Here is a little different perspective regarding associates .. sent to me by a DC receiving 
my weekly e-mails

It was my decision to not sign a written contract with the others DC's that I had work 
with me in my office as well as in three satellite clinics. Unfortunately, only one of the 
four situations worked out well and in the others relationships went bust and I lost out 
financially. My thought process was to review a contract and come to an agreement to 
provide employment but to keep the individual in an independent status to avoid them 
from feeling like they were working for somebody else. The goodwill did not work out 
well. I had a person walk off leaving me with a second practice to work and manage 
and eventually sell in a fire sale due to time restraints. In another situation a practice 
producing $250 on a three day schedule was simply taken over as a land grab when a 
less than ethical lawyer and accountant convinced this doctor that because of the time 
put into developing and working the practice they had rights to ownership and should 
not be expected to pay anything for the practice. 
Let the new and old docs know that no matter how much they trust someone, even if it 
is a family member or best friend, they should put the deal in writing. Since my 
experience I have talked to many others who did or are presently working together 
with a handshake deal. Don't go there.