Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a nurse. When I was 10 years old, I was at summer overnight camp. I fell off a horse and hit my head. When I came to, there was a woman in white standing in front of me. She scooped me up and took me to the hospital to be evaluated. It turns out, she was the camp nurse. I asked her a million questions like what it is like to be a nurse, does she like her job, etc. After graduating from Indiana University in 1982, I finally became a member of the noble nursing profession and I was ecstatic! I felt I could finally truly live my life’s purpose — I could help people heal by giving the best care my training could provide.
In today’s fast-paced business world, the complexity of legal matters can often be overlooked, leading to significant repercussions for businesses of all sizes. From startup ventures to established corporations, the absence of legal guidance can result in critical errors that affect growth, operations, and sustainability. These mistakes range from issues with contracts and intellectual property to compliance and employment law, each carrying the potential for financial loss and reputational damage. I had the pleasure of interviewing Lorie Brown.
Lorie Brown, RN, MN, JD, practiced nursing for 12 years before becoming an attorney and founding Brown Law Office, where she defends nurses before licensing boards and serves as a medical-legal consultant. She is also the founder of Empowered Nurses, a national platform dedicated to helping nurses protect their licenses, prevent burnout, and reclaim their voice in the profession.
Thank you for joining us. To start, could you share your “origin story” with our readers? How did you begin your career? What challenges did you face in the early days? How did you overcome them?
I never planned to own a business but when I was a partner in a law firm, my largest client went out of business. My partners told me I no longer had a job. I was shocked and dismayed. I was pregnant with my second child. I did not know what I was going to do or how I was going to feed my family. I could not go back to nursing since there was no childcare open for a 12 hour shift. I decided to hang out my shingle and do legal nurse consulting. For the first 5 years it was slow going and then I built my business to where I had 8 legal nurse consultants who worked for me and came every week for a new case. I have always been a nurse for nurses and an advocate for nurses so I added professional licensing defense to my law practice. I now represent nurses and other health care professionals to protect their license and help them start a business.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
The Power of Intention from Wayne Dyer. I did not realize how powerful my mind is. I use the analogy for my nurses you had an intention to go to nursing school. You did not know what school would accept you, what the classes would be like, if I would pass or graduate but intention pulled you through. If you have an intention to start a business, you can do it. You would not have the idea to start a business if you could not accomplish it.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
“I am positively expecting great results no matter what. The Universe is rearranging itself for my best interest now”. This keeps me going every time I go before the Board.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
We give back and pick a charity each month to donate to. We also sponsored Nurses on the Run. A scholarship fund raiser for nursing schools.
Ok, let’s now turn to the central part of our interview. What is the most common legal mistake you see businesses make due to the lack of proper legal counsel, and what are its potential consequences?
For nurse business owners, it is important to carry malpractice insurance. Even if your business is a corporate entity, which protects you from personal liability, it will not protect you for a malpractice matter or a matter before the licensing board.
Can you share an example where early legal intervention could have significantly altered the outcome of a business dispute or challenge?
Many business owners sign contracts without legal representation and if they
How do changes in digital technology and online business practices complicate legal issues for businesses without dedicated legal advice?
There are so many ways to collect money, Zelle, paypal, stripe, Venmo etc. Be careful of all the fees and make sure you have a business account to put it in.
In your experience, how does the absence of legal counsel impact a business’s approach to contracts and negotiations, and what advice would you give to mitigate these risks?
My philosophy is when you sign a contract it’s like a marriage. When the contract goes bad, its like a divorce. An attorney can play devil’s advocate so that you can be protected in the event of a divorce.
What legal pitfalls do new businesses often overlook during their initial setup and growth phases, and how can they proactively address these issues?
Every business must solve a problem and fulfill a need. What are people waking up in the middle of the night worrying about. Many people start a business because they are passionate about something but passion does not equal a profitable business.
Here is our main question. Could you list and briefly explain “Top 5 Mistakes Businesses Make Without Legal Counsel” based on your experiences and insights? If you can, please share a story or example for each.
1 . Signing contracts that you don’t understand. You might agree to clauses that waive your rights, overpromise deliverables, or expose you to unnecessary liability.
When Michelle, a nurse injector, leased her new med spa suite, the landlord handed her a “standard commercial lease.” It looked long and confusing, but she figured, “If other tenants signed it, it must be fine.” Six months later, the building’s HVAC system failed in July heat — and Michelle learned she was solely responsible for repairs because of a clause buried on page 14. $9,200 later, she realized: standard doesn’t mean safe.
2 . Not choosing the right business structure. The wrong structure can increase your taxes.
Carlos launched his concierge nursing service under his own name — “Carlos RN” — and thought he was protected because he had a business bank account. A year in, a client tripped in his home during a wellness visit and sued. Because he never formally registered an LLC, the court held Carlos personally liable. His savings, car, and even his house were fair game in the judgment.
3 . Improper Employment Practices or Contractor Agreements
Jasmine, an LNC, hired another nurse to help with record reviews. She paid her per chart, never wrote a contract, and called her a “contractor.” When the nurse left and filed for unemployment, the Department of Labor audited Jasmine — and ruled the nurse was misclassified. Jasmine owed $12,000 in back taxes and penalties.
4 . Inadequate Client Contracts, Consent Forms, or Policies
Tanya, a nurse health coach, offered packages through her website with no formal contract — just a Stripe checkout link. One client demanded a full refund three months in, saying she “never got what was promised.” When Tanya refused, the client filed a chargeback and left a nasty Google review. Without a clear signed agreement or policy, Tanya lost the money — and her reputation took a hit.
5 . Ignoring Compliance, Licensure, and State Law Requirements
Amber, a nurse practitioner, started a telehealth practice offering women’s hormone consults to patients in multiple states. She thought because it was online, her NP license covered it all. It didn’t. One patient filed a complaint — and suddenly Amber was under investigation by two state boards for practicing without proper licensure.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a nurse. When I was 10 years old, I was at summer overnight camp. I fell off a horse and hit my head. When I came to, there was a woman in white standing in front of me. She scooped me up and took me to the hospital to be evaluated. It turns out, she was the camp nurse. I asked her a million questions like what it is like to be a nurse, does she like her job, etc. After graduating from Indiana University in 1982, I finally became a member of the noble nursing profession and I was ecstatic! I felt I could finally truly live my life’s purpose — I could help people heal by giving the best care my training could provide.
When I was new and green, one of the patients’ heart stopped and the rest of the staff was resuscitating him. One of the nurses asked me if I would get life saving equipment from the Central Supply. I called Central Supply and was told they would not deliver the life saving equipment. I was beside myself. I wanted to help save this patient who whose heart had stopped and take care of my own patients. Running down to the basement to Central Supply to get life saving equipment would have taken me away from my other duties.
The next day I was called into my manager’s office and was written up because of the way I spoke to the person from central supply. I was devastated. I was new and I thought my career was over. I could not believe how I could get in trouble over a simple phone call advocating for the life saving equipment. I was not given any classes or training on how to improve communication.
That is when I realized something is wrong with nursing. Nurses want to be treated with respect and not be written up for things unrelated to patient care or at least given resources to improve communication. My mission would be to empower nurses. Nurses are the only reason patients are in the hospital. Nurses come with the room like dietary and housekeeping. I would like to see nursing be a revenue center like physicians since as a cost center, they are the largest part of the budget to be cut.
As we wrap up, how can our readers follow your work?
I send out newsletters each week on protecting your license and tips to empowering you as a nurse and monthly on growing a business as a nurse. www.YourNurseAttorney.com and www.EmpoweredNurses.org
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Lorie Brown Of Empowered Nurses On Top 5 Mistakes Businesses Make Without Legal Counsel was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.