All individuals holding professional licenses issued by the state must follow certain laws and rules. Licensed professionals must answer to the state agencies that license and regulate their professions. These state agencies receive complaints from various individuals concerning any allegations that licensed professionals have violated the rules that govern them.
Disciplinary complaints may lead to sanctions that adversely affect your career. In severe cases, you could even face a license suspension or revocation, which affects your ability to keep your job and support yourself. A Texas professional license defense lawyer can represent your interests before your licensing board and put you in the best position to handle the disciplinary proceedings against you.
What Should I Do if I Receive a Complaint Letter from My Professional Licensing Board?
A complaint or letter of investigation is a serious matter that could have significantly adverse effects on your professional license and your career. As a result, you should take immediate action to protect yourself by hiring an experienced professional license defense attorney to guide and defend you throughout your disciplinary proceedings.
Can’t I Respond to the Complaint on My Own and Talk to a Lawyer Later if It Becomes a Formal Disciplinary Action?
You have the best chance of defending yourself and disposing of the complaint against you early in the process if you have legal representation from the very outset of the matter. While you may consider the complaint to be baseless, hiring an attorney is the only option to increase your chances of a favorable outcome. Otherwise, you risk missing a deadline, misconstruing something in the complaint, or inadvertently admitting to a rule violation that could lead to even more severe sanctions against you. Protect yourself by hiring an attorney to defend your professional license.
Who Can Answer My Questions About My Case?
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Your attorney is the only person you should ask questions about your case. They can explain the disciplinary complaint process and expectations at each stage. They also can answer questions about your specific situation and whether you are likely to be subject to sanctions by your licensing board.
Why Shouldn’t I Talk to Anyone Besides My Attorney About My Case?
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Talking to the board, the investigator assigned to your case, the person who filed the complaint against you, or even your co-workers can be a huge mistake. Only your conversations with your attorney are protected by the attorney-client privilege, which means that they are confidential. Anything you say to anyone else can be used against you in your case. Therefore, if you admit to a violation or lead the board to a piece of evidence against you, they can use that information against you in your disciplinary proceedings. Likewise, if you talk with co-workers about the situation, they can be made to testify about your conversation, which could jeopardize your defense. Therefore, the only person you should be talking to about your case is your attorney.
How Can an Attorney Help Me in My Disciplinary Case?
Your attorney can help you respond to a disciplinary complaint against you and work to get it dismissed. If outright dismissal is not possible, your attorney can negotiate with the licensing board to reach an agreed resolution of your case that minimizes the impact of the proceedings on your life and career. If you cannot reach an agreed-upon resolution, then your lawyer can represent your interests at a contested administrative hearing to resolve your case.
Your lawyer also can answer your questions, explain how the disciplinary process works, and address your concerns throughout the proceedings. Together, you can build a strong defense to the allegations against you and work to protect your license and your career.
Does Hiring an Attorney Make Me Look Guilty?
Hiring a professional license defense attorney shows that you are taking the disciplinary complaint against you seriously, not that you are admitting guilt. Taking the steps necessary to protect yourself and your license is the best way to show your dedication to your career. It also is the most effective way to fight back against the complaint you are facing. Hiring legal counsel is a right that you are exercising under the law to protect the career that you have worked so hard to build.
Why is an Experienced License Defense Lawyer Necessary?
Different rules and laws govern every profession or occupation, each with specific disciplinary procedures. Most license holders are unfamiliar with these procedures, particularly if they have not faced complaints in the past. Many attorneys do not even have experience with these specialized types of cases.
As a result, you should seek an experienced license defense attorney who regularly handles license defense proceedings. These proceedings operate according to different rules and procedures. Meeting deadlines can be critical, as a failure to respond promptly or meet a certain deadline can result in sanctions automatically being entered against you. A seasoned defense lawyer can help you navigate these proceedings and ensure that you meet all legal deadlines and requirements.
Bertolino LLP: Ready to Defend Your Interests Before Your Licensing Board
You are retaining an experienced professional license defense attorney to represent you before your licensing board is in your best interest. We are here to protect our interests throughout every stage of your disciplinary proceedings. Contact the lawyers of Bertolino LLP today by calling (512) 515-9518 or visiting us online.
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