Nearly all professionals in South Carolina are licensed through the S.C. Department of Labor, License & Regulation. Your license is the key you earning a livelihood and must be vigorously protected. If you get involved in an investigation of your license you may start to feel overwhelmed and need an advocate to defend your interests. If you are accused of professional misconduct that places your license at risk, you may be facing a disciplinary hearing before a licensing board in your area of discipline. This hearing will determine the future of your status as a licensed professional and could have a tremendous impact on your ability to practice in your particular profession. A hearing of this nature could result in a sanction against you or a revocation of your license and your livelihood.
Many professions in the fields of construction, medicine, engineering and small businesses are required to be licensed by the state.
Professions regulated by S.C.L.L.R. include:
Accountancy; Architectural Examiners; Athletic Commission; Auctioneers' Commission; Barber Examiners; Boiler Safety Program; Building Codes Council; Chiropractic Examiners; Cemetery Board; Contractor's Licensing Board; Cosmetology; Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists and Psycho-Educational Specialists; Dentistry; Dietetics; Engineers/Surveyors; Environmental Certification; Foresters; Funeral Service; Registration for Geologists; Landscape Architectural Examiners; Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board; Long Term Health Care Administrators; Manufactured Housing Board; Massage/Bodywork Therapy; Medical Examiners; Nursing; Occupational Therapy; Opticianry; Optometry; Pharmacy; Physical Therapy Examiners; Pilotage; Podiatry Examiners; Psychology; Pyrotechnic Safety; Real Estate Commission; Real Estate Appraisers Board; Residential Builders Commission; Social Work Examiners; Soil Classifier Advisory Council; Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; Veterinary Medical Examiners.
When your license is at risk you need an attorney who understands the regulatory issues facing your specific case.
SCLLR administrative actions can originate in many ways including a complaint by a:
- Patient
- Client
- A Spouse or Significant Other
- Customer
- Employee or Independent Contractor
- Or anyone who has been involved with or serviced by your licensed profession
While the complaint will vary and depend upon the profession, allegations may include neglect, malpractice, incompetence, substandard care, fraud, or treatment.
Administrative investigations may also be initiated as a result of a criminal charge including:
- Drug or Alcohol Abuse, Including DUI
- Fraud or Misrepresentation
- Sexual Assault
- Theft or embezzlement
- Violent crime, including domestic violence
The administrative action by S.C.L.L.R. in completely separate from any pending criminal investigation. If you are facing criminal prosecution, the fact that you are found not guilty on a criminal charge is not binding on your disciplinary action. Although you may be successful in criminal case, SCLLR still has to complete their own investigation and may take administrative action which can include:
- Public Reprimand
- Administrative Fines
- Probation
- Suspension or Revocation
of Your License
At the Mike Kelly Law Group, we know that being professional in South Carolina is a privilege, not a right. We also know that any investigation of your license must be vigorously defended to ensure that your livelihood is protected.
Find out exactly what your rights are by contacting The Mike Kelly Law Group for a confidential, no-cost consultation by calling the toll free number listed for any of our offices or by completing our contact form.
