Do I need a lawyer to review a commercial lease?
Yes, commercial leases have none of the consumer protections of residential leases, and the standard forms are written for the landlord. The clauses that hurt tenants most are personal guarantees, CAM (common area maintenance) charges with no cap, restrictive use clauses, and repair obligations that quietly include the roof and HVAC.
A lease review is one of the highest-leverage flat fees in business law: an hour of negotiation on the guarantee cap or CAM audit rights can be worth tens of thousands over a five-year term. Most landlords expect redlines; the form is an opening position.
Bring us the lease before you sign the letter of intent if you can, some points are only winnable at the LOI stage.
Have this exact situation?
A consultation gets you an answer specific to your facts, usually the same week. Our business law team handles this daily.