Orange county
Professional License
Defense Attorneys

The mandate of most professional licensing boards is to ensure consumer protection. Therefore, they will require applicants to provide information and a process that demonstrates their knowledge of safe and fair practices in their chosen career.

Hiring our team goes beyond preventing mistakes in your application to protecting you from injustices during the review process. You have a right to an unbiased and fair review, and we can ensure you receive it.

We recognize that the board may reject your application based on your personal history, even if you meet all other requirements. Hiring us is vital for positioning yourself to obtain the license you require to practice in your chosen profession.

Here is how our knowledgeable and competent lawyers can help you:

• Ensure you have filled out everything accurately according to your licensing board requirements
• Ensure you understand the language within your application.
• If the board rejected your application, we can help you know the denial grounds
• Help you understand whether you can appeal your professional license application denial

Hiring a lawyer when facing disciplinary proceedings increases your chances of obtaining a favorable case outcome and defending your reputation and professional license.

Here is what you can expect during a license defense process:

• Complaint — We will assess the complaint against you and then draft a strong response
• Response — We will conduct comprehensive research on your case, gathering relevant details and evidence to provide a thorough and robust response. We will then evaluate the response with you to determine if any adjustments are necessary.  Next, we will send our response to the board.
• Awaiting charges — We will wait to know if the licensing board is going to file charges against your professional license. Based on your area of practice, the waiting time can be a month or longer.
• Settlement — If the licensing board files charges against you, we will design an elaborate defense that can beat the charges you are facing. The defense can involve consulting with the board and proposing a case settlement that leads to an agreement, allowing you to avoid a disciplinary hearing. We will also negotiate the terms and conditions of any informal settlement.
• Hearing — If we are unable to settle, our attorneys will represent you before an administrative law judge.
• License reinstatement

Once you receive the board’s notice of complaint, you may be tempted to contact your licensing board, which can be a substantial blunder, as the board is not on your side.

Our attorneys are experienced in handling license-related investigations, ensuring you have someone who addresses the board’s concerns regarding your professional license.

Our lawyers handle all communications with the licensing board. If the board requires some information from you, the attorneys will submit what is necessary, protecting you from self-incrimination and a violation of your rights during questioning. The attorneys will also ensure that your response to the initial complaint is filed before the licensing board’s stipulated deadline. Our lawyers are well-equipped to draft a strong letter, which sometimes may be all the board requires for the investigation against you to be closed.

When our attorneys appeal the licensing board’s decision or outcome, we may also request a restraining order or temporary injunction. If granted, the order could prevent the board from enforcing its decision as you appeal. Most professionals are shocked to know that this does not occur automatically. Nevertheless, filing your appeal does not place on hold the enforcement of the board’s verdict. If facing a suspension or revocation of your license, applying for a temporary injunction can help safeguard your ability to continue practicing in the meantime.

Possible grounds we can use to contest the board’s decision in your case include the following:

• The board failed to adhere to its own established procedures during the investigations and disciplinary hearings.
• There was no substantial evidence to support the board’s decision
• You did not breach any applicable regulations or professional ethics
• The licensing board’s decision was erroneous, against the available evidence
• The medical board made an arbitrary decision regarding your liability and disciplinary action

Legal issues that can impact your professional license renewal include the following:

• Application errors — If you fail to fill out your license application form accurately and adequately, it could result in the board rejecting your renewal application.
• Late renewal — If you let your license expire, it can lead to an automatic suspension
• Uncooperative conduct — Licensing boards have clauses that mandate licensees to cooperate with any investigation probing their behavior fully. Failure to comply with the requirements could result in the licensing board rejecting your renewal application.
• Skipping continuing education — Different fields keep evolving in techniques and technological advancements. Therefore, most fields of practice require proving you have completed continuing education before you can renew your license.
• Addiction and substance abuse — Addiction and drug abuse affect many licensees throughout the state. If you have not undergone rehabilitation for substance abuse or have an ongoing addiction, the board can reject your license renewal application.
• Prior disciplinary measures from a different state — The licensing agency might decline your renewal request if you are under disciplinary action by another board.
• Any criminal conviction — Professional licensing boards are designed to ensure the trust and safety of consumers. A conviction, such as health fraud, tax evasion, or drunk driving, can result in a rejected professional license renewal application.
• Record of disciplinary measures — Your licensing board can deny your renewal request if it has previously imposed disciplinary action against you.
• Applying for a reinstatement too early — If your license has been suspended or revoked, you are forbidden from filing for a renewal early.
• Missing key details — The licensing board might also deny your request if you fail to reveal crucial information when filing for your license renewal. Omitting information could be interpreted as fraudulent conduct.

Our skilled license defense attorneys can assist you in navigating the complexities of a license renewal. If your renewal application is declined, we can do the following:

• Find out the reasons for the rejection of your application
• Develop different case strategies that can help you overcome a license rejection
• File an appeal to the board on your behalf
• Fight for your interests during relevant hearings
• Negotiate with your board to establish a path to a license reinstatement

If you have not yet applied for a license renewal and have concerns about potential legal challenges, our license defense attorney can help you through proactive case strategies. Our committed legal counsels can also:

• Identify any potential difficulties that might hurt your renewal application
• Consult the board on possible resolutions to any previous violations
• Provide legal aid to boost your renewal application chances
• Design a formidable legal argument for your reconsideration

If the licensing board has revoked your professional license, you still have a chance to submit a petition for reinstatement after a specified duration has passed. Your reinstatement petition should highlight proof of rehabilitation and demonstrate reformed conduct during the board’s probationary period to increase your likelihood of regaining your professional license. Our seasoned defense lawyers will assist you in assembling the relevant documents and presenting them. Some of the evidence we can use to show that you have made sufficient rehabilitative efforts includes the following:

• Demonstrating improvements in behavior and personal lifestyle
• A lot of time has passed without another incident of indiscipline
• Evidence of a significant shift in attitude and outlook 

If the board denies your reinstatement request,  we can help you request a hearing before an administrative law judge to demonstrate your impeccable character. Please note that in reinstatement hearings, the burden of proof is upon you.