The Professional Licensing Issues of Being Charged. A Criminal Defense Lawyer | Attorney’s Perspective
Over the course of our careers as criminal defense lawyers | attorneys, we have represented almost every type of licensed person in the medical industry (doctors, nurses, license health care practitioners), members of the Air Force, Army, Marine Corp, Navy and Coast Guard, members of the Washington State Bar and other professionals who are subject to background checks and security clearances (especially Boeing and Microsoft). Most of the relevant cases involve either accusations of domestic violence, drugs, prostitution, some theft and a number of serious felonies. Restrictions or loss of employment if convicted of a crime of domestic violence, felony, or losing firearm rights or conviction of a felony are most of our clients’ long term concerns. In the short term, we have consistently found that almost every agency will, at worst, suspend or restrict activities until the outcome of the criminal case is determined, with most taking no action unless there is a conviction. Obviously, for some agencies, like members of the armed forces, it is best to tell your supervising officer up front; however, most other professional associations or employers do not require you to report criminal charges (check your employee handbook for the most up to date answer), just convictions. Given that you are presumed innocent, at least in the eyes of the law, this makes sense.
Obviously, there are very real issues for any professional if they are found guilty, but we deal with this issue in a different section.
Our advice.
The stress related to a potential pending charge is enormous and talking it through with a criminal defense lawyer who is bound by attorney client privilege and has experience in discreetly handling situations is an enormous relief in and of itself. Yes, this advice is self-serving, but it also happens to be good advice. We have practical suggestions based on our experiences on everything from what to tell other people (simple, vague and short is best) to advice on watching mail and making sure your State identification has an up to date address. Our office has dealt with thousands of people in your position and though we are paid to give impartial and objective advice and handle the courtrooms, we also have an enormous amount of experience that is helpful.
Our lawyers have discreetly handled an enormous number of complicated problems in the civil and criminal forums. Whether attacking or defending, we know the law and how to effectively frame and argue issues and investigate cases. This knowledge and ability means we have earned a reputation as respected counsel and effective speakers to prosecutors, judges and juries alike. Whether our role is one of legal counsel, negotiator, or litigator, hiring us means you have an experienced and driven firm who has years of experience resolving cases with our clients’ best interests in mind.
