Hiring a Real Estate Lawyer in Nevada
What a home seller in Nevada 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 Nevada: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under Nevada Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c), a contingent fee agreement must be in writing, signed by the client, and must state in boldface type at least as large as the largest type in the agreement: how the fee is determined, including the percentage(s) for settlement, trial or appeal; whether expenses are deducted from the recovery and whether before or after the fee is calculated; whether the client owes expenses regardless of outcome; that if the client loses, the client may be liable for the opposing party's attorney fees and will be liable for its costs as required by law; and that a suit brought solely to harass or coerce a settlement may result in liability for malicious prosecution or abuse of process. At the end, the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and any remittance. Rule 1.5(d) bars fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. By statute (NRS 7.095), in actions for injury or death against a health care provider based on professional negligence, an attorney may not contract for or collect a contingent fee of more than 35 percent of the amount recovered (net of litigation costs), whether by settlement, arbitration or judgment. NRS 7.095: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-007.html |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The State Bar of Nevada's Fee Dispute program is free and voluntary, for disputes of at least $250. Most disputes go to mediation first; if mediation fails and both parties have agreed to binding arbitration, an arbitrator or panel holds a hearing and decides the fee owed. File the Petitioner's Agreement for Arbitration of Fee Dispute (online, or request a mailed copy) with supporting documents in PDF to the Fee Dispute Department. The committee cannot hear fees already fixed by a court, malpractice or misconduct claims, or a matter already filed in court unless a court directs it. |
Nevada rules to know first
| What a home seller must disclose | Yes. At least 10 days before residential property is conveyed, the seller must complete a disclosure form about the property's condition and serve it on the buyer or buyer's agent; the seller's agent may not fill it out for the seller. The form's format and contents are set by regulation of the Real Estate Division of the Department of Business and Industry and cover electrical, heating, cooling, plumbing and sewer systems and other conditions affecting the property's use or value. If the seller discovers a new or worse defect before closing, the seller must tell the buyer in writing; if the seller will not repair it, the buyer may cancel or close accepting the defect. Buyers cannot waive these requirements. Foreclosure sales, sales between co-owners, spouses or close relatives, and first sales of new homes built by licensed contractors are exempt. |
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| How foreclosure works | Both. Nevada law gives the trustee of a deed of trust a power of sale that can be used out of court after a default (nonjudicial foreclosure). A lender can also bring a single court action to recover a debt secured by a mortgage or other lien on real estate, in which the court may order the property sold by the sheriff (judicial foreclosure). |
| Foreclosure timeline | For a trustee's sale: the pre-foreclosure notice must be mailed at least 30 days before the notice of default is recorded; the borrower then has 35 days after the notice of default is recorded and mailed to cure; and the notice of sale cannot be given until at least 3 months after the notice of default is recorded. The notice of sale must be posted for 20 successive days and published once a week for 3 consecutive weeks before the sale. For owner-occupied homes, a borrower who timely asks for mediation stops further steps toward a sale until mediation is completed. If a borrower submits an application for a foreclosure prevention alternative, the servicer generally may not record a notice of default or notice of sale, or hold a sale, while the application is pending. |
| HOA foreclosure | Yes. A homeowners or condominium association has a lien for assessments, fines and certain charges, and it may foreclose its lien by sale. Part of the lien (up to 9 months of regular budget-based assessments, certain maintenance charges, and capped collection costs) has priority even over a first mortgage. Before selling, the association must mail a notice of delinquent assessment, wait at least 30 days, record a notice of default and election to sell (with a bold warning that the owner could lose the home), and give the owner 90 days after recording to pay. An association generally may not foreclose based only on fines or penalties for violating its rules unless the violation threatens health, safety or welfare or involves certain other conditions, and it may not proceed while the unit is in the state foreclosure mediation program unless conditions are met. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The State Bar of Nevada's Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) refers callers to a private attorney who practices in the relevant area of law. Call 702-382-0504 or toll-free 1-800-789-5747 (800-789-LRIS), or use the online option. The referred attorney may charge a $45 non-refundable fee for a consultation of up to 30 minutes; after that, fees are negotiated directly with the attorney, and there is no obligation to hire the attorney. If you cannot afford regular fees, LRS may try to prequalify you for a reduced-fee attorney (no more than $25 for the initial consultation and no more than $75 per hour after that) or refer you to another legal services agency. LRS overview: https://nvbar.org/for-the-public/find-a-lawyer/lrs/ |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The State Bar of Nevada, a public corporation supervised by the Nevada Supreme Court, licenses Nevada lawyers. Its Bar Status page explains the license statuses (such as Active, Inactive, Administrative Suspension, Discipline Suspension and Disbarment), and the bar says it can tell you whether an attorney is licensed in Nevada and in good standing; call the Las Vegas office at 702-382-2200 or the Reno office at 775-329-4100. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | The State Bar of Nevada's Office of Bar Counsel investigates complaints of attorney misconduct. File online with the complaint form, by U.S. mail, or in person at the Las Vegas office (3100 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 100, Las Vegas, NV 89102) or Reno office (9456 Double R Blvd., Suite B, Reno, NV 89521); filing is free. Include your contact information, the lawyer's name and firm, a detailed narrative with dates and copies of supporting documents, and file a separate complaint for each attorney. Steps are initial review (usually within 10 business days), a written response from the lawyer, investigation, screening panel review and, if warranted, a formal hearing; it can take one to six months or longer. Reprimands, suspensions and disbarments are public; dismissals and private admonitions are not. The bar issues a Certificate of Good Standing and Statement of Discipline History. FAQs: https://nvbar.org/for-the-public/attorney-discipline/faqs-attorney-discipline/ |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Nevada Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance statewide to low-income Nevadans who meet its eligibility requirements; you can check eligibility and apply through its online intake form or contact the nearest office. The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) lists Nevada Legal Services as the LSC-funded grantee in the state. In Clark County, the Family Law Self-Help Center (run by Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada under contract with Clark County) offers information and forms for people representing themselves. Family Law Self-Help Center: https://www.familylawselfhelpcenter.org/; LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Nevada · 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.