Boston, MA. Nixon Peabody is pleased to announce the launch of a national Commercial Lease Disputes practice team to assist commercial real estate landlords and tenants in navigating commercial lease issues, both generally and as they relate specifically to the fast-changing environment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bringing together litigators and commercial leasing attorneys from throughout the firm, the Commercial Lease Disputes team represents owners and tenants in counseling clients before litigation begins and provides strategic guidance throughout a dispute. The team is co-led by partner and Construction & Real Estate Litigation leader Jeffrey Brenner, Affordable Housing & Real Estate partner Matthew Lynch, and partner and Construction & Real Estate Litigation deputy leader Vernon Johnson.
“As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the working relationship between landlords and tenants is changing rapidly,” said Jeffrey Brenner. “We understand the nuances of this evolving environment and how intricacies differ from region to region.”
The firm’s Commercial Lease Disputes team has a geographic footprint in most major commercial leasing markets across the United States, and its attorneys have an in-depth knowledge of the law across jurisdictions, understanding the different substantive and procedural facets of landlord-tenant relationships in various parts of the country.
“Prior to the pandemic, the commercial leasing market was already undergoing fundamental changes,” said Matthew Lynch. “The pandemic has accelerated the rate of disruption and created new challenges. In many cases, landlords and tenants are seeking innovative solutions to problems they’ve never faced before.”
“With litigators and commercial lease attorneys working in tandem, our new team can offer clients sensible advice that may help avoid litigation,” said Vernon Johnson. “But when necessary, our real estate litigation attorneys have deep experience handling lawsuits and arbitrations for landlords and tenants across the country.”
Nixon Peabody’s Commercial Leasing Disputes team can assist landlords with issues ranging from drawing down a letter of credit, addressing security deposit issues, reminding tenants of lease obligations conditioned on fulfillment of lease terms, initiating litigation to force payment of rent or to recover damages, starting eviction or other proceedings where possible, and dealing with particular state or local regulatory and other directives that may apply during the pandemic. On the tenant side, our team can help seek relief from contract obligations due to extenuating circumstances, commence litigation to require landlords to perform obligations and pay damages incurred as a result of refusal to perform, and file for bankruptcy where necessary.
Click here for more information on Nixon Peabody’s Commercial Lease Disputes practice team.
