Don't Sign a Document You Don't Understand

My law practice used to slow down around Thanksgiving and pick up again around Valentine's Day or March. I am really busy, so much in fact that I am planning to bring an assistant on board next to help me with administrative issues (invoices, scheduling face-to-face meetings and phone consultations, marketing, etc.)

One of the most common themes I have observed this year from my law practice is a trend of signing documents and not understanding or taking the time to understand the implications of your signing said document.

For example, Barry self-reports a chemical dependency to a state board of nursing and is accepted in the Board's Alternative Program for Chemical Dependency. Barry signs a 8 page Monitoring Agreement. Barry knows that he is supposed to strictly comply with the Agreement but he doesn't for whatever reason.

Another example, Sherry is a nurse and she signs a Consent Agreement that imposes temporary and permanent practice restrictions on her license and other conditions on her license. Its a 7 page document that lists the conditions. Sherry fails to comply with the Consent Agreement.

Do not under any circumstances sign a document unless you understand each and every condition, provision, and term in the document and the practical applications for your nursing license.