​Are you considering leasing office or retail space for your small business? The terms of your lease can have a huge impact on whether your business succeeds or fails. There are several important provisions that should be considered before you sign on the dotted line.
Leases of a certain duration (usually one to three years, depending upon the state) are generally required to be in writing and signed by the party against which they are being enforced. In reality, it is advisable for all commercial leases to be in writing, regardless of their duration. They should clearly spell out certain terms that are of crucial importance, including the following:
(1) The leased space. Your lease should state exactly what space you are renting, including common areas such as hallways, restrooms, stairs, and elevators. The square footage of the space and how it was measured should be specified.
(2) Modifications to the property. If you need to make improvements or modifications to the leased space for it to work for your business, this should be spelled out in the lease. In addition, the lease should indicate who will pay for the improvements and who will own them at the termination of the lease.
If modifications must be made for the building to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the lease should specify which party is responsible for implementing and paying for those modifications.
(3) Length of the lease. At first thought, a longer lease term of five or ten years may seem advantageous because it would guarantee that you will not be forced to move your business to another commercial space. However, it also binds you to a space your business may outgrow or that you find to be unsuitable for your customers or employees. For many businesses, especially new ones, a shorter lease term with an option to renew is more beneficial, as it will afford you more flexibility and impose less financial risk. However, if you plan to make a substantial amount of improvements to the leased premises, you should consider the pros and cons of a long-term lease to enable you to recoup the amounts you have invested.
(4) Rent. Obviously, you should make sure your business can afford to pay the monthly rent set forth in the lease. The lease should state not only the amount of the rent, but also how it is to be paid and what it includes: Does it include other charges associated with the property such as taxes, utilities, insurance, maintenance, and water, or is the landlord responsible for those expenses?
Commercial leases also often contain escalation clauses allowing the landlord to increase the rent by a certain percentage at specific intervals (for example, 3% per year) during the term of the lease. It is important to understand how the escalations are calculated and verify that they are acceptable for your business.
If the commercial space is damaged during the lease term, a rent abatement clause can limit your business’s risk by halting or reducing rent payments until damage is repaired. Some landlords try to create exceptions to rent abatement clauses when the damage is caused by the tenant or the tenant’s employee, but these exceptions should be avoided.
(5) Use. Ensure that you include terms specifying that the commercial space may be used for the type of business you intend to run. Further, make sure there are no restrictions on the use of the property that would be an impediment to your business.  If you intend to display a sign, use the sidewalk in front of the space, or play music, you should include provisions to that effect in the lease.
(6) Competition. If you think your business could be harmed if similar competing businesses are located nearby, include a provision restricting the landlord from leasing commercial space to those businesses in the surrounding area.
(7) Subletting or Assignment. A clause allowing you to sublet or assign your lease will give your business more flexibility by allowing you to sublet all or part of the commercial space to another tenant should you decide to change locations or include the lease in a sale of the business at some point in the future.
(8) Termination. An early termination clause specifies certain conditions under which the lease can be terminated early by the landlord, the tenant, or both parties. This type of clause can be beneficial, particularly in the case of a longer term lease, because it allows you to avoid penalties or litigation if, for example, you are forced to close your business.
Give Us a Call
As business attorneys, we understand the importance of your commercial lease to the success of your business. If you are considering moving into a new commercial space, we would be happy to help you negotiate lease terms favorable to your business. We invite you to contact us to set up a consultation.

​You may have done your homework and weighed your options. Perhaps you’ve even considered the tax and non-tax implications for common business entities.  We bet you’re also intrigued by the protections certain business entities afford their owners. The “corporate veil” that protects personal assets of the business owners can make a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) look very attractive.
 
To many, the word “veil” conjures up a sheer, flimsy, ethereal piece of material—perhaps fluttering behind a beautiful bride.  And yet, this same term is used by many business owners to describe the personal asset protection provided to owners of a corporation or LLC. Of course, with the right strategy you can make your veil much stronger than the one worn by a bride.
 
Here’s what you can do to make your veil puncture proof.
 
Corporation and LLC Asset Protection Background
 
Corporations and LLCs are statute-created business entities, meaning they have been created by the legislature of your state. Courts view corporations and most LLCs as distinct entities, separate from the people—the owners—who comprise them. For this reason, the owners are not held personally liable for the business debts . . . unless a court decides to “pierce the corporate veil.”  “Piercing the corporate veil” involves the court disregarding the entity’s separate status and holding its owners liable for the business debts, putting the owner’s personal property on the line.
 
Bottom line: When the veil is pierced, you can lose personal assets (your home, car, bank accounts, or more), even if you did nothing wrong.
 
WARNING: The smaller and more closely held the business, the more intensely the court will scrutinize it. Small business owners must pay particular attention to this issue.
 
How to Make Your Corporate Veil Strong
 
Corporations and LLCs are excellent business entity choices for protecting the owner’s personal assets from creditors. But the protection is only as good as the commitment to operate the entity as a proper business entity. Here are some specific business practices you should consider implementing if you have not already done so.
 

• Uphold all statute-mandated formalities.
• Keep business funds in separate bank accounts from personal funds.
• For business transactions, always use the business’s full legal name and sign all documents in your formal capacity.
• Follow the corporate bylaws or LLC operating agreement and amend them when necessary.
• Make sure the business is adequately capitalized.
• Ensure the business and all related parties comply with all applicable rules, policies, and laws.

 
This upkeep is essential to maximizing the protection the corporation or LLC provides to its owners. If you are relying on a corporate veil to protect your personal assets, make sure that veil is made of Kevlar®.
 
How We Can Help
 
We are here to help your business meet all of the formal statutory requirements to protect your corporate veil and offer additional guidance. With our expertise and experience, you can leave the compliance headaches to us and focus on what matters most to you, growing your business.