Lease dictionary
Attorney fees clause
A clause saying the loser of a lease dispute pays the winner's lawyer bills.
An attorney fees clause shifts legal costs to whoever loses a dispute about the lease. Landlord-written leases often draft it one-way - you pay their fees, they never pay yours.
Many states automatically make these clauses reciprocal: if the lease lets the landlord recover fees, you can too when you win. That turns a scary clause into a useful one.
Watch out
One-way fee clauses are a classic red flag. Check whether your state makes them mutual before assuming you're exposed.
See it in action
The Lease red-flag checker puts this term to work for you.