Facts: Client hired firm after receiving a Notice of Investigation from TEA. TEA alleged that client created a fraudulent certificate and submitted the certificate to a superintendent program. TEA alleged that client fraudulently manipulated her certificate to show certifications she did not have.
Outcome: Firm attended an informal conference and argued that client did not manipulate her certificate. We provided evidence that a third party, unbeknownst to client, edited her certificate to reflect the additional certification. We provided statements from that person admitting that he did make those edits without client’s knowledge. Originally, TEA offered client the opportunity to surrender her license. However, after further argument from firm that client cannot be held liable for the actions of another, TEA offered client a private reprimand. Since client did not take proper due diligence when reviewing her certificate prior to sending it off to the program, she accepted the private reprimand.