Christopher J. Allen, DVM, JD

Nothing will help nip an investigation faster than a clearly maintained drug record book.

The weather in New York is beginning to improve after a long winter and my staff is fielding the usual rash of telephone calls from vets hoping to open new practices. And, though I am going to be giving a day-long lecture on the topic of new practice formation at the Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference later this year, I thought now would be a good time to provide some useful pointers to veterinarians planning to set up shop in the near future.

Estate planning can be a real headache, but it is just one more thing that we do in order to protect our spouses and our dependents.

I am a strong believer in the adage, "the harder you work, the luckier you get." But old adages usually come with caveats. Perhaps a better expression might be, "the harder you work, the luckier you get unless you don't work smart."

Each had a blank slate to fill; the only difference may have been the decisions made during each doctor's professional life.

As veterinary practitioners, we know that new and unanticipated challenges face us in a world of accelerating change and technological development. The media and particularly the Internet have altered both the level of information available to us and the level of expectations of our clientele.

We are quickly approaching the time of year that my staff affectionately dubs the "non-compete season."

Non-competition agreements almost always hide issues involved when a veterinarian agrees to limit the scope or location of his or her right to practice veterinary medicine.

Ican't speak for every one of us, but I would have to say that for the most part, veterinarians tend to be people who have lived their lives following the rules.

In regard to legal troubles, expect it where you least expect it. As a veterinarian, I've had more than my share of employees, associate veterinarians and litigious clients.

Our office routinely has professional interaction with accountants and accounting firms across the country. As a result, it has been my pleasure to become professionally and often personally acquainted with numerous accountants, both certified and otherwise, who handle an extensive amount of work for veterinarians.

As I write this month's submission, there is water streaming into the basement of my veterinary hospital.

My office routinely receives calls from frustrated or perplexed veterinarians who are wonder whether a specific matter or problem that they are involved with might require an attorney.

I think it is again time to remember the distinction between fairness and justice.

A complete patient record will help you collect full payment through collection, litigation or otherwise.

Gift-certificate medicine: Go crazy with diagnostics and treatment modalities as long as you don't go over $100.

Just because a complaint seems goofy or unfair, a practitioner still can shell out big bucks to defend a license.

You cannot successfully create or alter a practice culture by drafting documents.

A love note from the Empire State said it would seize the X-ray, ultrasound and Q-Tips to satisfy Oldtimer's sales tax obligations.

A retainer agreement should include a statement of hourly billing rates.

Never underestimate the potential liability associated with toxic-substance contamination.

There is a fundamental concept about contract law that students learn in their very first weeks of law school. It's a concept referred to as "meeting of the minds."

Employee theft is one of the most divisive events that can take place in a veterinary practice. The problem extends well beyond the loss of funds or product that characterize the criminality.

The legal rule: Without a conviction, there is no criminality shown. If there is no criminality shown, you cannot safely make public accusations of that crime.

Our actions might have ramifications outside the realm of patients' immediate health.

I have lost count of the number of occasions when I have written in this column that partnership in a veterinary practice is very similar to marriage. The analogy is one that potential partners must ignore at their peril. Nonetheless, joint ownership of a professional practice can be much like something else as well: a couple moving in together.

While some are just picky prima donnas, others actually are looking for an opportunity to hang the boss out to dry.

You can be sued by someone for virtually anything. The question is: Can they win?

He or she might be in the unenviable position of asking an employer to pony up thousands of dollars for disputed, unpaid productivity revenue.

Ambiguity usually benefits the employee during legal discrepancies.