If you’re simply signing a straightforward dental associate employment contract, do you need to involve a lawyer?

Remember, a contract exists to protect all parties’ interests and to ensure that no one is surprised down the road. Even a “straightforward” contract will often have clauses about compensation, benefits, non-competes, arbitration, malpractice insurance, non-solicitation, dispute resolution — the list goes on! That’s why it’s smart to engage a lawyer to help you review the contract, answer any questions, and ensure you are comfortable with what you’re signing.

A lawyer can also help you negotiate to go beyond what was initially offered.

See 3 Contract Issues That Got Expensive for examples of when associates (and owners) wished they had paid closer attention to what they were signing. What kind of attorney do I need?

Some attorneys practice as generalists, while some practice in more specialized fields of law. Just as you would not go to a podiatrist if you were having migraines, you would not go to an attorney specializing in antitrust matters to review an employment agreement. Thus, here you would ideally prefer an attorney who has some experience with employment law agreements in the health care arena, though the right generalist attorney (one who does not necessarily specialize in health care or in employment law) may, in some instances, be the right attorney for you.

Depending on the complexity of the circumstances and your situation, the generalist...

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