The RPTE Substantive Groups and Committees deal with emerging legal issues and provide the bar, legislatures, and Section members with current information, education, and the development of new products for the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law area of concentration. Group and committee membership is free of charge to all Section members. Groups are larger than committees and accept members on an informational basis, while committees are more task-oriented, working bodies. Join a group or committee today and enhance your professional growth!

We encourage all Section members to get involved in at least one group or committee, but there is no limit to the number you can join! You'll stay abreast of the changes in your law specialty, network with colleagues facing the same issues and challenges, and discuss pertinent and timely law cases. Law students are encouraged to become active participants. Opportunities to gain leadership experience through becoming a group or committee Chair or Vice Chair are also available.

The RPTE Section has 9 Real Property Groups and 43 Real Property Committees that focus on property use, ownership, development, transfer, regulation, financing, taxation and disposal. Click on each link below to learn more about each RP Group and the RP Committees within each group.

• Legal Education and Uniform Laws Group
• Practice Management Group
• Land Use and Environmental Group
• Commercial Real Estate Transactions and Management Group
• Residential, Multifamily and Special Use Group
• Leasing Group
• Hospitality, Timesharing and Common Interests Development Group
• Real Estate Financing Group
• Special Investors and Investment Structure Group

The RPTE Section has 7 Trust and Estate Groups and 26 Trust and Estate Committees that focus on trusts, estate planning, employee benefits, insurance, and probate and trust litigation. Click on each link below to learn more about each TE Group and the TE Committees within each group.

• Income and Transfer Tax Planning Group
• Business Planning Group
• Charitable Planning and Organizations Group
• Elder Law, Disability Planning and Bioethics Group
• Employee Benefit Plans and Other Compensation Arrangements Group
• Litigation, Ethics and Malpractice Group
• Non-Tax Estate Planning Considerations Group

The RPTE Standing Committees represent the administrative and operative structure for the Section. Committee leadership is appointed at the ABA Annual Meeting every year and chairpersons serve one year terms. Please click on each RPTE Standing Committee to learn more.

• Committee on Groups and Substantive Committees
• Community Outreach
• Communications
• CLE
• Coordination of Governmental Submissions
• Corporate Sponsorship
• Diversity
• Membership
• National Conference of Lawyers and Corporate Fiduciaries
• Nominations
• Planning
• Publications
• Section Advisory Board

The RPTE Task Forces are created for specific initiatives by the Section Council or Executive Committee. If you'd like to get involved, please email the task force chairperson. Please click on each RPTE Task Force to learn more.

• American Indian Probate Reform Act
• Property Preservation Task Force
• Task Force on Real Property Law School Curriculum
• Task Force on USA Patriot Act
• Special Committee on In-House Council

November Group and Committee Conference Calls
These Group calls are a complimentary benefit of Section membership and normally are limited to Section members. However, prospective members are welcome to join a call without charge to learn more about the Groups and how to become involved upon joining the Section. Topics of upcoming Group calls are summarized below. Click here for more RP conference calls and more TE conference calls.

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• Free Group and Committee Conference Calls
• Join a Group or Committee
• Benefits of Joining a Group or Committee
• Real Property Substantive Groups and Committees
• Trust and Estate Substantive Groups and Committees
• Standing Committees
• Task Forces

An in-depth guide to the various Groups and Committees associated with the RPTE Section, download the "Guide to Committee" here.

Are you curious to hear what current members say about RPTE Membership? View testimonials here!

Your level of involvement in a group or committee is entirely up to you. You can become very involved, or you can stay on the sidelines and still have access to the latest information and developments in your group or committee's area of expertise.

RPTE members can join a group or committee (or several) online at www.abanet.org/rpte/join. For questions regarding membership, contact the Section at (312) 988-5651 or e-mail rpte@staff.abanet.org.

Are you interested in becoming more active in the Section? If so, you can be assigned a Guide that will help you find the type of projects you'd like to become involved with... whether it be committee work, writing for the Section's publications or speaking opportunities. Click here to get more involved today!

If you're already an ABA member, simply add the Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law to your membership. The Section dues are $55 annually. Use your ABA membership ID to log in to the ABA website. If you need help with your password, or to join the Section by phone or mail, contact the ABA Service Center at 800-285-2221 to speak with a membership representative. You must first be a member of the ABA to join the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section.