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Hendersonville Professional License Defense Attorney

Hendersonville Professional License Defense Lawyer

A lot of diligence and commitment are needed in the rigorous education processes before one can qualify to become a professional. However, simple white-collar crime or professional misconduct could lead to having your professional license revoked. It can ruin your professional reputation and, in turn, negatively affect your finances. Doug Edwards Law offers compassionate and zealous defense for each client.

At the point you know that your professional license is at risk of being revoked, you need to contact a Hendersonville professional license defense attorney without delay. This simple decision could make the difference between having you continue with your career seamlessly or having you get denied the chance to practice again.

As a professional, you probably know a little about the laws and activities of the licensing board. However, even if you have a good knowledge of the operations of the licensing board, your level of experience in interacting with them could reduce your chances of preventing your license from getting revoked. Legal counsel gives you a higher chance of winning a case.

If you need the help of a professional license defense attorney, contact our Hendersonville criminal defense lawyers today at (828) 702-8743 for a free consultation.

Table of Contents

Process of Complaints and Investigation by Professional Licensing Boards

Getting a notice of an ongoing investigation or complaint by a professional licensing board will likely get your emotions off balance. The value of a professional license can never be underestimated, and losing one will likely cause you to miss out on several great opportunities.

Your Hendersonville professional license defense lawyer will help you through the following stages.

Responding to the Complaint

After an agency or board receives a complaint, they expect you to respond to it. The response can be given in writing, using an investigator, or through an interview. If you are required to go through an interview, we will help you by attending the initial interviews with you. We also offer you written responses where need be.

Attending a Meeting/Interview/Informal Conference

At this stage, the agencies or boards have already reviewed the written response or the interview details and want an informal meeting with you where they can further discuss the matters at hand. It is good to note that the details you provide them with have the potential to give them a ground to take action against you.

Probable Cause Review

The licensing board or agency gets to determine whether there is probable cause from which they can determine whether the applicable status, standards, or regulations were violated. After this, the board or agency gets to determine probable disciplinary action or the referral for a formal hearing. Most boards and agencies do not allow you or your counsel to be present at this stage.

The Formal Disciplinary Proceeding

This is a formal hearing that takes place before an agency, licensing body, or administrative law judge at the NC Office of Administrative Hearings. It is the same as a civil trial but is different in that it does not have a jury. Finally, the licensing border or agency gives a final decision or recommendation to the licensing agency.

Potential Appeal

You have a chance to make an appeal through the appellate courts or the superior court. It is important to note that the basis for the appeals is minimal. It takes an expert license defense attorney to point out instances where your substantial professional rights were prejudiced.

At Doug Edwards Law, we help you identify the variations for different boards and agencies. We also provide you with proper guidance on going through them successfully.

Impact of Criminal Convictions on a Professional License

Most individuals pay a lot of attention to the likelihood of ending up in jail or paying heavy fines when caught up in acts of crime. They tend to forget the impacts of the acts of professional licensing. Serving a sentence or paying a heavy fine does not mean you will not be prone to collateral consequences.

Once you get convicted, that becomes part of your permanent records in North Carolina. Unfortunately, these records can be accessed by other public members, including clients, tenants, and employers.

Even where the crime committed is not related to your professional life, the licensing board or agency has a right to take disciplinary action. These records make it difficult to get a job since potential employers will always be skeptical about hiring personnel with a criminal record.

Disciplinary Actions

The impact of a criminal conviction on professional licensing also largely depends on the board or agency you work under as a professional. Specific agencies and boards determine what kind of convictions can result in discipline, such as causing individuals to lose their licenses.

In most cases, it is the felony crimes that lead to disciplinary actions. These are dictated by the board’s or agency’s codes, laws, and statutes.

Difficulty Acquiring a License

If you did not have a professional license previously, having a criminal record will make it more difficult to get one. It is the case because most professions, including a lawyer, a teacher, or a doctor, have strict regulations on criminal charges.

A Hendersonville professional license defense attorney will assist you in understanding the consequences of a criminal record and the requirements of your specific profession.

What Activities Put Your Professional License at Risk?

Hiring a Hendersonville professional license defense lawyer will help you reduce the negative repercussions that may come with having a formal complaint raised against you. Activities that are likely to put your professional license at risk include:

  • DUI
  • Falsification of documents
  • Diverting drugs for personal abuse, distribution, or sale
  • Substance abuse while on the job
  • Breach of confidentiality of an employer, patient, or client
  • Unsatisfactory education requirements
  • Inappropriate relationships with a colleague, client, or patient
  • Offering unprofessional standards of care
  • Insurance-related irregularities
  • Poor work performance

You must be aware that different agencies and boards in North Carolina have different laws and requirements for acquiring and maintaining a state license. Do not let your ability to continue practicing be interrupted by a mere mistake or situation. You must consult a Doug Edwards Law professional license defense attorney to keep you up to speed.

How Can a Professional License Defense Attorney Help You Defend Your License?

A Hendersonville professional license defense lawyer is supposed to act as a buffer between you and the licensing agency or board.

Licensing agencies and boards are rarely sympathetic, with their investigators consistently trying to convince you that you are guilty and have no options other than revoking your license. They do so to ensure you cooperate with them, which would mean your professional career quickly going down the drain.

Guidance on Handling Investigators

To defend your license, the Doug Edwards Law license defense attorneys help you understand why cooperating with the investigators can work against you in some situations. We also help you understand that freely giving dispositions whenever the investigators call you is harmful.

We also step up to handle the confusing demands given by the licensing board or agency. The license defense lawyers analyze the case details, including any allegations, to help identify whether the existing evidence is favorable or unfavorable for you.

Offering Different Legal Options

To help the attorney defend your license, you must give all facts and avoid misleading information. That way, the lawyer can present you with the legal options available, advise you on the probabilities connected to each, and leave you to choose the options you think work best for you. During the interviews, arraignment, and final trial, the attorney’s job is to protect your reputation and your license at all costs.

In the worst-case scenario, where the attorney manages to defend your license, but you have to go through a citation and fine, we go further to ensure that the citation and fine are also lenient.

Since different boards in North Carolina have different laws and procedures on approving, rejecting, or revoking licenses, making use of the services of a professional license defense attorney gives you the assurance that the best strategies will be implemented in your case.

Professionals We Help

Allegations of professional misconduct can significantly damage your professional reputation. It can cause your competence and integrity to be questioned, significantly affecting your livelihood. At Doug Edwards Law in Hendersonville, NC, our professional license defense attorneys understand the magnitude of damage that can be caused and are ready to help you go through the complicated process seamlessly.

We offer our services to different professionals including but not limited to:

Our legal team has won several administrative hearings conducted by different Boars by helping our clients with different strategies, including:

  • Providing risk management consultations.
  • Representation in an administrative disciplinary proceeding.
  • Giving advisory opinions on ethical issues.
  • Defending your fitness and character during the license application process.
  • Protecting professional reputation during the phases of any defense case.

At Doug Edwards Law, we critically analyze your case and present you with the best alternatives. We aim to help you make the best steps to ensure your profession is undisrupted. We ensure that your career, reputation, and financial interests remain intact.

We offer representation before all North Carolina licensing boards, mainly focusing on:

The experienced Hendersonville professional license defense attorneys at Doug Edwards Law bring top-tier legal skills to the table when it comes to representing nurses, doctors, accountants, and pharmacists facing an administrative hearing. Let us help you defend against any allegations and complaints that threaten your right to operate.

Contact a Hendersonville Professional License Defense Attorney Today!

In North Carolina, many white-collar jobs require legal licensing. These include financial service providers, healthcare professionals, and real estate agents. Since licensing is a legal requirement made by the government, a professional must be keen when dealing with the government agency when complaints, allegations, and criminal charges threaten their professional licenses.

Hendersonville professional license defense lawyers from Doug Edwards Law are experienced and always at your service during administrative hearings. We offer representation for both formal and informal hearings to ensure you enjoy the best legal representation. Do not risk jeopardizing your career by representing yourself during a legal hearing.

Reach out to our Hendersonville law firm today at (828) 702-8743 for a free consultation.

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