lawyers to review contracts? fees?

TecmoBowl · Mar 8, 2009

Anyone have any good contacts/info for lawyers to review Anesthesia contracts, especially, East Coast? Also, what's an appropriate fee? Thanks.

Lasvegas · Mar 8, 2009

TecmoBowl said:
Anyone have any good contacts/info for lawyers to review Anesthesia contracts, especially, East Coast? Also, what's an appropriate fee? Thanks.

I've just signed a contract and I hired the following lawyer to help me with the review.

Dennis Egan - 413 781 0560
[email protected]

He's based in Springfield MA and has a great deal of experiance reviewing doc contracts - I felt he did a fantastic job. The negotiations lasted several weeks and even though things were amicable, he was very helpful explaining the legal wording, and looked out for my best interests suggesting several changes to the contract.

He charges around $250 an hour.

I would recommend him highly.

Good luck!

bubalus · Mar 8, 2009

Some people suggest having an attorney who specializes in medical contracts look it over. Some suggest having anyone do it. One of the considerations may be the ability to negotiate the contract. If you're going to join a large group in a desirable area with one contract everyone signs, you take the contract or you don't take the job. In that case, I don't see a lot to be gained from shelling out big bucks for the specialist since you're not going to be able to change anything you don't like.

coprolalia · Mar 9, 2009

bubalus said:
Some people suggest having an attorney who specializes in medical contracts look it over. Some suggest having anyone do it. One of the considerations may be the ability to negotiate the contract. If you're going to join a large group in a desirable area with one contract everyone signs, you take the contract or you don't take the job. In that case, I don't see a lot to be gained from shelling out big bucks for the specialist since you're not going to be able to change anything you don't like.

I'm going to drop a coupla pearls here...

(A) You can negotiate anything.

(B) Whomever you hire as an attorney, always remember this: don't get emotionally involved in the process.

(C) Know what the deal-breakers are. If they want you bad enough, they'll bend.

(D) If you can't change something you don't like (see item (C)), I highly suggest walking away... which is always under your control until you put your John Hancock on the page. That's right, walk away if they won't be flexible (which should be a huge clue and insight into the subtext of that practice).

(E) You need an attorney who's competent in contract-specific legalese to navigate the verbiage. This is money well spent.

(F) Having said all of that, be reasonable. Don't expect 20 weeks of vacation, 6 months to partnership, and them paying the tail if you only work two weeks and then quit. If you walk in there thinking you're Alex Rodriguez, you're going to spend a lot of time on the interview trail.

-copro

dhb · Mar 9, 2009

coprolalia said:
If you limp in there thinking you're Alex Rodriguez, you're going to spend a lot of time on the interview trail.

-copro

minor edit to your post due to actual circumstances

coprolalia · Mar 9, 2009

dhb said:
minor edit to your post due to actual circumstances

Haha! Fair enough.

-copro

bubalus · Mar 9, 2009

coprolalia said:
I'm going to drop a coupla pearls here...

(A) You can negotiate anything.

(B) Whomever you hire as an attorney, always remember this: don't get emotionally involved in the process.

(C) Know what the deal-breakers are. If they want you bad enough, they'll bend.

(D) If you can't change something you don't like (see item (C)), I highly suggest walking away... which is always under your control until you put your John Hancock on the page. That's right, walk away if they won't be flexible (which should be a huge clue and insight into the subtext of that practice).

(E) You need an attorney who's competent in contract-specific legalese to navigate the verbiage. This is money well spent.

(F) Having said all of that, be reasonable. Don't expect 20 weeks of vacation, 6 months to partnership, and them paying the tail if you only work two weeks and then quit. If you walk in there thinking you're Alex Rodriguez, you're going to spend a lot of time on the interview trail.

-copro

Thank you for those condescending platitudes. Your screen name is remarkably appropriate (with regard to the Greek etymology). You're naive to assume you can negotiate anything. The big group in my city doesn't negotiate. They have 150+ anesthesiologists throughout the state and 20-50+ applications for each opening. Everyone signs the same contract. It doesn't matter if you can walk on water, raise the dead, and your mother was a virgin. If you try to negotiate, you'll find the offer rescinded. It's an excellent job in a great place to live. They aren't out to screw people. For a group that size, it's good business sense for everyone to sign the same contract. It's worked well for them and their employees. And they have so many amazing anesthesiologists in their group, they aren't going to change their policy for anyone.

coprolalia · Mar 10, 2009

bubalus said:
Thank you for those condescending platitudes. Your screen name is remarkably appropriate (with regard to the Greek etymology). You're naive to assume you can negotiate anything. The big group in my city doesn't negotiate. They have 150+ anesthesiologists throughout the state and 20-50+ applications for each opening. Everyone signs the same contract. It doesn't matter if you can walk on water, raise the dead, and your mother was a virgin. If you try to negotiate, you'll find the offer rescinded. It's an excellent job in a great place to live. They aren't out to screw people. For a group that size, it's good business sense for everyone to sign the same contract. It's worked well for them and their employees. And they have so many amazing anesthesiologists in their group, they aren't going to change their policy for anyone.

Yeah, well then it's probably mostly a good contract that doesn't have any red flags. Or, there's a lot of suckers out there.

And, like I said, you can always vote with your feet. You don't seem to be disagreeing with that. But, the instant you've made the determination that you must have this job for X, Y, Z reasons (for example, X = location, Y = prestige, and Z = desperation), they've got you by the short hairs.

Meanwhile, with your attitude, I'd love the chance to sell a car to you.

-copro

bubalus · Mar 12, 2009

I agree that you can vote with your feet, should you choose.

I think it's stupid to turn down an excellent job in a great place to live simply because you're presented with a fair but non-negotiable contract. In the end, everyone will choose what they feel is most important. If that's the job, then you may end up accepting such a contract. If it's the power to negotiate, then you'll end up turning that job down. You won't be hurting this group because they have an unimaginable number of well qualified applicants.

As for your final statement, you don't know me or anything about me. Don't make such obnoxious assumptions.

CambieMD · Mar 12, 2009

If you are going into pp you should have your contact reviewed by a lawyer experienced in the health care sector. I learned that the hard way when I was in FP. Just remember, nothing is free.The more that you ask. for, the more that is extracted from you.

Most groups do not want to rob you but they are in business to make money.

Do not ignore a noncompete clause in your contract. They are enforced in some states.

Cambie

2ndyear · Mar 12, 2009

My contract was pretty basic, and I didn't have a lawyer review it. I went to a great talk at the ASA that broke things down very well as to what terms meant. We also had some speakers in residency. I'm not a lawyer, but basic contracts are just that, basic.

I would say one of the biggest things to look out for is malpractice tail. Chances are good your first job won't be your last. If you have occurrence based malpractice this is simple. You walk away. If not, then you probably need a lawyer to understand who pays what, if anything, when you quit.

huktonfonix · Mar 13, 2009

CambieMD said:
If you are going into pp you should have your contact reviewed by a lawyer experienced in the health care sector. I learned that the hard way when I was in FP. Just remember, nothing is free.The more that you ask. for, the more that is extracted from you.

Most groups do not want to rob you but they are in business to make money.

Do not ignore a noncompete clause in your contract. They are enforced in some states.

Cambie

Very important. especially if you want to live in a specific area

lobelsteve · Nov 4, 2011

Quote:
Originally Posted by HCG
The links below provide some information about negotiating a medical employment contract from the perspective of a physician who is also an attorney.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT2QO5VI67Y

http://freepdfhosting.com/a06163b28b.pdf

http://hcgroup.us/

The best legal advice comes from YouTube.

caveat emptor.

I'd call Michelle Lally in Pittsburgh. She is the kindest, most honest, and best prepared contract atty I've met.

Disclosure: She has reviewed my contracts in the past (2005-2007).

lawyers to review contracts? fees?

TecmoBowl

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Lasvegas

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bubalus

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coprolalia

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dhb

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coprolalia

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bubalus

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coprolalia

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bubalus

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huktonfonix

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lobelsteve

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