That will depend upon who is paying for them. Real estate agents (and sometimes even lenders) insist on selecting the closing attorney. An informed seller or buyer who is paying the costs for these services should insist on selecting the attorney. (If you use the other guy's attorney, you are certain to pay a high price for the services. If you use your own attorney, you are certain to pay a reasonable fee for those services.)
Aside from the principle set out above, you should also keep in mind that a seller has no special interest in your protection as a buyer. A title examination - and the issuance of title insurance -- is for the buyer's and lender's protection. If I am a purchaser, I would much prefer that my own attorney be the one to search the title and protect my interests.
Keep in mind, however, that not every attorney is competent to handle real estate transactions. Many good lawyers practice law in other areas of the law and may not feel comfortable handling a transaction. My comments above, assume that your attorney is a competent closing attorney. If he is not, he can refer you to a good closing attorney whom you can trust to do a good job.
Answered on Apr 08th, 2012 at 9:27 AM