Education Law and Representation of Medical Students, Interns, Residents and Applicants, and Representation Before Credentials Committees

The Health Law Firm and its attorneys represent professors, school teachers, administrators, medical students, interns, residents and fellows in disciplinary proceedings, academic hearings, grievances, and litigation.

Teacher and Professor Representation

The Health Law Firm and its attorneys represent school teachers, professors and administrators in disciplinary proceedings, grievances, school board hearings and state Department of Education proceedings. We routinely represent individuals in state administrative hearings against various state agencies, including county school boards and the Department of Education. We have represented a number of teachers in contract disputes, disciplinary investigations, employment hearings, teaching certification hearings, administrative hearings and school board hearings, at the state level and at the county school board level, as well as in civil litigation. We have also sued both state and private schools on behalf of school teachers who were wrongfully terminated.

Students and Medical School Applicants

We have successfully represented public school students in suspension and expulsion hearings. We have also successfully represented students attempting to be admitted to medical school who are wrongfully denied for various reasons. In one case, a student who was a whistle blower found himself being the subject of retaliation by a medical school professor for whom he had worked in college. We were successful in countering the retaliation of the medical school professor and having the student admitted to the medical school of his choice.

Medical Students, Interns, Residents and Applicants

We have represented medical school students in disputes with their medical schools, internship supervisors, and in dismissal hearings. We have represented residents, interns and fellows in various disputes regarding their academic and clinical performance, allegations of substance abuse, failure to complete integral parts training, alleged false or incomplete statements on applications, allegations of impairment (because of abuse or addiction to drugs or alcohol or because of mental or physical issues), because of discrimination due to race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation and on other matters.

In most cases, these disputes have been resolved informally, often through negotiation or mediation. However, occasionally it is necessary that a civil suit be filed against the medical school, university, hospital or institution involved. We will always attempt to resolve such matters as inexpensively as feasible with as little publicity as necessary (or in accordance with our client's wishes). However, we are not reluctant to sue and litigate the case in federal or state court as appropriate if the circumstances require.

In addition, we routinely deal with state impaired physician and nurse programs such as the Professionals Resource Network (PRN) or the Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN) in Florida. We routinely represent applicants before the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Credentials Committees of the professional licensing boards, including the Board of Medicine, Board of Nursing, Board of Osteopathic Medicine, Board of Psychology, Board of Pharmacy, Board of Chiropractic Medicine, or other professional boards.

If you are charged with answering an application for a license falsely or incompletely or if you are called before a credentials committee or licensing board to explain certain answers or omissions you made, you should retain a competent, experienced, health care attorney to represent you. If you have prior arrest or convictions (whether expunged or sealed or not), disciplinary action against a prior professional license of any kind, drug or alcohol treatment, mental health conditions, suspensions or expulsions from schools or programs, discipline against a license in another state, unexplained leaves of absence, or a perceived untruthful answer on an application, you should retain qualified counsel to advise you before you answer any further or provide any further information or documentation.

If your application for a license is denied, you will have the right to have a formal evidentiary hearing before state administrative law judge (ALJ). However, even if you are successful at such a hearing, it will be very costly and will delay your admission to your field of practice for many months or longer.

Student Loan Defaults and Disputes

Please see the separate web page detailing our practice in these areas.

Main Office • 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
Orlando Branch Office • 37 N. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL 32801
Pensacola Branch Office • 201 E. Government St., Pensacola, FL 32502
Telephone: (407) 331-6620 & (850) 439-1001 • Telefax: (407) 331-3030

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