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For part of next summer, I will be working in a real estate transaction group. I am considering taking either a contract drafting class or a local government class which are offered at the same time. The local government class sounds more fun and I have heard it is useful for real estate, but I don't want to drop contract drafting if that is also or more useful for real estate. And while I am not working in M&A or PE this summer, if a contract drafting class is useful for those areas I would also not want to drop contract drafting.

So, is a basic contract drafting class useful for those going into transaction practice areas or is mostly a wash? Intuitively I feel like it would be useful, but a faculty member told me so many contracts involve boiler plate language that taking a contract drafting class is not a big deal. I also did an in-house internship where I did some basic contract work if that means anything.

Yes, contract drafting is very useful for working in real estate, however, probably won't be for your summer. Just take it as a 3L.

You should definitely take the contract drafting class. It'll be useful.

Similar question. Would such a class be a good idea for someone who accepted a litigation offer for next summer but is currently planning on trying to change to real estate or M&A after this summer? My plan was to take the transactional drafting course so I could discuss it in interviews, but I recently got off the waitlist for a negotiations class that I would really like to take (I have heard great things about this class and I believe that it would really benefit me). Thoughts?

The contract drafting class will be the most useful/closest to real practice class you will take in law school if you are going transactional. It will also be the most mind-numbing and make you realize what you're getting yourself into by going transactional.