how much will it cost for a general lawyer for lease

by Miss Eldridge Dach 8 min read

Preparing or reviewing the lease contract, and negotiating the terms with the other side or their lawyer. Experienced commercial real estate lawyers usually charge between $350 to $500+ per hour, so what the fees will be - will depend on exactly what you need the lawyer to do.

Hourly Fees
The average minimum was $225 per hour, while the average maximum was $300. Within that range, the hourly fee a lawyer charges might depend on the case and the client.
Nov 21, 2018

Full Answer

How much does it cost to hire a commercial lease lawyer?

Most lawyers who advise small business clients about a lease use one of the following two fee arrangements. Paying By the Hour. Paying your lawyer by the hour is the most common method. In most parts of the United States, you can get competent services for your small business for $150 to $250 an hour.

Do I need a lawyer to review a commercial lease?

Apr 01, 2020 · Although the cost of preparing a lease agreement depends on the complexity of the agreement, it typically costs between $400 and $3000 for an attorney to prepare a lease, according to Nolo. Some attorneys and legal-aid organizations offer reduced rates if …

How much does it cost to hire a lawyer to review contracts?

Apr 27, 2020 · It’s awesome. My law firm has 30 attorneys and I pay a fee of $35 per month and they will review up to 20 leases/contracts per year at no extra cost. Plus unlimited consultation on any other issues too at no extra cost. I recently signed a lease with a tenant but even before the tenant moved in there was a problem.

How much does it cost to hire a lawyer to draft contracts?

Apr 19, 2021 · Simple contract drafting costs can range between $200 and $800 as a flat fee depending upon your needs. An online contract lawyer could also bill their services at an hourly rate between $100 and $350 an hour. Click here to explore some hourly rates in our marketplace. Complex or Bespoke Drafting

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What is the American rule for attorney fees?

In England, the loser of a court case pays the winner’s legal fees. In the U.S., each party pays its own fees. This means that as a general rule, the American Rule, even if you defeat an unjust claim against you, you are still stuck with all of your legal bills spent defending yourself. It also means that if someone has a just claim for $100,000 but has to pay a lawyer $40,000 to collect that sum, they will only net 60% of what they were owed.

What are boilerplate provisions?

Boilerplate provisions are typically found near the end of an agreement and can be very important. These provisions may determine who pays for attorney fees in commercial leases. They determine how disputes are resolved and how a court can enforce a contract. They may answer several important questions like: Does the lease contain all of the agreements of the parties? Where can a lawsuit be brought? Who has to be notified of a breach? Is there an opportunity to cure? And many more questions.

How Do Lawyers Charge for Drafting?

Lawyers charge hourly fees, flat fees, or a combination of both for contract drafting services. Consider the differences between hourly vs. flat fee structures when hiring lawyers online.

What Information Will You Need Ready?

It is essential to have good information on hand when drafting your contract. Not only will the organization save you time and money, but it also ensures that your agreement meets your needs.

What Is Normal Turnaround?

The normal turnaround time to write a contract depends upon the extent of the agreement in question as well as how many custom terms will be included by the lawyer. Simple agreements can take a matter of days. Complex/bespoke contracts could take weeks or months due to the need to negotiate terms and conditions for large projects.

Pros and Cons of Flat Fee Drafting

The pros and cons of flat fee drafting to draw up a legal document are another element to consider. While flat-fee drafting has many significant advantages, it also carries its fair share of drawbacks.

Using Contract Templates to Start

Many business owners erroneously believe that starting with a contract template will save them money during the attorney legal drafting process. However, this strategy may actually tack on time and attorneys’ fees by approaching it from this manner.

Get Help with Contract Drafting

Get help with contract drafting by hiring a contract lawyer. Using an online boilerplate template can result in legal mistakes that cost you far more in the long run. Ensure that you receive what you want out of the contract drafting process by hiring a contract attorney to create the perfect document.

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Brandon is a Texas Super Lawyer®, meaning he is among the top 2.5% of attorneys in his state. He has designed his practice to provide a unique ecosystem of legal support services to business and entrepreneurs, derived from his background as a federal district law clerk, published biochemist, and industry lecturer.

How to determine the fee of a lawyer?

Just like with any question related to a lawyer’s services, the fee you will pay for a legal professional to look over your contract depends on the lawyer's hourly rate and the contract's complexity. Here are some factors it can depend upon: 1 The length of the contract 2 Your budget 3 What does the attorney need to look for 4 If you need just a review or help with drafting services 5 Your industry 6 Rules and regulations in your industry 7 The amount of money at stake 8 The duration of the contract 9 How much risk are you willing to take on 10 The number of signing parties involved 11 Your lawyer’s experience and current workload

What is redlining a contract?

In the legal world, this is known as “redlining a contract”, which can really help the whole process move along more smoothly. In other words, you don’t have to discuss the changes in your agreement with the other party, as they will receive the contract already finished with the option to accept or deny.

What is issue specific contract review?

An issue-specific contract review is the most economical option if spending money is the most important factor for you. If you are mostly happy with the contract, but not quite clear on some of the specific terms or issues, or need a specific clause of the contract explained, the lawyer will just look over those specific areas of concern. A lawyer can help decipher the legalese and explain those terms in common English so you can figure out if they work for you. You don’t want to sign things you don’t understand, so if you're on a tight budget, but still need the peace of mind, this is a good way to feel more confident before signing the agreement.

Do lawyers charge flat fees?

Each lawyer sets his or her own prices depending on their own level of expertise and the fees they charge can vary greatly from one attorney to the next. Most of the time, however, lawyers use either flat-fee pricing or hourly pricing when they get hired to review a business contract.

Commercial Lease Fees for Tenants

Commercial lease terms can be extremely complicated so it is best to make sure that you instruct an efficient and conscientious solicitor. Kaiser solicitors will ensure that the process is stress-free and that you are kept well informed of the negotiations at all times. We will work on your behalf to ensure you get the very best deal.

Commercial Landlords

We will assist you in drafting a commercial lease or reviewing an existing lease if required. Our team of solicitors will negotiate on your behalf with the prospective tenants or their solicitors and prepare all associated legal documentation related to the transaction.

The Lease

A commercial lease is a legally binding contract that gives the tenant the right to use the property for commercial use over a specified time period. The lease will also stipulate the responsibilities of all parties involved. These obligations will be made clear in the final document.

What is a lease agreement?

A lease agreement is a binding contract between a landlord and a tenant. By signing the lease, the tenant has agreed to live in the rental for the duration of the contract. When You Can Break a Lease. Landlord Failing to Maintain Property. Landlord Illegally Enters Apartment or Harasses Tenant.

How much notice do you need to give to end a lease?

The required notice is generally between 30 and 60 days’ of desired move out. Early Termination Fee: The clause will state how much the tenant must pay to end their lease early. The tenant will usually have to pay the landlord ...

What is an early termination clause?

Some landlord will include an early termination clause in their lease agreement. This clause allows a tenant to terminate the lease early if they follow the early termination rules . The tenant will have to give proper written notice and pay a fee. Written Notice: The clause will specify how much written notice the tenant must give ...

Can you forfeit your security deposit?

You may also forfeit your right to the return of your security deposit. Rent Until Landlord Finds New Renter: Most states require a landlord to actively look for a new renter. You would be responsible for paying rent for the remainder of your lease term or until the new tenant’s lease begins, whichever is sooner.

What happens if you terminate your lease early?

If the landlord wins, you will likely have to pay rent for any months remaining on the lease, forfeit your security deposit and could be responsible for damages, court costs, and attorney’s fees.

Does breaking a lease affect your credit?

Therefore, breaking a lease could affect you monetarily, but can also impact your future quality of life.

Can you break a lease early?

While most situations do not qualify as legal reasons to break a lease, there are certain specific reasons you can break a lease early without penalty. These include: Landlord Failing to Maintain Property. Landlord Illegally Enters Apartment or Harasses Tenant. Active Duty Military Change of Station Orders.

How long is a commercial lease?

Commercial leases are typically 3 to 5 years in length. That will feel like an eternity if you are stuck with a lease that is seriously skewed to your landlord’s advantage whether its with arbitrary management fees or ridiculous eviction clauses.

Why do landlords need a lawyer?

1. The very act of hiring a lawyer shows your landlord that you’re serious and can’t be easily pushed around or deceived. Landlords will be less likely to overstep knowing you have a lawyer on hand who can and will initiate legal action at the first sign of wrongdoing. 2.

What is lease protection?

It's the wording that you have to watch out for. A lease protects the Landlord, so it's favoured in their direction naturally as they are protecting their asset in which they receive cash flow, but a Tenant also has rights they need to be looked after.

Can you sign a multi-million dollar lease without a lawyer?

Anyone considering signing any kind of multi-million dollar long-term lease/agreement including entry/exit clauses without involvement of a lawyer or subject matter expert should not be holding such level of "authority to decide" ...

Do lawyers pay for themselves?

3. (Good) lawyers PAY FOR THEMSELVES. No really, they do. While having a lawyer may initially be an extra expense, he or she seriously has the ability to maximize your return on investment by saving you hundreds or even thousands over the years. Hiring a lawyer (should) cost less than one month’s rent. It’s therefore worth at least seeing if your lawyer can get you a better deal for the length of your lease.

Nancy L. Lanard

My firm handles commercial retail/shopping center leases of that type. We charge a flat fee for the review, revision and negotiation of the lease. If you contact me via telephone (215-525-1165 x101) I can provide the exact cost to you, with no hidden charges...

Stephen Samuel Messutta

It's not only the "review" but really the way to control costs is to help you identify particular areas of concern to you that you may want the attorney to negotiate harder on.

Erik Anderson

I agree with the attorneys above. Clients often confuse the size of the rental space with the cost of reviewing a lease. While your attorney may be able to spot issues relatively quickly, the negotiating position taken by the land lord may make the process for time consuming. This in turn results in a larger legal bill...

Brian C Shea

Both of the answers already posted by other attorneys describe good points to consider. Many clients think that a lease for a relatively small space shouldn't take very long to review and negotiate. Having reviewed hundreds of leases, I know that is often not the case.

K Shaylan Baldwin

I agree with the above response...it's just really tough to tell until you see the proposed lease from the landlord. Depending on the size of the shopping center, there can be some considerable negotiation on exclusions from Common Area Maintenance obligations, review of exclusives, etc.

Matthew Allan Quick

It would depend on the length of the lease and any needed clarifications.

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Boilerplate Provisions: What Are They?

  • Many legal documents contain what is known in our profession as boilerplate provisions. Boilerplate provisions are typically found near the end of an agreement and can be very important. These provisions may determine who pays for attorney fees in commercial leases. They determine how disputes are resolved and how a court can enforce a contract. They may answer …
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England vs. The U.S.

  • Within this boilerplate, there may be a provision for attorney fees. In England, the loser of a court case pays the winner’s legal fees. In the U.S., each party pays its own fees. This means that as a general rule, the American Rule, even if you defeat an unjust claim against you, you are still stuck with all of your legal bills spent defending yourself. It also means that if someone has a just clai…
See more on pattersonlawfirm.com

How Are Verdicts calculated?

  • In a personal injury case, verdicts awarded are imprecise because the jury or the Judge is attempting to place a value on something intangible such as emotional distress or pain and suffering. In business cases, the amount is often (not always) certain: the amount of the unpaid contract, royalties, or lease payments. You can see how this might give someone breaching a le…
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The Lawyers Should Consider The Impact of Provisions

  • The lawyers on both sides of commercial landlord-tenant disputesshould consider the impact of these provisions. It affects the legal fee budget for the case, risk calculations, analysis of the Judge, positions you take during the discovery phase of the case, and the motions you file, just to name a few.
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Contact Us

  • If you have questions about attorney fees in commercial leases or think you may have been overcharged, please contact us.
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