Tenant-Only Representation for Life Science
Life science users face unique real estate risks, from specialized infrastructure and long lead times to lease language that can quietly shift major costs back to the tenant. Shelton & Associates provides tenant-only life science tenant representation across California, helping lab and R&D teams secure the right facility and negotiate terms that protect your science, your timeline, and your budget.
We exclusively represent tenants. We never represent landlords or list buildings.
Specialized Representation for Life Science & Lab Users
We work with:
- Biotech and pharmaceutical teams
- Clinical research and diagnostics groups
- R&D and Engineering users
- Wet lab and dry lab users
- Life science startups scaling into their next facility
Lease Strategy for Life Science Tenants
Life science tenants face longer lead times and higher capital investment than traditional office users, which reduces flexibility if not addressed early.
We typically recommend beginning planning 12–18 months before lease expiration or lease renewal to:
• Allow time for lab design, permitting, and construction
• Compare second-generation lab space versus shell conversions
• Negotiate tenant improvement structures aligned with real buildout costs
• Preserve flexibility through expansion, contraction, and renewal options
Early strategy is critical, as lab-ready space is limited and landlord leverage can increase quickly in core clusters.
What Sets Us Apart
Lab build-out expertise — We structure tenant improvement packages and work letters around real lab construction costs and timelines.
Infrastructure awareness — Power, HVAC, ventilation, floor loads, plumbing, and specialty systems drive feasibility and cost. We help validate these early.
Flexibility protection — Expansion rights, contraction options, and renewal language are critical for growing life science teams.
Negotiation leverage — In supply-constrained lab markets, we create competition and structure deals to avoid long-term constraints.
Your Advocate from Start to Finish
Whether you’re renewing, relocating, or upgrading into lab-ready space, we guide you through:
- Requirements planning (wet vs dry labs, utilities, equipment, headcount)
- Submarket targeting
- Tour shortlists and technical feasibility screening
- Proposal comparisons based on total occupancy cost, not just base rent
- Negotiation of LOIs and lease language, including TI, restoration, operating expenses, assignment/sublease rights, and options
Life Science Markets We Serve
We represent life science and lab users across California’s primary biotech and R&D clusters, including:
• Torrey Pines
• UTC
• Sorrento Valley
• La Jolla
• Del Mar Heights
• Carmel Valley
• Mission Bay
• South San Francisco
• Redwood City
• Palo Alto
• Menlo Park
• Peninsula
• West LA
• Culver City
• Pasadena
• El Segundo
• Santa Monica
• Thousand Oaks
• Irvine
• Irvine Business Complex (IBC)
• Irvine Spectrum
• Newport Beach
• Tustin
• Aliso Viejo
Schedule a Confidential Consultation
Companies evaluating lab or R&D space should begin the process well in advance due to long lead times, permitting requirements, and limited availability of lab-ready space.
Schedule a confidential consultation before committing to lab or R&D space and negotiate from a tenant-only position anywhere in California.
There is typically no cost to tenants for tenant representation services.
