Historically, people chose careers in veterinary medicine because they liked working with animals. That is still an important motive today but, in modern times, veterinary clinics and other professional offices also know they must keep pace with the changes and legal requirements of their respective industries.
At Sjoberg & Tebelius, we have worked as partners with professionals as they come to grips with the many challenges facing clinics today. For example:
- Determining which kind of leal entity their business should follow – whether to function as a sole proprietor, partnership, or limited liability company
- Complying with legal and organizational obligations
- Negotiating contracts
- Dealing with employment issues that arise, such as fashioning fair, effective noncompete agreements and making termination decisions
- Bringing or Responding to lawsuits, including breach of contract, employment discrimination, and malpractice claims
- Resolving property leasing and other real estate issues
- Planning for business succession
- Selling the practice
Targeted for litigation
Professionals can be particularly vulnerable to client complaints. For example, when a pet causes harm to someone else or dies while under clinic care, pet owners, out of guilt or grief, sometimes point the finger at their veterinarian. Not every all-purpose lawyer has the skills and experience to navigate the administrative complaint/response process necessitated by the various professional boards. Fortunately, we at Sjoberg & Tebelius stand ready to help you.