The Contract They Handed You Was Written for Them, Not for You
Every business signs contracts. Most sign them without a business attorney in their corner — and most don't find out what they agreed to until something goes wrong.
I'm Jeff Dowd, a contract attorney in Brandon, FL with 30 years of Florida Bar experience working exclusively with small business owners. Whether you need a contract drafted from scratch, reviewed before you sign, or interpreted after a dispute surfaces, I handle all of it — with flat-fee pricing and no hourly billing surprises.
What I Help Small Business Owners With
Most business owners think of contract work as a one-time event. It isn't. Your business signs agreements constantly — vendor contracts, service agreements, non-disclosure agreements, independent contractor arrangements, commercial leases. Each one creates obligations you'll live with long after the ink dries.
I work with small businesses across the Tampa Bay area on three distinct contract situations:
- Contract drafting: Custom agreements written for your specific business, your terms, and your risk profile — not a generic template downloaded from the internet.
- Contract review: A plain-English explanation of what you're about to sign, what provisions favor the other party, and what you should push back on before you commit.
- Contract interpretation and disputes:
When a post-signature disagreement surfaces, I review the document and tell you exactly where you stand — including enforceability of limitation-of-liability clauses, indemnification obligations, and dispute resolution requirements.
Standard Contracts Are Written by the Other Party's Attorney
That vendor agreement sitting in your inbox was drafted by someone whose job was to protect their client — not you. Limitation-of-liability clauses, automatic renewal provisions, one-sided indemnification language, arbitration requirements that favor the drafter: these are standard inclusions in contracts handed to small business owners every day.
You may have been signing agreements like this for years. That doesn't mean the terms were fair or that you understood what you were agreeing to.
A contract review attorney looks at the document from your side of the table. I flag the provisions that expose you, explain what they mean in plain language, and tell you what to negotiate before you sign — or whether to walk away entirely.
Commercial Lease Review for Business Tenants
A commercial lease is one of the most consequential contracts a small business owner signs. Lease terms are long, landlord-drafted documents routinely contain provisions that shift significant risk to the tenant, and most business owners sign them without independent legal review.
I provide commercial lease review for business tenants throughout Hillsborough County and the Tampa Bay region — examining rent escalation clauses, personal guarantee requirements, permitted use restrictions, build-out responsibilities, and exit provisions before you commit to a multi-year obligation.
For a full breakdown of what commercial lease review covers and what to watch for before you sign, visit the commercial lease review page.
Flat-Fee Pricing. No Hourly Billing.
I publish my fees openly because business owners deserve to know what legal work costs before they commit to it. If you see the price and it doesn't work for you, I'm not the right attorney for you — and that's fine. For business owners who want straightforward pricing and direct counsel, that's exactly what I provide.
Serving Small Business Owners Across the Tampa Bay Region
My office is located in Brandon, FL, and I work with business owners throughout eastern Hillsborough County and the broader Tampa Bay metro — including clients in Riverview, Valrico, Temple Terrace, Apollo Beach, and Sun City Center. I also serve clients across Florida through remote practice, with no in-person requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions About Business Contracts in Florida
Do I need an attorney to review a business contract?
You're not legally required to have an attorney review a contract before signing — but the practical answer is yes, especially when the contract was drafted by the other party. Standard business agreements are written to benefit the drafter. An attorney reviewing the document from your side identifies the provisions that expose you, explains what they actually mean, and tells you what to negotiate. Most business owners who skip this step don't realize what they agreed to until a dispute forces them to find out.
How much does contract review cost?
I charge flat fees for contract review, which I publish openly on my fees page. The cost depends on the length and complexity of the document. You'll know the fee before any work begins — there are no hourly billing surprises.
What should I look for in a business contract?
The provisions that most commonly create problems for small business owners include limitation-of-liability clauses, indemnification obligations, automatic renewal terms, payment and late-fee structures, dispute resolution requirements, and termination conditions. In a commercial lease context, personal guarantee requirements and permitted-use restrictions are also significant. A business contract attorney reviews all of these with your specific situation in mind — not just whether the document is technically valid, but whether the terms are ones you should agree to.
Is a verbal agreement legally binding in Florida?
In Florida, some verbal agreements are legally enforceable — but proving the terms of an oral contract is significantly harder than proving a written one, and certain types of contracts are required by law to be in writing to be enforceable at all. Contracts involving the sale of goods over $500, real estate transactions, and agreements that cannot be performed within one year are among those that must be in writing under Florida's Statute of Frauds. For any business arrangement that matters, a written contract is the only reliable protection.
Ready to Get a Contract Reviewed or Drafted?
If you have an agreement sitting in your inbox or a document you need written for your business, I can help. Schedule a consultation and we'll look at what you're working with.