Alan W.Betus
Senior Counsel
Real Estate
abetus@seyfarth.com
"If you own or lease retail or office space and need help, I will partner with you to achieve your goal and find a solution that works for you."
More About Alan
Traditional retail landlords and tenants have faced several challenges the past few years with anchor stores closing and changing consumer spending and shopping habits. That, along with COVID-19 has required landlords and tenants to be more flexible with deal terms and structures, acceptance of what has traditionally been non-retail uses in centers, understanding the need for redevelopment, and quicker to respond during negotiations. Clients look to Alan because his experience allows him to find innovative, timely, and practical solutions that address the parties’ immediate concerns while also allowing for flexibility needed in today’s ever changing landscape.
Alan’s experience as both in-house and outside real estate counsel for retail and office landlords, developers, and tenants provide him with the insight and knowledge to see issues from both sides of the table, and the understanding that successful commercial real estate transactions are really about creating and continuing business relationships that allow the parties to work together to find acceptable solutions to challenging situations.
For over 20 years Alan has helped his clients lease and purchase store fronts, anchor, big box, mixed use, street level, mall, and office spaces for uses such as general office, apparel, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, entertainment centers, electronic stores, and other traditional and specialty retail concepts for local clients that have a few as one store or center, and national, publicly traded clients that own and operate hundreds of stores or malls. His varied experience provides him the ability to quickly identify and suggest workable, real world solutions to his clients’ most immediate and important concerns in a particular deal.
Alan uses technology and his experience and knowledge to provide, current, efficient, streamlined, and real-world tested solutions for the challenges his clients face.
Alan appreciates the challenges that his clients face in today’s changing economic environment and finds enjoyment and satisfaction in finding solutions that make both his client and the other side of the deal satisfied with the resolution and finished product.
Alan’s experience as both in-house and outside real estate counsel for retail and office landlords, developers, and tenants provide him with the insight and knowledge to see issues from both sides of the table, and the understanding that successful commercial real estate transactions are really about creating and continuing business relationships that allow the parties to work together to find acceptable solutions to challenging situations.
For over 20 years Alan has helped his clients lease and purchase store fronts, anchor, big box, mixed use, street level, mall, and office spaces for uses such as general office, apparel, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, entertainment centers, electronic stores, and other traditional and specialty retail concepts for local clients that have a few as one store or center, and national, publicly traded clients that own and operate hundreds of stores or malls. His varied experience provides him the ability to quickly identify and suggest workable, real world solutions to his clients’ most immediate and important concerns in a particular deal.
Alan uses technology and his experience and knowledge to provide, current, efficient, streamlined, and real-world tested solutions for the challenges his clients face.
Alan appreciates the challenges that his clients face in today’s changing economic environment and finds enjoyment and satisfaction in finding solutions that make both his client and the other side of the deal satisfied with the resolution and finished product.
- JD, Case Western Reserve University School of Law
- BA, Allegheny College
English and History
Cum laude
- Georgia
- Tennessee
Related Services
- Leasing and related real estate transactions for publicly traded REIT that owns, develops, and manages regional enclosed mall and outdoor shopping centers
- In-house leasing counsel for franchisor of quick-service restaurants
- Outside leasing attorney for franchisee of boutique fitness studios
- Project manager for company that provides legal and financial due diligence services for the purchase and sale of commercial and office projects
- In-house Real Estate counsel for publicly traded men’s apparel company
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), member
- "Three’s a Party: Understanding the Parties and Key Issues in a Franchise Lease," ICSC Law Conference (2019)
- "Dogs and Cats Miniature Horses Living Together – Mass Hysteria! Addressing Issues Associated with Allowing Pets in Malls," ICSC Law Conference (2018)
- "Landlord & Tenant Friendly Lease Language" TN Paralegal Association Southeast Chapter (2018)
- "Hot Topics in Commercial Real Estate," TN Paralegal Association Southeast Chapter (2015)
- "Drafting Lease Language Properly," CBL Leadership Conference (2015, 2018)
- "Legal Issues for Real Estate Investors," Chattanooga Real Estate Investors Association (2011)
- "Commercial Landlord-Tenant Law & Lease Negotiation," Sterling Education Services (2009, 2011)
- "Business Law and Critical Thinking," Associate Faculty, University of Phoenix, Chattanooga Campus. Taught undergraduate and graduate-level students (2010-2011)
- "Being a Good Tenant; Key Lease Provisions," Blimpie Franchisee School (2003-2004)
"If you own or lease retail or office space and need help, I will partner with you to achieve your goal and find a solution that works for you."
More About Alan
Traditional retail landlords and tenants have faced several challenges the past few years with anchor stores closing and changing consumer spending and shopping habits. That, along with COVID-19 has required landlords and tenants to be more flexible with deal terms and structures, acceptance of what has traditionally been non-retail uses in centers, understanding the need for redevelopment, and quicker to respond during negotiations. Clients look to Alan because his experience allows him to find innovative, timely, and practical solutions that address the parties’ immediate concerns while also allowing for flexibility needed in today’s ever changing landscape.
Alan’s experience as both in-house and outside real estate counsel for retail and office landlords, developers, and tenants provide him with the insight and knowledge to see issues from both sides of the table, and the understanding that successful commercial real estate transactions are really about creating and continuing business relationships that allow the parties to work together to find acceptable solutions to challenging situations.
For over 20 years Alan has helped his clients lease and purchase store fronts, anchor, big box, mixed use, street level, mall, and office spaces for uses such as general office, apparel, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, entertainment centers, electronic stores, and other traditional and specialty retail concepts for local clients that have a few as one store or center, and national, publicly traded clients that own and operate hundreds of stores or malls. His varied experience provides him the ability to quickly identify and suggest workable, real world solutions to his clients’ most immediate and important concerns in a particular deal.
Alan uses technology and his experience and knowledge to provide, current, efficient, streamlined, and real-world tested solutions for the challenges his clients face.
Alan appreciates the challenges that his clients face in today’s changing economic environment and finds enjoyment and satisfaction in finding solutions that make both his client and the other side of the deal satisfied with the resolution and finished product.
Alan’s experience as both in-house and outside real estate counsel for retail and office landlords, developers, and tenants provide him with the insight and knowledge to see issues from both sides of the table, and the understanding that successful commercial real estate transactions are really about creating and continuing business relationships that allow the parties to work together to find acceptable solutions to challenging situations.
For over 20 years Alan has helped his clients lease and purchase store fronts, anchor, big box, mixed use, street level, mall, and office spaces for uses such as general office, apparel, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, entertainment centers, electronic stores, and other traditional and specialty retail concepts for local clients that have a few as one store or center, and national, publicly traded clients that own and operate hundreds of stores or malls. His varied experience provides him the ability to quickly identify and suggest workable, real world solutions to his clients’ most immediate and important concerns in a particular deal.
Alan uses technology and his experience and knowledge to provide, current, efficient, streamlined, and real-world tested solutions for the challenges his clients face.
Alan appreciates the challenges that his clients face in today’s changing economic environment and finds enjoyment and satisfaction in finding solutions that make both his client and the other side of the deal satisfied with the resolution and finished product.
- JD, Case Western Reserve University School of Law
- BA, Allegheny College
English and History
Cum laude
- Georgia
- Tennessee
Related Services
- Leasing and related real estate transactions for publicly traded REIT that owns, develops, and manages regional enclosed mall and outdoor shopping centers
- In-house leasing counsel for franchisor of quick-service restaurants
- Outside leasing attorney for franchisee of boutique fitness studios
- Project manager for company that provides legal and financial due diligence services for the purchase and sale of commercial and office projects
- In-house Real Estate counsel for publicly traded men’s apparel company
- International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), member
- "Three’s a Party: Understanding the Parties and Key Issues in a Franchise Lease," ICSC Law Conference (2019)
- "Dogs and Cats Miniature Horses Living Together – Mass Hysteria! Addressing Issues Associated with Allowing Pets in Malls," ICSC Law Conference (2018)
- "Landlord & Tenant Friendly Lease Language" TN Paralegal Association Southeast Chapter (2018)
- "Hot Topics in Commercial Real Estate," TN Paralegal Association Southeast Chapter (2015)
- "Drafting Lease Language Properly," CBL Leadership Conference (2015, 2018)
- "Legal Issues for Real Estate Investors," Chattanooga Real Estate Investors Association (2011)
- "Commercial Landlord-Tenant Law & Lease Negotiation," Sterling Education Services (2009, 2011)
- "Business Law and Critical Thinking," Associate Faculty, University of Phoenix, Chattanooga Campus. Taught undergraduate and graduate-level students (2010-2011)
- "Being a Good Tenant; Key Lease Provisions," Blimpie Franchisee School (2003-2004)