what should l expect when my lawyer reviews my commercial lease

by Else Hartmann 5 min read

Full Answer

Do I need a lawyer to review a commercial lease?

When looking to keep costs down, it’s only natural to contemplate whether or not you actually need to hire a lawyer to review a commercial lease you are considering. Surely it can’t be too hard to look over the lease yourself, can it? That depends.

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

Sometimes a lawyer will quote you a flat fee for a specific job—for example, the lawyer may offer to review your commercial lease for $450. In a flat fee agreement, you pay the same amount regardless of how much time the lawyer spends on the particular job.

How long should a commercial lease be?

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. Last but certainly not leased: 3. (Good) lawyers PAY FOR THEMSELVES. No really, they do.

Why do I need a commercial real estate attorney?

To make sure you are legally protected, you should have a commercial real estate attorney assist you with the negotiations and review of your commercial lease.

What is the most important consideration in a commercial lease?

The amount of monthly rent is one of the most important issues when it comes to a commercial lease. While rent may seem fairly straightforward, there is a good deal of negotiating room available, even if the rent itself is already established.

How do I leave a good lawyer review?

How to Write a Good Review for an AttorneyStep One: Provide context for the review. ... Step Two: Explain what makes the law firm services ideal or needs improvement. ... Step Three: Summarize what was gained from the experience.

How do you walk away from a commercial lease?

Lease Buyout Similar to an early termination clause, a buyout would let you walk away from the lease for a fee. The big difference, however, is that early termination penalties are negotiated at the time of lease signing, whereas the buyout penalty would have to be negotiated at the time of the buyout request.

What does it mean to put a law firm in Review?

To reexamine judicially or administratively; a judicial reconsideration for purposes of correction, for example, the examination of a case by an appellate court.

How would you describe a good lawyer?

Listening to your clients, listening to witnesses, listening to your opposing counsel, and listening to the court can be the difference between winning and losing a case. Great lawyers take in all relevant information, analyze it, and create a plan of action.

What happens to my lease if my business fails?

Unless you have negotiated a lease termination clause that hinges on the closing of your business, a property lease will continue to be legally valid even if you cease business operations.

Can I end my commercial lease early?

A break clause is written into the commercial lease from the outset and allows a Tenant (and even a Landlord) to end a lease early by serving a notice on the other party.

What happens at the end of a business lease?

If a lease is contracted out, once the end of the term is reached you can choose to renew the rental agreement based on renegotiated terms, such as a rental increase. It is then up to the tenant if they accept these terms and sign a new lease.

How much does a lawyer charge per 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. Most lawyers bill in six-, ten-, or 15-minute increments. Understand that these are the smallest "chunks" of time that the lawyer will bill for, ...

How to secure a flat fee?

To secure a flat fee or cap, dangle the prospect of more work ahead. Explain to the lawyer that yours is a small business with a limited budget. Especially if you're just starting out, mention that you'll have other legal needs in the future if your business succeeds.

What is flat fee agreement?

In a flat fee agreement, you pay the same amount regardless of how much time the lawyer spends on the particular job. When an attorney is highly recommended by others and the flat fee is moderate, this can be a great arrangement for you.

What to do when you have runaway hourly fees?

If you are concerned about runaway hourly costs, you can ask the lawyer to agree to a "cap," or an upper billing amount. This means that when the cap has been reached (or is near), the billing will stop (and the lawyer will stop working) until you authorize more work.

Do lawyers have to be free from government regulation?

Unlike physicians, for example, who have insurance companies and the government monitoring virtually every move, lawyers are free from heavy-handed regulation. As a result, many choose to avoid bureaucratic paperwork, which they regard as a time-consuming nuisance.

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.

Is commercial lease review affordable?

Commercial lease review services are more affordable than you think, especially if you consider a legal expert from Groundworks Commercial Leasing, which has been called the “UBER” of law firms because there is no overhead or mahogany desks to pay for. You just get quality advice quickly and affordably.