Office Hours with Roasa Law

For years, selling to a corporate consolidator was treated as the default exit for a veterinary practice. That's changing. In this special edition of Office Hours, Dr. Lance Roasa is joined by Dr. Darby Affeldt, a veterinarian who became a financial advisor, to make the case for the partnership buy-in, and to walk through what it looks like on both sides of the table. Lance covers the legal side:...

After a decade of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear Hines v. Pardue, leaving in place a Fifth Circuit ruling that fundamentally changes how state veterinary boards can regulate online consultations. In this episode of Office Hours, Dr. Lance Roasa is joined by associate Madison Hess and new team member Dr. Jordan Tayce (Texas A&M professor and Syracuse Law graduate) to br...

Veterinary students submitted a dozen unfiltered questions about contracts, career paths, and negotiation, and we answered every one of them on the record. Lance, Steve, and Madison cover how negotiation shifts when you're an ECC or internal medicine specialist (including the equipment clauses oncologists and ophthalmologists must have in writing), why Lance pushes back hard on "mentorship program...

Most veterinarians assume job offers are standardized. They aren’t. In this episode, the Roasa Law Group team breaks down what they see every day reviewing hundreds of veterinary employment contracts—and why two veterinarians applying to the same practice can receive completely different deals. We discuss: • Why compensation packages vary wildly between veterinarians • How corporations quietly cha...

Joint ventures have become increasingly common in veterinary medicine, often presented as an opportunity for ownership, partnership, and long-term upside. After reviewing more than 20 joint venture agreements in the past year, we’ve identified consistent structural patterns that veterinarians should understand before signing. In this episode, we discuss: The typical structure of veterinary joint v...

The veterinary job market is often described as “softening," but does that actually reflect what veterinarians are seeing in their contracts? In this episode of Office Hours with Roasa Law, Dr. Lance Roasa is joined by Steve Kellner and associate attorney Madison Hess to reflect on the biggest employment and contract trends they observed in 2025 after reviewing nearly 1,000 veterinary employment a...

Veterinary practice ownership often feels like a distant dream for students...but should it? In this episode, Dr. Lance Roasa sits down with CSU first-year veterinary student and Vet Inspo Talks Vodcast host Orli Algranatti to talk openly about the realities, timing, and pathways into buying or starting a clinic. Whether you’re a pre-vet, vet student, or practicing DVM considering ownership someda...

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every industry, and veterinary medicine is no exception. In this episode, Dr. Lance Roasa breaks down the fundamentals of AI, how machine learning systems “think,” and what makes this technology radically different from traditional software. Fresh off delivering an AI lecture at the Veterinary Innovation Summit, Lance shares where AI is already being used in pr...

Not all compensation shows up in your paycheck. In this episode, Lance and Steve unpack the often-overlooked world of benefits. From health insurance and CE allowances to retirement contributions. Learn what counts as non-taxable compensation , how corporate groups changed the standard for benefit packages, and what every veterinarian should look for before signing. Tune in to understand how the r...

In this episode of Office Hours with Roasa Law , Lance and Steve break down one of the most misunderstood sections in veterinary contracts, the Term & Termination clause. They explain how employment duration really works, what “at-will” means in practice, and why automatic renewals can quietly shift leverage away from associates. Whether you’re signing your first contract or renegotiating your...

Deciding to sell your veterinary practice is one of the biggest financial and professional moves you’ll ever make. In this episode, Dr. Lance Roasa and Steve Kellner dive into what every veterinarian should know before starting the process of a sale. They discuss: Why selling a practice is often the pinnacle financial decision in a veterinarian’s career. The crucial first steps to take when you de...

Non-compete agreements aren’t just fine print, they can shape your entire career. In this episode, Dr. Lance Roasa and Steve Kellner dive into the realities of non-competes in veterinary medicine, sharing real-world stories of veterinarians who faced tough choices after signing them. From long commutes and forced relocations to negotiating carve-outs and even facing lawsuits, we explore what optio...

In this episode of Office Hours with Roasa Law , Dr. Lance Roasa and paralegal Steve Kellner dive into one of the most common, and risky, moves new veterinary grads and seasoned professionals make: signing an offer letter too soon. They break down why offer letters are not just harmless placeholders, the hidden implications of signing early, and how a casual decision can lock you into unfavorable...

They sound like free money — but what’s the catch? In this episode, Lance and Steve break down one of the hottest topics in veterinary contracts: signing bonuses . They cover the history of how these bonuses became so common, what repayment clauses really mean, and the hidden tax implications that can surprise new grads and experienced vets alike. If you’re thinking about taking that big upfront c...

How veterinarians really get paid (and what no one tells you). Production pay is one of the most common, and most confusing, parts of veterinary contracts. In this episode, Lance and Steve unpack how production-based compensation actually works, what details often get overlooked (like negative accrual and what counts as production), and how those fine-print clauses can impact your income long-term...