As a Professional Engineer, you are responsible for designing structures and systems that are integral to every aspect of modern life. The Texas Board of Professional Engineers serves as the regulatory body for PE’s and its role is the “protection of the public [as] to license qualified engineers, enforce the Texas Engineering Practice Act, and to regulate the practice of professional engineering in Texas.”
Becoming a licensed PE is difficult, requiring education, experience, and examinations. A single complaint with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers can destroy your career and livelihood, and all the hard work invested to build it. The engineer license defense attorneys at BERTOLINO LLP know how to handle these complex cases and help Texas engineers protect their livelihood, career, and reputation.
Complaints Filed with The Texas Board of Professional Engineers
The Texas Board of Professional Engineers investigates complaints and doles out discipline aggressively. If the Board finds that the complaint may have merit, you will receive a letter from the Board laying out the allegation(s) against you, citing of the law and/or rules allegedly violated, the source of complaint, and a request for rebuttal of the complaint. Once you receive a notice of allegations, the Board typically gives three weeks to respond.
Understand that the substance of your response to the Board can lead to greater or lesser disciplinary action. The potential for this response, if done properly, to minimize disciplinary action makes it imperative to retain an experienced engineer license defense lawyer.
At BERTOLINO LLP, we have the experience and resources needed to build a strong defense. Our engineer license defense attorneys represent engineers in all the following disciplines and more:
- Aeronautical engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Environmental engineering
- Industrial engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Nuclear engineering
- Petroleum engineering
- Software engineering
- Structural engineering
Disciplinary Actions by The Texas Board of Professional Engineers
The Texas Board of Professional Engineers has the power to revoke or suspend an engineering license, or to impose sanctions and/or reprimands. The Board may also offer a “Consent Order” that lays out proposed disciplinary actions. The licensed engineer is given the option of signing the Consent Order, which would then be reviewed and approved or denied by the Board at the next quarterly meeting.
If the engineer refuses to sign the Consent Order, then he or she may request an informal conference or the matter will be referred to the State Office of Administrative Hearing (SOAH) for formal resolution.
Read our article What is a SOAH Hearing? for more information.
The Texas Board of Professional Engineers’ mission is to “protect the health, safety and welfare of the people of Texas by regulating and advancing the practice of engineering through licensure of qualified individuals, compliance with the laws and rules, and education about professional engineering.” The Board’s mission is to protect the public, not your interests.
Experienced Attorneys Defending Licensed Engineers
There are strict deadlines involved in the process used by the Board of Professional Engineers to review complaints, and procrastinating before seeking legal advice never helps. If you have been notified of a complaint filed against you with the Board, BERTOLINO LLP can help. We are experienced Engineer license defense attorneys and we know how to navigate the Board’s complaint process.
Our firm believes that immediately consulting an experienced license defense attorney to review allegations of misconduct helps ensure the most favorable outcome in your case. Our results speak for themselves.
BERTOLINO LLP represents licensed professionals across the entire State of Texas. If you are facing disciplinary action from a professional licensing board, contact us today or call (512) 476-5757 and schedule a case evaluation.
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