"Historically, the average tenant hasn't been very concerned about this," says Adele Stone, a shareholder at Fort Lauderdale, FL-based law firm Atkinson, Diner, Stone, Mankuta & Ploucha, P.A.

Stone participated in a webcast sponsored by The Daily Business Review and the NAIOP South Florida Chapter titled "Ch-ch-changes in Commercial Lease Negotiations--Legal and Insurance Issues Affecting Landlords and Tenants in these Challenging Times." The webcast, which was moderated by Stuart Hodes, executive director of NAIOP South Florida, also included Anita Byer, president and CEO of Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk and The Human Equation Inc. A replay of the webcast can be found here.

Stone notes that tenants are very aware of the troubles that commercial real estate owners face today, primarily because they too have been negatively impacted by the recession and credit crunch. They're beginning to worry about things they've never thought about before--whether their landlords are in financial trouble or financially vulnerable to foreclosure.