KRCL Obtains Trial Victory in Lease Dispute

On February 21, 2011, KRCL attorneys Zach Mayer and Jeff Novel obtained a unanimous jury verdict on behalf of a large national discount store chain.  The discount store's lease agreement, under which the discount store leased space in a strip shopping center, prohibited the discount store's landlord from constructing buildings in front of the discount store's lease space and from eliminating parking spaces dedicated to the discount store.  Nonetheless, the landlord built a new building for a tenant in front of the discount store's lease space and eliminated parking spaces dedicated to the discount store. It was alleged that the landlord's actions resulted in reduced customer traffic to in the discount store and reduced the profitability of the discount store.  Consequently, the discount store sued for breach of lease.  The jury deliberated for less than 20 minutes, determined that the landlord breached the lease, and awarded substantial damages to the firm's client.

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