state how the fee is figured, including percentages on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, whether expenses come out before or after the fee is calculated, and any expenses the client owes whether or not they win. At the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and the client's share. Contingent fees are banned for criminal defendants and for domestic relations fees contingent on a divorce or the amount of alimony, support or property settlement. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Louisiana State Bar Association's Lawyer Fee Dispute Resolution Program handles minor attorney fee disputes between lawyers and clients (or between lawyers) through volunteer arbitrators. The LSBA charges a nominal administrative fee and may decline disputes that are too complex, involve many issues or parties, are pending elsewhere, or fall under a statutory scheme such as succession or workers' compensation. LSBA staff cannot give legal advice. Contact: (504) 619-0153 or (504) 619-0143. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The LSBA Client Assistance Fund compensates clients who lose money or property due to a lawyer's dishonest conduct (not incompetence or failure to act), reimbursing up to $50,000 for thefts by a lawyer; interest and consequential damages are not paid, and fees are reimbursable only in limited cases, such as when the lawyer did no work. You must show the money or property reached the lawyer. Applying is free and no lawyer is needed; deadlines apply, so apply promptly. The fund also advises filing a complaint with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Contact: 601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130-3427; (504) 566-1600 or (800) 421-5722, ext. 107. |
Louisiana rules to know first
| What a home seller must disclose | Yes. A seller of residential real property (or vacant residential property) must complete a property disclosure document in a form prescribed by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission, in good faith and to the best of the seller's knowledge. It must also say whether the buyer must join a homeowners' association, whether the property is subject to restrictive covenants, whether a methamphetamine lab was ever there, and certain salt-cavern information. It must be delivered no later than when the buyer makes an offer; if it is delivered after the offer, the buyer may cancel within 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) after receiving it, without penalty. The document is not a warranty. Source: La. R.S. 9:3198 |
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| How foreclosure works | Judicial, through the courts and the parish sheriff. Louisiana uses two court procedures. "Executory process" is used when the mortgage is an authentic act containing a confession of judgment: the lender files a petition and the court orders a writ of seizure and sale without first citing the borrower or obtaining a judgment. A lender can instead use an "ordinary proceeding," in which it must first obtain a judgment against the borrower and then execute that judgment. Louisiana's code calls the lender's rights a mortgage or privilege; there is no out-of-court power-of-sale foreclosure in these articles. |
| Foreclosure timeline | Louisiana's code sets only a few minimum waiting periods. The sheriff may not order the sale advertised until three days (not counting holidays) after the owner is served with the notice of seizure. An owner who wants to challenge the order of seizure and sale by suspensive appeal must take the appeal within 15 days of service of the notice of seizure; the owner may also seek an injunction to stop the sale. The newspaper-advertising period for judicial sales is set in a separate statute (R.S. 43:203) that was not read. |
| HOA foreclosure | Yes. Associations of lot owners and condominium associations have a privilege (lien) on each lot or unit for assessments and fines charged to it, and, with approval of the board of directors, the association may file an action to enforce the privilege. The owner also remains personally liable for past-due amounts, and the association must give the owner a binding statement of unpaid assessments within ten business days after a written request. Source: La. R.S. 9:1145 |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Louisiana State Bar Association's Find Legal Help portal does not describe a statewide LSBA referral line; its Find an Attorney directory can locate a local lawyer referral program for certain cities, and its Modest Means Directory lists attorneys who charge reduced fees to people who meet income requirements. LSBA phone: (800) 421-LSBA (5722) or (504) 566-1600. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board's lawyer search lets you look up attorneys by name, city and status. Each result shows the date admitted, a status code (such as ELIG for eligible to practice, SUS suspended, DIS disbarred, INA inactive), public disciplinary actions with dates, and current administrative status. It does not show complaints, investigations or private discipline; full disciplinary history can be requested separately. Discipline history request: https://www.ladb.org/Account/DataRequest.aspx |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Louisiana lawyers must be in writing to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC), using the Ethical Conduct Complaint Form or a letter describing what the lawyer did or failed to do, with the lawyer's contact details, dates and copies of documents. Mail to ODC, 4000 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite 607, Baton Rouge, LA 70816; phone (225) 293-3900 or (800) 326-8022. Anyone may file. ODC screens the complaint, may send it to the lawyer for a response (which you usually see), and may dismiss, issue a private admonition or file formal charges. You may appeal a dismissal in writing within 30 days. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Louisiana's LSC-funded legal aid organizations, Acadiana Legal Service Corporation and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, give free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. The LSBA also points people to the Louisiana Civil Legal Navigator (free legal information, court forms and legal aid referrals), LA.FreeLegalAnswers.org (online answers from volunteer attorneys for eligible adults), LouisianaLawHelp.org, and court self-help centers. LSBA page: https://www.lsba.org/goto/FindLegalHelp |
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All legal help in Louisiana · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.