Services offered

Understand and maximize your physician contract’s power

Your physician contract should clearly spell out:

Work Obligations

Make sure your contract actually matches the promises made in the interview process. Agreed upon time off, work location, etc., are important.

Compensation

Understanding compensation goes beyond your base salary, as many physicians are compensated based on volume (wRVUs). A clear view of your compensation now and in the future is key.

Exit Strategy

Terms like noncompetes and compensation clawback issues can make it financially and legally difficult to leave certain jobs. Fully understanding and negotiating your rights is crucial if and when life changes, and you want a way out.

Unfortunately, this information
hasn’t been readily available to physicians. Until now.

Services

In-depth physician contract support for every stage of your journey

We want every physician, whether you’re starting out or more seasoned, to have access to our team. Because of that, our packages and pricing are tailored to serve you best.

I’m a Resident or Fellow

I’m an Attending Physician

Compensation Consultation

Tight timeline? We’ve got you. Call today to explore our quick turnaround solutions.

Expedited service is available for an additional $100.

For Residents and Fellows

Start your career by understanding and securing a physician contract that has your best interest in mind.

Get personalized guidance from one of our experienced lawyers

Compare your offers against nationwide salary data for your geographic area and specialty

Protect yourself from unfair noncompetes and ambiguous workload expectations

Prepare yourself with an exit strategy

Don’t let upfront costs dissuade you from doing this right from the start. Reach out to us when you’re in the interview stage or have an offer letter in hand.

Custom Package for Residents and Fellows

Single Contract Evaluation
We evaluate, negotiate, and guide you through your first physician contract.

Includes…

→ Free 50-minute Initial Evaluation to learn about your lifestyle and financial goals.
→ Detailed written contract analysis and first draft negotiation writing. We are thorough!
→ 1.5-hour follow-up via Zoom, including analysis of the contract and negotiation strategy.
→ Negotiation ghostwriting and email correspondence with your lawyer as needed until the conclusion.
→ Zoom meetings as necessary to evaluate employer responses. We’ll discuss if it’s time to renegotiate, sign, or walk.

Resident & Fellow Rate: $1,600
Includes a $300 discount for payment in full.

→ Payment plan available: $158.33 for 12 months.
→ Additional contracts can be added within 9 months at $1,000 each or $91.67 for 12 months.

For Attending Physicians

You’re navigating a contract renegotiation or considering an exit. You understand the gravity of a bad employment situation and want to work on your own terms, setting yourself up for a better financial future.

Get personalized guidance from one of our experienced lawyers

Compare your offers against nationwide salary data for your geographic area and specialty

Protect yourself from unfair noncompetes and ambiguous workload expectations

Prepare yourself with an exit strategy

Custom Package for Attending Physicians

Single Contract Evaluation
We evaluate and negotiate your next physician contract.

Includes…

→ 50-minute Initial Consultation to learn about you and what’s most important from a lifestyle and financial perspective. This meeting will also include compensation analysis.
→ Detailed written contract analysis and first draft negotiation writing. We are thorough!
→ 1.5-hour follow-up via Zoom, including analysis of the contract and negotiation strategy.
→ Negotiation ghostwriting and email correspondence with your lawyer as needed until conclusion.
→ Zoom meetings as necessary to evaluate employer responses. Is it time to sign, or walk, or keep negotiating?

Attending Physician Rate: $1,900
→ $300 Initial Consultation fee due at booking.
→ Remaining $1,600 due before contract evaluation begins.
→ Additional contracts can be added within 9 months at $1,100 each.

Compensation Consultation

When you just want to know if you’re being paid fairly.

Before investing in a full contract review, get clarity on your true market value through our Compensation Consultation.

Includes:

One-hour strategy session

Analysis of official salary benchmarks for your specialty and location

Clear explanation of typical compensation models

Expert review of employer expectations

Detailed Compensation Report

Rate: $300

Fee applies as a credit to any full contract review package.

Dr. A.S.

“Despite the pressure from the employer…I was able to negotiate out of being on call.”

Mr. Theobald was very responsive to messages and worked hard to expedite the process since I needed to submit my J1 waiver application soon. Despite the pressure from the employer, we managed to negotiate several important points. I secured a $30k increase in my annual compensation, and I was able to negotiate out of being on call. Mr. Theobald also ensured that precise language was included in the contract to guarantee my application for permanent residency and would be submitted within a specific timeframe, rather than the open-ended timeline the employer originally suggested. In the end, I signed for the perfect opportunity, and I’m certain it was totally worth it. I will definitely reach out for any future consultations and continue to recommend Michael Johnson Legal and Mr. Theobald to any colleagues looking for a contract lawyer!

FAQs

How long does this process take?

Once we have conducted our initial consultation and you have sent your contract to us, we provide our report within one week and your negotiation writing within one day of our meeting.

 

When should I reach out?

With an offer letter in hand or earlier. Contacting us when you’re in the middle of the interview stage allows us to help you collect valuable information for the contract stage. But if you already have a contract, it’s not too late!

I’m a Resident or Fellow. Where should I begin?

Best practice is to choose the Compensation Consult! With this option, we will send you a compensation report with physician compensation data and our analysis, so you can be prepared for your interviews, evaluating compensation plans, and considering offer letters. Very few residents and fellows know or have access to compensation norms based on practice setting, geographic regions, and volume expectations, and we want you to be prepared. The Compensation Consult fees are deducted from your Contract Evaluation packages anyway, so it’s free when you move forward with us.

I’m a past client; is there an option for me?

We want to stay connected with you and help you navigate future issues. Reach out to us by email, and we will discuss your needs!

Do you serve all physicians or a specific specialty?

We serve physicians from all specialties in all regions of the country.

How do you keep your costs low?

Because of our experience with physician contracts, we understand their legal terms and ramifications extremely well. This means our team knows how to streamline the process and focus on what matters most to each individual physician. In short, we do this all day, every day, and we love it. That makes us efficient and affordable. We operate a lean virtual practice that has reduced overhead, and we pass those cost savings on to you.

Why physician contracts give
you leverage

$500,000

Estimated cost of replacing a physician (AMA)

124,000

Estimated physician shortage by 2034 (AMA)

Over $1M

Typical earnings for the first 2-5 years post training

Anonymous

“I cannot emphasize enough how valuable it is to have a legal team who specialize in physician contracts…I will reap the benefits of this investment for years to come.”

Ed was well-versed in the process of negotiation and the nuances of physician contracts in particular. He talked me through everything in language that was meaningful to me as a physician who has no legal background or experience. I appreciated the straightforward, flat-fee pricing and feel I got my money’s worth and then some.

The clinic I signed with noted how “well-reasoned and easy to follow” the counter-proposal was and said it was the most thorough contract review they’ve encountered.

It prompted them to change some items in their boilerplate contract moving forward because they felt the revisions made more sense for both parties. I cannot emphasize enough how valuable it is to have a legal team that specializes in physician contracts — they know their stuff! The only thing I’d do differently would be to loop in the team even earlier, at the offer negotiation stage instead of the contract stage. I will reap the benefits of this investment for years to come. I’ve already referred two peers, and one has said she got more out of the first-hour consult than all of her meetings with lawyers negotiating previous contracts. I recommend this team without reservation.

When you work with MJL
lawyers, you can avoid:

Quickly signing a contract you don’t understand

Confusing compensation plans

Ill-defined work obligations

Surprise exit strategy penalties

Not knowing what to say in a negotiation

A bad deal that sets you up for a stressful work environment

Instead, you can:

Analyze the best practice setting for your student loans, background, and specialty (Yes — we go deep.)

Pivot how and where you practice so you can maximize your financial future

Negotiate for PTO time, increase in compensation, more favorable call terms

Confidently communicate with the recruiter or hospital staff

Fully understand the difference between compensation models and how that impacts your financial future

…and so much more

Practice medicine on your terms with a contract you’re confident in

Don’t let the lack of knowledge or unfamiliar terminology hold your career (and life) back. Work with a team of lawyers who are on your side every step of the way.

Residents & Fellows

Just want to know if you’re being paid fairly?