What most appealed to me about becoming a commercial property lawyer at the beginning of my career was the tactile nature of land, bricks and mortar. I was also drawn to the capacity of parties in real estate transactions to work together to achieve mutually beneficial and valuable outcomes.My main focus for the last four decades has been commercial and industrial leasing. I work with major corporations and listed property trusts in relation to commercial and industrial buildings as well as shopping centres. The natural adjunct has been the acquisition, development and disposal of the buildings in which the leasing business is or is to be carried out. After all, what is being bought or sold is an actual or potential income stream and any due diligence must be primarily concerned with anything which may impact on that income stream. This means that a review of all the existing leases and ancillary documents is critical.Prudent landlords will require well drafted leases which protect their interests and thereby enhance the capital value of their buildings. Over the years, I have seen innumerable leases and ancillary documents. As such, my clients trust that I know what to look for and that I fully understand the significance of particular terms. They trust that I appreciate that each client and property has its own particularities.In a slow-growing economy, costs savings take on a particular importance, especially for building owners. On the other hand, tenants are a landlord’s life blood and their requirements need to be managed accordingly. I am pleased to see there now appears to be a trend in streamlining processes to include more balanced leasing documentation, which should lead to costs reductions for both landlords and tenants.