Do I need a lawyer to review my contract?
Get a paid review when the contract carries a cliff clawback, a non-compete beyond your state's limit, tail coverage you pay for, or a compensation formula you cannot recompute. For a standard offer, the free checker plus your state's statute covers the first pass — and tells you which questions are worth paying to have answered.
All answers · Contracts · checked October 21, 2026
Most contract problems are not hidden in legal language; they are in four numbers: what triggers repayment of the signing bonus, who pays tail when you leave, how far the non-compete reaches, and how hours and call are counted. The checker quotes those clauses with page numbers so a reviewer starts from the actual text.
A paid review earns its fee when the stakes are asymmetric: a clawback larger than the bonus you keep, a covenant that could stop you practicing in your city, or an exit that leaves you buying tail coverage. It also matters when the employer is changing structure — an acquisition or a for-profit buyer can affect PSLF eligibility and assignment of the contract.
Before paying, ask what the review includes: a written redline, a call, negotiation language, and whether the reviewer knows your state's physician non-compete statute. A review that only flags 'risky' clauses without the numbers is a summary, not a negotiation.
Actions that follow from the numbers
- Run the free checker on the PDF and read the quoted clauses. Check a contract
- Read your state's non-compete rule and limits. State law
- Ask a reviewer for a written redline, not just a risk score. Contract guide
What could change this
Each condition below would change the conclusion above. If one applies, re-run the numbers before acting on this answer.
- The contract carries none of the four conditions above — the checker plus your state's statute may cover it.
- The employer is being acquired or the contract can be assigned — the review also needs to cover who employs you and whether PSLF eligibility survives.
- A reviewer returns only a risk score with no written redline — that changes what you are buying, not what the clauses say.
When the numbers aren't enough
- A signing bonus clawback larger than the amount you would keep after tax.
- A non-compete that exceeds your state's statutory limit or covers facilities you never work at.
- Tail coverage that you would pay for, especially in a surgical or obstetric specialty.
- An acquisition, partnership buy-in, or assignment clause that changes who employs you.