Laurel Contract Lawyers

Attorneys for Commercial Leases, Supplier Contracts, and Other Contracts in Laurel, Maryland

Laurel's is located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., making it a natural home for a wide variety of companies. Defense and cybersecurity contractors may work with federal agencies in the area. Retailers and restaurants line the Route 1 corridor and other busy streets in Laurel. Service businesses draw customers from throughout Prince George's County and other nearby counties. All of these companies will rely on contracts as they do business. Well-drafted agreements are valuable tools, but poorly-drafted contracts can lead to costly business litigation.

Fox & Moghul helps Laurel business owners create contracts that serve their interests. Our attorneys understand the laws that govern commercial relationships, as well as the requirements that apply to businesses that work with the federal government. We focus on providing clients with clear communication, paying careful attention to detail in contracts, and advocating on behalf of our clients during negotiations to ensure that their interests are protected.

What Contracts Do Businesses in Laurel Use?

Most businesses rely on leases, supply agreements, employment and contractor agreements, ownership documents such as LLC operating agreements, and customer sales contracts. Federal contractors may also sign subcontracts that carry specific obligations. Our legal team will review how these documents work together so one agreement does not undercut another.

What Terms Belong in a Commercial Lease?

A commercial lease may bind a business for five, 10, or even 15 years, and commercial tenants may have few default protections under the law. Because of this, the terms written into a lease will carry a great deal of weight. Some provisions our lawyers commonly address when negotiating commercial lease agreements include:

• Lease Structure: A gross lease includes most building expenses in the rent, while a triple net lease passes taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs to the tenant. Knowing which type of lease is being signed can help a business predict monthly costs.
• Tenant Improvements: If a space will need renovations, a lease should state who will pay for them, whether the landlord will provide an allowance, and who will own the improvements when the lease ends.
• Exclusive Use: A retailer in a shopping center may want to include a clause preventing the landlord from leasing nearby space to a direct competitor.
• Recording Requirements: Under Md. Code, Real Property § 3-101, a lease longer than seven years generally must be recorded to protect the tenant's rights against later purchasers or lenders.

What Should Be in a Supplier or Vendor Contract?

A strong supplier agreement will explain exactly what will be delivered, in what quantity, at what price, and on what schedule. Terms related to quantity will also need to be addressed. Some businesses may agree to buy all the goods they need from a single supplier. While these terms may be enforceable, the quantities must be consistent with good faith and reasonable estimates.

A contract should also describe what will happen when goods do not meet specifications. A buyer may reject goods that fail to conform to the contract in any respect. Vendors may include limited "repair or replace" remedies in a contract, and these terms may affect a business's rights. Including terms that detail quality standards, inspection periods, and refund rights can help ensure that a business will be protected.

How Can Restrictive Covenants Protect a Business?

Employees and business partners often gain access to customer lists, pricing strategies, and technical knowledge. Agreements that limit how that information and those relationships may be used can preserve a company's competitive position. Non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants can provide protections against unfair competition.

Non-Compete Agreements

These agreements may prevent a former employee or a seller of a business from competing with the business for a period of time within a defined area. Non-compete terms can generally only be enforced when they are reasonable in duration, geography, and scope. Courts in Maryland may strike out an unreasonable portion of a restriction, or they may refuse to enforce a restriction altogether. Lower-wage workers are protected by Md. Code, Labor and Employment § 3-716, which does not allow non-compete agreements for those who earn at or below 150 percent of the state minimum wage.

Non-Solicitation Agreements

Rather than barring someone from an entire industry, a non-solicitation agreement can prevent them from reaching out to a business's customers or hiring away its workers. For a Laurel IT services firm whose engineers work on long-term client projects, these protections can stop a departing manager from taking an entire team or working with certain clients.

Non-Disclosure Agreements

NDAs can keep proprietary information confidential during and after a working relationship. They should define what information is covered, how long restrictions will last, and what remedies are available. Our lawyers can draft NDAs that will protect trade secrets and other confidential business information while complying with the applicable rules.

Contact Our Laurel, MD Commercial Contracts Attorneys

Contracts that address leases, supply relationships, confidential information, or other issues that may affect a business can help ensure that it will be stable and secure. The attorneys at Fox & Moghul can draft new contractual agreements, review the terms of contracts clients have been offered, and negotiate changes that will protect a company. Contact our Laurel, Maryland contract negotiation lawyers at 301-409-5316 to arrange a consultation with our legal team.