Spring Ahead With These Important Professional Licensing Updates and Developments

Posted on by Louis Fine

updateHappy Springtime. In the spirit of the season, we’ve put together a potpourri of recent stories, issues, and developments in the world of Illinois professional licensing. As a Chicago professional license defense law firm, we stay abreast of all matters involving the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) and that impact licensed professionals throughout the state.

Here is the latest news on the Illinois professional licensing front:

Citizenship Not Required For Professional Licenses Under New Bill

A bill recently introduced in the Illinois Senate would allow otherwise qualified applicants for professional licenses to obtain a license regardless of their citizenship or immigration status.

Senate Bill 1166, which passed the full Senate on March 21 and is now pending in the Illinois House of Representatives, provides that, except as otherwise provided by law, no department shall deny an occupational or professional license based solely on the applicant’s citizenship status or immigration status.

The bill’s author, Assistant Majority Leader Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), explained said that she drafted the legislation because, “If anyone in our state wants to contribute by working hard and paying taxes, they should not be denied because of where they were born.”

Extended IDFPR Delays Risks Exodus of Physician Assistants From Illinois

There is always a bit of a wait time between the date IDFPR receives a professional license application and the date it issues one. But every day that passes during that time is a day that the applicant can’t make a living and earn a paycheck working in their chosen profession.

For physician assistants (PAs), who are in one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand professions in the country, the problem with IDFPR delays is particularly acute. PAs are having to sit on their hands for months before they can begin to do their jobs helping patients.

The current processing time for Illinois Physician Assistant applications is 8 to 10 weeks, according to IDFPR, though some applicants report having to wait well-over three months before receiving their license. By way of contrast, the average wait time in neighboring Wisconsin is all of eight days.

The Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants (IAPA) places the blame on understaffing at IDFPR and its lack of “sufficient funding to tackle the backlog of applications.”

A report earlier this year by NBC 5 Chicago indicated that the difference in wait times is making a difference in where newly-minted PAs are choosing to practice, potentially leaving a shortage of PAs in Illinois at the same time their services are increasingly being utilized by more patients.

Hairstylists Now Need Domestic Violence Training

Hairstylists often become unofficial therapists and sounding boards for their clients. Now, they will officially need training so that they can spot signs of domestic violence or sexual assault and help those clients who are experiencing such trauma.

Under an Illinois law passed in 2016, all 84,000 beauty professionals in the state have until this September to complete the in-person or online classes. Cosmetologists, cosmetology teachers, estheticians, esthetic teachers, hair braiders, hair braiding teachers, nail technicians, and nail technology teachers will not be able to renew their professional licenses unless they do so.

The classes are one-hour and only one session is required, There are 20 approved sponsors across the state providing the needed training, including several locations in Chicago. IDFPR has a full list of all available class locations.

Louis Fine: Chicago Professional License Defense Attorney

If you have questions or concerns about your professional license, or you learn that you are the subject of an IDFPR investigation or complain, please contact me immediately. As a former Chief Prosecuting Attorney and administrative law judge for IDFPR, I have seen the serious consequences that an adverse enforcement decision can have on professionals who suddenly find their future in disarray. I can work with you to develop the strategy best suited to achieving the goal of an efficient, cost-effective outcome that avoids any adverse action. Together, we will get you back to your clients and your career.

Please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

“It Ain’t Over `Til It’s Over”: Appeals of IDFPR Disciplinary Decisions

Posted on by Louis Fine

You, yourappeal professional license, your reputation, and your career have been put through the wringer. You fought the good fight before the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), but after a formal disciplinary hearing, the Department concluded that you should be sanctioned for your alleged acts or omissions. Perhaps the Director decided to suspend or revoke your license or imposed other penalties which could impact your ability to earn a living. Your worries about your future and righteous indignation at the unfairness of the decision may lead to you to ask whether there is anything you can do to change this outcome.

What Can Be Appealed?

IDFPR, like many Illinois administrative agencies, uses Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) to make decisions that affect the legal rights, duties or privileges of individuals over whom they have jurisdiction. Once a formal disciplinary proceeding concludes, the ALJ presents his or her findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Director of Professional Regulation. Based on these findings, the Director will make the final decision as to sanctions.

You have the right to appeal – or more accurately, seek “administrative review” of – the Director’s final order in the circuit court of the county in which you reside.

You can, however, lose any right to seek relief from the decision unless you file your petition for administrative review within 35 days after the decision was mailed to you. This deadline is strict and unwavering, and a judge will dismiss your appeal if you miss it.

Administrative Review is Not a “Do-Over”

As with appeals of decisions made by a trial court, many people are under the mistaken impression that an appeal of an administrative decision is essentially a second bite at the apple; a “do-over.” They may think that they’ll have the opportunity to reargue their case and present their evidence and testimony in front of a judge who they hope will make the “right” decision this time.

This is simply not the case. “It is not a court’s function on administrative review to reweigh evidence or to make an independent determination of the facts.” Cook County Republican Party v. Illinois State Board of Elections,  232 Ill. 2d 231, 244 (2009). In fact, Illinois’ Administrative Review Law specifically says that: “No new or additional evidence in support of or in opposition to any finding, order, determination or decision of the administrative agency shall be heard by the court.”

Instead, the court will presume that the findings and conclusions of the ALJ as to questions of fact are true and correct.

Questions of Law

The circuit court will only review a decision to determine whether the correct rules, procedures, and law were applied during the course of the proceeding and when the ALJ made his or her determination. These are “questions of law,” and the reviewing court will only reverse the Department’s decision if it was “clearly erroneous” or the ALJ “abused their discretion” regarding the conduct of the hearing and the introduction of evidence, and that abuse caused “demonstrable prejudice to the party.”

Simply put, you won’t be able to challenge an ALJ’s decision to believe the testimony one witness and not believe another, but you could challenge the ALJ’s decision to allow such testimony at all if it should have been deemed inadmissible under the applicable rules of evidence.

If You Were Sanctioned by IDFPR, Speak With an Experienced Chicago Professional License Defense Attorney Immediately

As noted, whether you have a viable basis for administrative review of an IDFPR decision imposing sanctions against you will depend on the facts and circumstances of your case. But you have an extremely limited time to decide whether to pursue an appeal, so it is critical to contact an experienced professional license defense lawyer as soon as possible after you receive a final decision.

Please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

Top 5 Tips For Avoiding Professional License Complaints

Posted on by Louis Fine

complaintYou can’t please everyone. No matter your profession or career, if you have clients, customers, or patients, one of them at some point is going to be unhappy with you and your services. Whether their displeasure is justified or not, whether or not you’ve done everything right and are without fault for anything, whether they are straight-up making up facts and allegations, that disgruntled person can become a major thorn in your side.

If they file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), you will have to deal with it. At minimum, it will make you angry, frustrated, or indignant and you will need to spend your valuable time responding to the claims against you. If you fail to address the complaint effectively or if the Department finds merit in the allegations, the potential damage to your reputation and risk to your livelihood become exponentially greater.

In a perfect world, your professionalism, ethics, and competence would prevent any license complaints against you. But as we see every day, our world is anything but perfect. That said, there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood of complaints and position yourself for a positive outcome if a complaint is filed.

For doctors, accountants, appraisers, hairstylists, or any of the scores of professions regulated by IDFPR, here are five tips for avoiding professional license complaints:

  1. Know your professional obligations. Specific laws, rules, and regulations govern your profession. Baseline standards of care, continuing education requirements, and other obligations must be complied with for you to stay on the right side of regulators and These requirements are numerous and can change without notice. Make sure that you keep up with your obligations and audit yourself every year to confirm that you are in compliance.
  2. Educate your staff. If you employ others in your practice or profession, you are responsible for everything they do in the course of their employment. Their misconduct, malfeasance, or negligence can directly threaten your license. You need to supervise, train, and educate your staff to ensure that they understand their professional obligations and are following all applicable rules. Put in place policies and protocols that can minimize deviations and quickly correct them if they occur.
  3. To sue or not to sue? You have every right to get paid for services you provide, and when a client or customer skips out on a bill, you have every right to pursue them in a collection lawsuit. While some folks may fail to pay because they are simply avoiding their obligations, others may claim that the services you provided were substandard, improper, or not what you promised. If that’s the case, you’ll want to try to resolve these disputes before filing suit. Even if you can’t do so, you’ll be well-positioned if they respond with a license complaint, as sued clients often do.
  4. Document everything. Whether in a civil lawsuit or an IDFPR disciplinary proceeding, the more documentation and evidence you have to support your position, the better your chances of a positive outcome. Be sure to document any problems that occur and the steps that you took to correct them. If any staff was involved, have them document their version of events as well.
  5. Communicate. What we have here with so many professional license complaints is a failure to communicate. Inadequate client communication can lead to misunderstandings or feelings of neglect and insufficient care, increasing client dissatisfaction and the likelihood of claims. Be accessible and responsive, and make sure your staff is too.

As noted, you will likely face a professional license complaint at some point in your career, and when you do so, the most important tip is to contact an experienced Chicago professional license defense attorney as soon as possible. Seasoned and knowledgeable counsel can be the key to resolving IDFPR matters early and cost-effectively so you can focus on your career instead of complaints.

Louis Fine: Chicago Professional License Defense Attorney

The moment IDFPR contacts you or you learn that you are under investigation is the moment that you should contact me. Please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

Do Liability and Professional License Troubles Mean Never Being Able to Say You’re Sorry?

Posted on by Louis Fine

sorryWith the possible exception of “free donuts,” there are no two words in the English language more powerful and more impactful than “I’m sorry.” Owning up to a mistake and sincerely apologizing to the person impacted by your error can resolve disputes and mend fences. It can increase understanding and trust and reset a damaged relationship.

For physicians and other professionals, a sincere mea culpa for a mistake and an expression of sympathy for a less-than-ideal outcome can also reduce the likelihood of lawsuits and professional license complaints. But will that apology come back and haunt you if your patient or client decides that it’s not good enough? Will “I’m sorry” translate into “I’m liable” before a jury or the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)?

How Apologies Can Benefit All Parties

So many professional license complaints and lawsuits, whether against doctors, accountants, lawyers, brokers, and other professionals, arise not because of actual misconduct or mistake but rather due to a failure of communication. Professionals may be loathe to admit a mistake and apologize for the error for reasons of ego, but more often it is because they are worried that an apology will be seen as an admission that they did something wrong and that admission will be used against them.

In the practice of medicine in particular, this silence and defensiveness can increase distrust and frustration and come across as cold, unfeeling, and unsympathetic to the patient’s plight, especially when no mistake or allegation has been made. If a patient passes away, medical error or not, a doctor who delivers the news without an expression of sympathy for the loss won’t look cautious, he or she will look like a heartless jerk.  In turn, those feelings increase the likelihood that an aggrieved patient will take action against the doctor or other professional who they believe did them wrong.

Study after study has shown that honest, open, and apologetic communication after an alleged error or bad result can significantly decrease claims for malpractice and related consequences. For example, a study published in the Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management found that hospital staff and doctors willing to discuss, apologize for and resolve adverse medical events through a “collaborative communication resolution program” experienced a significant reduction in the filing of legal claims, defense costs, liability costs and time required to close cases.

“Apology Laws”

For these reasons, and because of the emotional and psychological benefits to patients that come with apologies, dozens of states have enacted so-called “apology laws” specifically to allow physicians to apologize, express regret or offer remediation without worrying that such statements will be admissible in malpractice or other actions.

Illinois, unfortunately, is one of the minority of states which does not have a clear apology statute for physicians. Illinois law does, however, protect healthcare providers who offer to pay for or perform services or procedures in an effort to fix an alleged mistake by declaring that testimony, writings, records, reports or information regarding such offers “shall not be admissible in evidence as an admission of any liability in any action of any kind in any court or before any commission, administrative agency, or other tribunal in this State.”

These laws not only help patients and doctors better resolve allegations of error, but they also help doctors comport with their ethical responsibilities. The American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics, for example, says that:

“It is a fundamental ethical requirement that a physician should at all times deal honestly and openly with patients. … Concern regarding legal liability which might result following truthful disclosure should not affect the physician’s honesty with a patient.”

What to say to an aggrieved patient remains a matter of competing legal and ethical interests. The desire to be of comfort and help, to fix what’s wrong, is countered by concerns of self-preservation and risk management. Physicians and other professionals thus need to tread cautiously and with the advice of counsel or the guidance of their organizations before saying those two important words lest they compound their regret even further.

Louis Fine: Chicago Professional License Defense Attorney

The moment IDFPR contacts you is the moment that you should contact me. I will immediately begin communicating with IDFPR prosecutors and work with you to develop the strategy best suited to achieving the goal of an efficient, cost-effective outcome that avoids any adverse action.

Please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

Dogging It: Voluntarily Tanking Your Income Won’t Get You Out of Your Child Support Obligations

Posted on by Louis Fine

pocketsDivorce can bring out the worst in people. Underhanded actions and tricks designed to hurt the other spouse and gain an advantage in the proceedings are all too common. In many cases, a spouse will engage in devious tactics to try to reduce the amounts he or she must pay for child support.

Since support obligations are in part determined based on the assets and income of the parent from whom payments are sought, a less-than-honest spouse may try to make it appear that they have significantly less money than they actually do. This can involve concealing or transferring assets. Sometimes, however, a spouse will also intentionally reduce their income through “voluntary underemployment” or taking a job that pays less than they previously were earning, solely to stick it to the other parent or deny them the child support they deserve.

Luckily, Illinois law provides a way for parents who are intentionally tanking their income to be held to account.

“Potential Income” Used to Determine Child Support Obligations

In Illinois, the basic formula for arriving at a child support amount (subject to variations based on specific circumstances) involves:

  • calculating each parent’s net income, then
  • combining net incomes to determine Total Family Income, then
  • using the Illinois Child Support Estimator to determine the Basic Child Support Obligation, then
  • allocating the Basic Child Support Obligation proportionally based on net incomes.

Initial support obligations are calculated as part of the divorce proceedings but can later be modified at the request of one of the parents if there has been a substantial change in circumstances, such as an increase or decrease in the amount of one of the parent’s incomes. But if it can be shown that a reduction in a parent’s net income – such as quitting a job or taking a much lower paying job – was voluntary and done in bad faith, an Illinois court can base its support calculations on the parent’s “potential income” rather than their actual, reduced income.

Specifically, Section 505(a)(3)(F)(II)(3.2) of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act provides that If a parent is “voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, child support shall be calculated based on a determination of potential income.” A court will calculate that income by determining the parent’s employment potential and probable earnings level based on:

  • the parent’s work history
  • the parent’s occupational qualifications,
  • prevailing job opportunities
  • the ownership by a parent of a substantial non-income producing asset, and
  • earnings levels in the community.

If there is insufficient work history to determine employment potential and probable earnings level, there is a rebuttable presumption that the parent’s potential income is 75% of the most recent United States Department of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines for a family of one person.

Every one of us has our own unique career journey which can include ups and downs, setbacks and advancements. Whether a parent’s career choices will be held against them in terms of their child support obligations will depend on their unique facts and circumstances and whether or not those choices were made in good faith or were made solely to skirt their obligations under the law.

Louis R. Fine – Chicago Child Support Attorney

If you have questions about child support, please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for a consultation. When we meet, we can go through all of your questions, and I will be there to listen to you as well as advise you. I look forward to assisting you

“Potential Income” Used to Determine Child Support Obligations

In Illinois, the basic formula for arriving at a child support amount (subject to variations based on specific circumstances) involves:

  • calculating each parent’s net income, then
  • combining net incomes to determine Total Family Income, then
  • using the Illinois Child Support Estimator to determine the Basic Child Support Obligation, then
  • allocating the Basic Child Support Obligation proportionally based on net incomes.

Initial support obligations are calculated as part of the divorce proceedings but can later be modified at the request of one of the parents if there has been a substantial change in circumstances, such as an increase or decrease in the amount of one of the parent’s incomes. But if it can be shown that a reduction in a parent’s net income – such as quitting a job or taking a much lower paying job – was voluntary and done in bad faith, an Illinois court can base its support calculations on the parent’s “potential income” rather than their actual, reduced income.

Specifically, Section 505(a)(3)(F)(II)(3.2) of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act provides that If a parent is “voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, child support shall be calculated based on a determination of potential income.” A court will calculate that income by determining the parent’s employment potential and probable earnings level based on:

  • the parent’s work history
  • the parent’s occupational qualifications,
  • prevailing job opportunities
  • the ownership by a parent of a substantial non-income producing asset, and
  • earnings levels in the community.

If there is insufficient work history to determine employment potential and probable earnings level, there is a rebuttable presumption that the parent’s potential income is 75% of the most recent United States Department of Health and Human Services Federal Poverty Guidelines for a family of one person.

Every one of us has our own unique career journey which can include ups and downs, setbacks and advancements. Whether a parent’s career choices will be held against them in terms of their child support obligations will depend on their unique facts and circumstances and whether or not those choices were made in good faith or were made solely to skirt their obligations under the law.

Louis R. Fine – Chicago Child Support Attorney

If you have questions about child support, please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for a consultation. When we meet, we can go through all of your questions, and I will be there to listen to you as well as advise you. I look forward to assisting you

More Changes Coming to How Illinois Spousal Maintenance Breaks Down After a Marriage Does

Posted on by Louis Fine

maintOnce again, changes to Illinois law have and will alter how spousal maintenance awards are determined in divorce proceedings. Amendments to Sections 504 and 505 of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, some of which became effective in 2018 and others which will be effective on January 1, 2019, come only three short years after legislators for the first time established specific formulas for calculating the amount and duration of spousal maintenance payments.

These changes tweak the calculation guidelines that were set in the last round of amendments. The 2018 changes altered the threshold for applying the guidelines and the percentages used in determining how long a spouse will be required to make maintenance payments. The 2019 changes as to how maintenance amounts will be calculated were a direct reaction to changes in federal tax law that eliminated the tax deduction for alimony payments.

Increase in Gross Income Level for Application of Guidelines

The guidelines established in 2015 only applied when the combined gross income of the parties was less than $250,000 and no multiple family situation existed. As of 2018, this formula now applies to couples with a combined gross income of less than $500,000, significantly increasing the number of divorces which will involve its use when maintenance is deemed appropriate.

Amount of Maintenance Payments

For divorces finalized on or before December 31, 2018, all amounts paid for spousal maintenance or alimony reduce the payor’s taxable income by the same sum. For most folks paying maintenance, this deduction represents a significant tax savings that can ease the burden of supporting an ex.

But the GOP tax plan passed a year ago eliminated that tax deduction for divorces finalized after the end of this year. Maintenance will no longer be deductible for the spouse who pays maintenance while the recipient can no longer include maintenance payments as taxable income. It is important to note that the deduction will still apply going forward for divorces entered this year or earlier.

In response to this significant change, Illinois modified the formula used to calculate maintenance awards. The current statutory formula provides that a maintenance award should equal 30 percent of the payor’s gross income, minus 20 percent of the payee’s gross income.

Example:

  • Husband’s annual gross income = $100,000 (30% = $30,000)
  • Wife’s annual gross income = $45,000 (20% = $9,000)
  • $30,000 – $9,000 = $21,000 in annual spousal maintenance to wife.

The amount calculated as maintenance, however, when added to the gross income of the payee, may not result in the payee receiving an amount that is more than 40% of the combined gross income of the parties.

For divorces finalized in 2019 or later, those guidelines are now as follows:

  • The award should be 33.3% of the payor’s net (not gross) income, minus 25% of the recipient’s net (not gross) income.
  • There will still be a 40% cap, but it will now be calculated using the combined net income of the parties rather than gross income.

Duration of Maintenance Payments

Under both the old and new laws, how long a spouse is required to pay maintenance is based on the length of the marriage. Before 2018, judges were to use the following formula in determining how long payments must continue:

  • Married 0 – 5 years = 20% of the duration of the marriage
  • Married 5 – 10 years = 40% of the duration of the marriage
  • Married 10 – 15 years = 60% of the duration of the marriage
  • Married 15 – 20 years = 80% of the duration of the marriage
  • 20 or more years = court has the discretion to order either permanent maintenance or maintenance equal to the length of the marriage.

Under this formula, for example, a 5-year marriage would result in a 1-year maintenance obligation, while a 10-year marriage would result in 4 years of maintenance payments.

The new formulas are broken down in more detail such that the percentages that apply to an 11-year marriage, for example, are now different than they are for a 14-year one. Specifically, the duration of maintenance obligations are now as follows:

  • less than 5 years (.20)
  • 5 years or more but less than 6 years (.24)
  • 6 years or more but less than 7 years (.28)
  • 7 years or more but less than 8 years (.32)
  • 8 years or more but less than 9 years (.36)
  • 9 years or more but less than 10 years (.40)
  • 10 years or more but less than 11 years (.44)
  • 11 years or more but less than 12 years (.48)
  • 12 years or more but less than 13 years (.52)
  • 13 years or more but less than 14 years (.56)
  • 14 years or more but less than 15 years (.60)
  • 15 years or more but less than 16 years (.64)
  • 16 years or more but less than 17 years (.68)
  • 17 years or more but less than 18 years (.72)
  • 18 years or more but less than 19 years (.76)
  • 19 years or more but less than 20 years (.80)

For a marriage of 20 or more years, a judge has the discretion to order maintenance for a period equal to the length of the marriage or for an indefinite term.

Judge May Deviate From Guidelines But Must Explain Why

While a judge is not required to follow the new guidelines, if they deviate from them they must explicitly state in their findings the amount of maintenance or duration that would have been required under the guidelines and the reasoning for any variance from the guidelines.

If you have questions or concerns regarding these changes or spousal maintenance generally, please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for a consultation.

It Could Happen to You: Understanding IDFPR Sanctions

Posted on by Louis Fine

sanctionsIn recent posts, we’ve discussed the investigations and disciplinary proceedings which the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) conducts when a professional’s license comes under its scrutiny.

At various points in these processes, complaints may be dismissed or matters resolved without the imposition of any sanctions or other actions which could damage the licensee’s career or reputation. But in many cases, the IDFPR may conclude that disciplinary action is warranted. What that action may be, what it means, and how it may impact your life and livelihood can vary wildly. If you receive an IDFPR complaint or are facing administrative proceedings, it is crucial that you understand the potential consequences the IDFPR can impose if they find that your conduct merits it.

The following are some of the possible sanctions the IDFPR can levy on professional licensees:

  • Reprimand. While a reprimand will not limit your ability to work or practice, it may require monitoring and is an official public record of discipline.
  • Probation. If you are placed on probation, you will be able to continue working or practicing subject to specific conditions and limitations established by the Department. As with probation in the criminal justice system, a violation of any of the imposed terms will create further problems potentially involving further discipline. The probation term could be for a set period which will automatically expire providing all conditions were complied with or it could be for an indefinite time, requiring that the licensee petition the board to terminate the probation.
  • Suspension. If your license is suspended, you are prohibited from working in your profession during the suspension term. As with probation, the duration of suspension can be set or indefinite.
  • Summary or Temporary Suspension. If the Department determines that a licensee’s continuation in practice poses an imminent danger to the public, it can take immediate action by summarily or temporarily suspending a license. The license remains suspended pending a hearing on the case
  • Revocation. If the Department revokes your license, you cannot work or practice in your chosen profession until further notice. If no term is stated, you must wait a minimum of three years before you can file a Petition for Restoration.
  • Refusal to Renew. Licensees who are refused renewal are ineligible to renew their license and are prohibited from practice after the expiration of the date of their license, though they may file a Petition for Restoration.
  • Fines. A monetary penalty can be levied alone or in conjunction with any of the foregoing sanctions.

If the Department is seeking any of these sanctions against you or offers to resolve your matter through a consent order in which you agree to the imposition of a specific penalty, it is imperative that you consult with an experienced Chicago professional license defense attorney if you haven’t done so already. You need to fully understand the implications of any possible sanctions so you can make an informed decision about how to proceed. Your future is at stake; it is no time to go it alone.

Please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

Your Career in the Crosshairs: The Perils of IDFPR Disciplinary Proceedings

Posted on by Louis Fine

disciplineAllegations of professional misconduct made to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) are a dime a dozen. Any disgruntled client, customer, or patient can claim that you wronged, harmed, or otherwise treated them in an unprofessional manner worthy of investigation and punishment.

But these claims, as well as allegations of wrongdoing submitted to IDFPR by other licensees or law enforcement agencies, remain mere allegations until the IDFPR’s Investigations Unit determines that there is sufficient factual evidence to support the claim against you. If they reach that conclusion and submit the matter to the appropriate Department prosecutions unit for the initiation of disciplinary proceedings, those mere allegations against you explode into existential threats to your license and career. Understanding this threat, and retaining an experienced IDFPR defense attorney to defend you, are critical if you wish to continue making a living in your chosen profession.

Pre-Hearing Steps

We previously wrote about the IDFPR’s process of evaluating and investigating complaints prior to the start of an administrative proceeding which can conclude with disciplinary action, including the suspension or revocation of your professional license. Here’s what happens next:

  • Formal complaint. As opposed to a complaint submitted to the IDFPR about you, this is a complaint submitted to you by the IDFPR. It sets forth the factual and legal basis for seeking disciplinary action against you and advises you when you and your attorney must appear and file an answer to the charges. Failing to respond or appear can result in a default judgment which can, in turn, result in the loss of your license without you having an opportunity to defend yourself.
  • Informal conference. After you respond to the charges in the complaint, there is usually a meeting between yourself, your lawyer, and Department attorneys to informally negotiate and discuss your case to determine if a resolution can be reached before a formal hearing.
  • Preliminary hearing. If the parties cannot reach an early negotiated resolution, a preliminary hearing will be held at which time a date will be set for rulings by the Administrative Law Judge on any preliminary motions, such as those relating to discovery, evidence, and other pre-trial issues.

Unfair Discovery Process

During this time, both sides will be busy preparing their case for a formal hearing. This includes gathering the evidence and testimony that will support their respective positions, much as parties do in civil lawsuits. But unlike civil suits, where the judge gets to determine the parameters of discovery, the extent of allowable discovery in IDFPR proceedings is determined by the very people who are prosecuting the case.

Once the Department provides names of witnesses, including the name of any individual whose complaint may be at the heart of the proceedings, a respondent cannot take their depositions unless the Department’s attorney agrees – which rarely, if ever, happens. If the Department nixes a deposition request, that means the respondent will not be able to confront that witness, learn what his testimony will be, or attack the veracity of his testimony until the actual hearing. That is manifestly unfair and leaves a respondent and their attorney fighting with one arm tied behind their back.

The Formal Hearing

Ultimately, in lieu of a settlement, a formal hearing will be held during which each party makes opening and closing statements, the Department presents a case in chief, and you and your attorney will present your defense, much like in a trial.

The individual presiding over your case, the hearing officer, is usually an attorney charged with presiding over the proceedings fairly and objectively without favoritism or bias. The problem is the hearing officers are not independent. They are employed and paid by the IDFPR, just as the prosecuting attorneys are. This can make an already perilous process even more so.

Once the formal hearing concludes, the hearing officer or administrative law judge will present his or her findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Director of Professional Regulation, who will determine the nature and extent of sanctions against you, or decide that no sanctions are warranted at all, if that is supported by the report they receive after the hearing. You will receive a copy of the report as well and have 20 days from the date the notice is mailed to file a motion for rehearing. Once the Director issues his order as to disciplinary action, you have 35 to file an appeal in circuit court.

If you receive a formal IDFPR complaint, the two most important things you can do are not panic and then call an experienced Chicago professional license defense attorney as soon as possible.

Please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

The Road From IDFPR Complaint to IDFPR Disciplinary Action

Posted on by Louis Fine

complaintAs a lawyer, clients often will ask me whether they can sue this person or that company for a perceived wrong. My answer is always the same: anyone can sue anybody for anything. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they actually have a viable case or that filing a lawsuit is a smart move. It’s just that anyone who has the money for the filing and service fees can walk into a courthouse and file a lawsuit.

Similarly, anyone who feels that a licensed Illinois professional has acted improperly or done them wrong in some way can file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). But just because IDFPR receives a patient, client or customer complaint does not automatically translate into the institution of disciplinary proceedings. There are multiple stops on the road from complaint to action, any one of which can be the end of the matter.

Initial Evaluation

No matter whether an allegation of misconduct comes from a client, competitor, media reports, or other governmental bodies, IDFPR does not institute disciplinary proceedings without first conducting an investigation to determine whether the allegations appear to have merit.

When received by IDFPR, a client/patient/customer complaint will be forwarded to the Department’s Complaint Intake Unit. The claim is then sent to the investigative unit in charge of evaluating allegations for the specific profession at issue. Each licensed profession has its own investigative unit which is supposed to be staffed with individuals who have the knowledge and experience to evaluate the factual allegations in the complaint. They are also supposed to understand the applicable laws, regulations, and standards which determine whether a particular act or omission, if true, would be the basis for disciplinary action.

The lead worker on the case will review the information set forth in the complaint and decide whether to initiate an investigation or close the case. A case may be closed at this early juncture if the substance of the claim, even if true, would not support any disciplinary action. For example, if a patient filed an IDFPR complaint because a doctor did not shake their hand when walking not the exam room, that complaint will wind up in the IDFPR dustbin in short order.

Initial Investigation

However, if the lead worker decides that the allegations merit further inquiry, an IDFPR investigator will be assigned to look into the matter. The investigator can take any number of steps as part of their analysis, including:

  • Reviewing the complaint along with any documents or evidence submitted by the complainant
  • Pulling IDFPR licensure records and records of past investigations and disciplinary actions concerning the licensee.
  • Interviewing the complainant
  • Interviewing any known or potential witnesses
  • Interviewing the licensee who is the subject of the investigation
  • Issuing subpoenas for documents and other evidence

Referral for Prosecution

At the conclusion of their investigation, the assigned investigators will prepare and submit reports describing the steps they took, the evidence and testimony they gathered, and the conclusions they have reached. Upon receipt of the reports, the lead worker will review and decide whether the case should be closed or forwarded to the appropriate Department prosecutions unit for the initiation of disciplinary proceedings or other further action.

For some professions, such as physicians and dentists, IDFPR has case coordinators who are licensed members of those professions. These subject matter experts will review a case and all investigatory reports and decide whether a matter will proceed to the next level.

If you receive notice that an IDFPR complaint has been filed against you, the two most important things you can do are not panic and then call an experienced Chicago professional license defense attorney as soon as possible. You don’t want to wait until that complaint metastasizes into a formal prosecution before taking steps to protect yourself and your career.

Louis Fine: Chicago Professional License Defense Attorney

The moment IDFPR contacts you is the moment that you should contact me. I will immediately begin communicating with IDFPR prosecutors and work with you to develop the strategy best suited to achieving the goal of an efficient, cost-effective outcome that avoids any adverse action.

Please give me a call at (312) 236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation. I look forward to meeting with you.

It Doesn’t Take a Scalpel to Pierce Your Medical Practice’s “Corporate Veil”

Posted on by Louis Fine

pierceAs “Captain Obvious” would no doubt note: doctors get sued. Medical malpractice lawsuits are filed every day in which a patient alleges that a physician failed to adhere to the appropriate standard of care. But doctors get sued for other reasons and by folks other than those they treat. Medicine is a business as well as a profession, and like other businessmen and women, doctors can get sued by people or entities they do business with, including the government.

That is one of many reasons physicians form medical corporations, limited liability companies, or professional service corporations. These specialized entities can shield the personal assets of physicians who act as officers, directors, or shareholders when lawsuits by creditors or other liabilities confront their business. But that protection is not absolute, and doctors can find their personal assets in the crosshairs of a determined litigant if they fail to adhere to the requisite “standard of care” in managing their entity.

“Piercing the Corporate Veil”

“Piercing the corporate veil” is the term used to describe imposing personal liability on a company’s owner(s) for a corporate obligation. Plaintiffs often attempt to pierce the corporate veil when the company they are suing is insolvent or would be otherwise unable or unlikely to pay any judgment entered against it.

Veil-piercing allows a court to “impose liability on an individual or entity that uses a corporation merely as an instrumentality to conduct that individual’s or entity’s business.” Fontana v. TLD Builders, Inc., 362 Ill. App. 3d 491, 500 (2005)

Illinois courts use a two-prong test to determine whether to pierce the corporate veil:

  1. there must be such unity of interest and ownership that the separate personalities of the corporation and the individual no longer exist; and
  2. circumstances must exist such that adherence to the fiction of a separate corporate existence would sanction a fraud, promote injustice, or promote inequitable consequences.”

In determining whether the “unity of interest and ownership” prong of the test is met for a medical business entity, a court will consider many factors, including:

  • inadequate capitalization;
  • insolvency;
  • failure to follow corporate formalities
  • commingling of funds;
  • diversion of assets from the entity by or to a member to the detriment of creditors;
  • failure to maintain arm’s-length relationships among related entities; and
  • whether, in fact, the entity is a mere facade for the operation of the dominant members.

Medical Entities Do Not Shield Doctors from Malpractice Liability

While a properly organized and managed entity can protect a doctor’s personal assets from creditors and business-related claims, it affords no such protection against medical malpractice claims. The Illinois Medical Corporation Act specifically provides that it “does not alter any law applicable to the relationship between a physician furnishing medical service and a person receiving such service, including liability arising out of such service.”

Similarly, the Illinois Professional Service Corporation Act states that physician officers, shareholders, or directors “remain personally and fully liable and accountable for any negligent or wrongful acts or misconduct committed by him, or by any ancillary personnel or person under his direct supervision and control, while rendering professional services on behalf of the corporation to the person for whom such professional services were being rendered.”

If you are a physician who has an interest in an Illinois medical practice, it is critical that you understand that the protections afforded to your assets aren’t set in stone just because you formed a corporate entity. I work closely with physicians and their entities to implement programs and protocols designed to minimize risks, including the risk of personal liability for their business obligations. If you need assistance with your medical practice’s legal obligations, please give me a call at 312-236-2433 or fill out my online form to arrange for your free initial consultation.