Associate Contract Lawyer

The contract lawyer team at O’Keefe Law has experience negotiating associate contracts on behalf of owners and associates all over the state of Maine. A good associate contract, and particularly a good contract negotiation, can set the tone for a positive ongoing relationship. Conversely, a poorly written or poorly understood contract with no real discussion can lead to a contentious and stressful working relationship.

Whether you are an owner that drafted the contract, or the associate who will be signing the contract, O’Keefe Law can help. Contact our office today to learn more about our services and how they can benefit you.

For Associates

It’s exciting when you get offered a job! You may feel like you want to say yes and get started right away. You don’t want to delay or ask for too much—what if the owner changes their mind? Maybe there is a non-compete clause but you think “that will never come up”.

While we understand your hesitations, our team has never experienced an employer rescinding an offer because the applicant asked for a change in the contract. However, we have repeatedly had new clients call us seeking help from a contract lawyer to deal with a non-compete they previously signed thinking that it would never become an issue.

Over the course of a multi-year associateship this could easily end up being a $1,000,000 contract. It is important that you fully understand what you are agreeing to. It is worth taking the time and spending the money to make sure you are getting the right contract for you.

How Can a Contract Lawyer Help?

There are many things that are important to discuss with your employer that will likely not be in the contract they give you. This includes clinical freedom, continuing education stipends, specifics about malpractice insurance, specifics about commissions, etc.

The contract lawyer team at O’Keefe Law can help you figure out:

• What you need in an offer
• What your offer says
• How to ask for the changes you need

Let us help you understand your agreement and get this important relationship off to a good start.

For Practice Owners

Whether this associate is a potential partner or not, you are investing a great deal of time and money as well as your practice’s reputation in hiring them. You want the relationship to work, and the best relationships are built on an equal understanding of what each side needs and expects.

Many practice owners hiring an associate just re-use the same contract from the last time they hired an associate. This can lead to your new associate having very little information about many aspects of their job duties, pay structure, benefits, or other expectations you may have of them.

Working with an experienced contract lawyer can help ensure that the relationship starts out with an equal understanding of:

• An associate’s specific job duties
• Any additional duties (like emergency call or staff management)
• Malpractice insurance coverage
• Any commission system with specific example sheets of calculations

O’Keefe Law can help you put together a comprehensive job offer and employment agreement that will set up you and your new associate for a successful relationship built on mutual understanding.