TAMPA, FL—Should you rush to litigate against deadbeat commercial real estate tenants? Is it even as much of an issue in today's market? Globest.com caught up with W. Patrick Ayers, a partner in the Tampa office of the Arnstein & Lehr law firm, to get some answers. Click here to read part one of our exclusive interview with the commercial real estate attorney.

GlobeSt.com: Are you seeing fewer tenants defaulting on lease obligations as the economy gets better?

Ayers: You are always going to see tenant defaults in the market, but they certainly were higher in this last economic downturn. In terms of protecting yourself as a landlord on the front end, you have to take precautions to make sure you are signing up a quality tenant. Ask for financials. Get recommendations. Check public records to get a look at their background.

Beyond a tenant's ability to pay, we find that landlords don't often learn about the relationship with the tenant's last landlord. As an example, did the tenant constantly complain about issues that weren't relevant, or create problems for other tenants?