Clark Hill lawyers regularly represent clients in all aspects of real estate leasing transactions. We serve developers, lenders, owner/investors, and management companies as landlords in leasing of space for retail, office, commercial and industrial purposes. We also provide services to tenants of such properties.
In our leasing work, we are often called on to provide many services beyond the drafting and review of lease agreements. We advise clients on matters such as alternatives for energy supply, environmental issues, compliance with governmental regulations, reciprocal easement agreements, and other business aspects of the leasing transaction. Our responsibilities frequently include the negotiation of work letters and other construction related matters; coordination of subordination and non-disturbance agreements with lenders; and business analysis of leasing decisions and economic structures. Our leasing experience also includes ground leasing, bondable leases, build to suit transactions, subleases, lease assignments and lease buy-outs. We have represented clients in sophisticated sale/leaseback transactions, including a transaction involving the sale/leaseback of office, manufacturing and warehouse properties in ten states, as well as structuring complex lease transactions involving various tax credits and incentives, such as the Master Lease of the historic Argonaut Building located in Detroit, Michigan, a $150,000,000 project utilizing state and federal historic, New Market and brownfield tax credits. To facilitate financing, we have utilized condominium structures to lease multiple buildings.
Our clients include both public and private entities. We have assisted manufacturing clients in subdividing, redeveloping and leasing industrial properties in “brownfields.” Others have utilized our services in leasing of warehouse, light manufacturing and office spaces in industrial parks and free-standing properties across the country. Several large retail developers engage us to assist in leasing management, including enforcement of remedies, in addition to work directly related to property management ranging from labor relations questions to zoning compliance for redevelopment of interior spaces. We seek to educate our clients concerning legal requirements in property management to enable them to make smarter decisions independently, resulting in a more efficient and less costly dispute resolution process or sound preventive action. Our active real estate litigation support team works closely with the real estate transactional lawyers in serving the needs of our clients.
Clark Hill represents both landlords and tenants, as well as investment advisors, in office leasing involving whole buildings and space within multi-tenant properties. We have represented national office landlords such as J.E. Roberts, Archon and insurance companies such as Metropolitan Life and Prudential in the leasing of their office portfolios. Our experience also includes a wide variety of retail leases, including restaurants and shopping centers. We have represented retailers such as Kmart and Dunkin' Donuts and developers with respect to anchor tenants, in-line tenants and outlots. We have also assisted a variety of industrial clients – including energy providers, steel makers, automobile manufacturers and suppliers such as SPX Corporation and Severstal -- in leasing of major industrial facilities in many applications. We have structured master leases for the leasing of industrial properties in multiple states to a single tenant under one lease. We have the expertise, including two attorneys who are LEED Accredited Professionals, to represent either the landlord or tenant in preparing and negotiating leases or amendments that establish the landlord's and tenant's respective responsibilities for the construction and cost of green improvements as well as other issues that relate to the green status of a building.
We are well prepared to serve the interests of the parties to a leasing transaction from creation to termination. Beyond advocating the interests of each client, we have established good working relations with members of the brokerage community, and have presented seminars to clients and brokers on lease negotiation strategies and on environmental and energy matters.