22 - Dr. Ashley Burton on the 3+ Year Legal Battle Over One Bad Chiro Clinic Contract

In this episode, Danielle sits down with Dr. Ashley Burton to unpack a contract dispute that turned into a stressful three-year legal battle early in Ashley’s career. Ashley shares how one clinic contract, combined with the chaos of COVID, exposed major issues around payment structure, termination clauses, and contractor rights. Together, they break down what practitioners should look for before signing an agreement, why clear exit clauses matter, and how little business and legal education most health professionals receive before entering practice. This is a must-listen for chiropractors, physios, RMTs, and any practitioner working in a clinic setting.

Work with Danielle: danielleboyd.ca

Work with Ashley: drashleyburton.com

Instagram: @fern_drashleyburton

Podcast: Fern Rising with Dr. Ashley Burton

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Ashley’s background in chiropractic, fitness, and nutrition

02:47 Why this story matters

05:00 Signing her first clinic contract as a new grad

07:55 How COVID triggered the dispute

12:32 The withheld paycheck and rent issue

14:38 The termination clause problem

22:05 Contractor hours and control

27:52 Being served legal papers

30:00 The emotional toll of working through litigation

31:22 The court outcome

44:17 What Ashley now looks for in a healthy contract

48:08 The lack of business education in practitioner training

01:07:18 Why everything needs to be in writing

01:08:27 Final lessons and takeaways

KEYWORDS:

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