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What is the Appropriate Leasing Term for you?

bay area, appropriate leasing term, real estate attorneys, lawyers

 

Signing a commercial lease is a significant commitment for most businesses.  Whether negotiating or renewing a commercial lease,  it can be difficult to determine the best lease term for your business. Many companies settle for a “standard” 5-year term, which may be appropriate. But there are factors to consider that could make a shorter or longer term more advantageous for your particular business. The information in this discussion may be useful helping you arrive at an appropriate lease term. However, if you’re still not sure, the best approach might be to consult with commercial leasing attorneys to advise you. Continue reading

What to Do Before You Buy Commercial Real Estate in the Bay Area

commercial real estate, property, attorney, lawyer

Purchasing commercial real estate in the Bay Area can be a solid investment. Whether you are considering buying property in Oakland, Pleasanton, San Leandro, or anywhere in the Bay Area you will likely find a wealth of appealing options available. However, you will need to consider certain details before signing a purchase agreement. The following are some of the steps worth taking prior to buying Bay Area commercial real estate. Continue reading

Non-Disclosure Agreement Do’s and Don’ts

non-disclosure aggrement, commerical attorney, business attorney, attorney, lawyer, castro valley, hayward, pleasanton, oaklandWe live in a highly competitive business environment, which pits people against firms, and major corporations against small businesses. When negotiating transactions, individuals and companies must prevent unauthorized disclosure of their trade secrets and proprietary information, which is so vitally important in such a competitive business environment. One of the ways for professionals and firms to protect trade secrets and proprietary information when negotiating transactions is through a properly drafted Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). With an NDA, the parties to a transaction are prohibited from sharing with third parties trade secrets and proprietary information that is disclosed to them in connection with the negotiating and due diligence of a proposed transaction. Continue reading

Estate Planning and Trust Administration Made Easier

Estate Planning and Trust Administration

Have You Reviewed Your Trust Recently?

A common estate planning strategy prior to 2012 was to set up an “A-B” Trust distribution that created a Bypass Trust upon the death of the first spouse. The primary purpose of the Bypass Trust was to maximize a married couple’s total estate tax personal exemption. In 2012, though, the federal estate tax laws were substantially revised and, for most couples, simplified. Continue reading

Selling Your Business – The Confidentiality Agreement

Protect Your Small Business with a Contracts AttorneyEast Bay Contracts Attorney Discusses

You spend years building a successful business, but at some point the time comes to sell it. Given all the emotion involved in making that move, it pays to plan ahead to protect your investment as you move through the selling process. One key move: Talk to your business attorney about drafting a strong confidentiality agreement (sometimes called a non-disclosure agreement, or “NDA”) to use with every prospective buyer, their employees and their advisors. The non-disclosure agreement should be drafted and signed before disclosing confidential or proprietary information to the potential buyer. Continue reading

Avoid Probate with a Living Trust

Couple Looking at Living TrustEstate Planning Through the Use of Trusts

Many parents have plans to leave their assets, money and heirlooms to their children as heirs. Unfortunately, this does not happen automatically upon the parent’s death. Without the proper estate planning, the heirs may end up spending much of their time and money in probate court. A better alternative is avoiding probate by establishing a living trust while alive and transferring the estate assets upon the death of the parents to the heirs through trust administration, which usually does not require probate court supervision.

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Minimize Business Partnership Disputes

East Bay Small Business Attorney Has Experience In These Matters

East-Bay-Small-Business-Partners-Shake-On-Contract-AgreementSome of the best business partnerships go stale with one wrong move. Close friends become enemies; tight-knit families become distant relatives. This is the risk you take when you go into business with friends or family. However, when you take the right steps upfront, you can minimize the possibility of future disputes. Continue reading

Verbal Real Estate Agreement Destroys Family Bond

Oakland Real Property Attorney’s Words of Caution

Hayward Family Dispute Over Real Property

While it may be tempting to create informal agreements about business or real estate transactions with family members, in our experience the minor discomfort of formalizing agreements between family members up front pales in comparison to the damage a souring business deal can do to families who operated “on a handshake” instead of signing legally binding written contracts. Continue reading

Bankruptcy & Commercial Foreclosure

Oakland Commercial Attorney Discusses Real Estate Financing Challenges

Oakland-Commercial-Real-Estate-Attorney-Real-Estate-FinancingAs a Bay Area business owner, your business may own commercial real estate and you are aware of the great rewards – and the risks – involved. Hard work and ethical dealings, while necessary, are no guarantee by themselves of the success of your business. This includes the ability to stay current on your commercial real estate mortgage. Continue reading

Acquiring Commercial Real Estate with Current Tenants

Downtown Oakland Commercial Property

Experienced Oakland Business Attorney’s Recommendations

Purchasing occupied commercial real estate provides you with an immediate source of income, but the inherited tenants can also cause headaches. Disputes with such tenants can lead to messy negotiations or even costly litigation if you fail to handle the situation properly. Prevent problems by:
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