The sword: getting licensed
A license application can stall or be denied over a past arrest, discipline in another state, a financial issue, or an incomplete answer on the application itself. We help applicants present their history accurately and persuasively the first time, and we challenge denials when the agency gets it wrong.
- Initial applications and applications with criminal or disciplinary history
- Responses to deficiency letters and requests for additional information
- Appearances before licensing boards and application committees
- Challenges to a Notice of Intent to Deny
- Petitions for variance or waiver of agency rules
- Reinstatement, relicensure, and probation compliance
The shield: defending your license
Most license cases begin quietly, with a letter from an investigator asking for your side of the story. What happens in those first days often shapes the entire case. We step in at any stage:
- Complaints and agency investigations
- Probable cause proceedings
- Administrative complaints and the Election of Rights
- Informal hearings before the licensing board
- Formal evidentiary hearings before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH)
- Emergency suspension and restriction orders
- Settlement negotiations and stipulations
- Appeals of final orders to the District Courts of Appeal
How a Florida license case typically unfolds
- Complaint and investigationThe agency receives a complaint or opens its own inquiry, and an investigator contacts you for a response and records.
- Probable causeA panel or agency official decides whether the evidence supports formal charges.
- Administrative complaintIf probable cause is found, you are served with formal charges and an Election of Rights form with a strict response deadline.
- Hearing or resolutionYou may dispute the facts at a formal hearing before an administrative law judge, present mitigation at an informal hearing, or negotiate a settlement.
- Final order and appealThe agency or board enters a final order, which can be appealed.
Based in Tallahassee, serving all of Florida
Florida's licensing agencies and the Division of Administrative Hearings are headquartered in Tallahassee, minutes from our Market Street office. We represent licensees and applicants in every part of the state.
Agencies we appear before
Department of Business & Professional Regulation
Contractors, real estate licensees, CPAs, cosmetologists, restaurants, alcohol licenses, and more.
Learn moreDepartment of Health
Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, therapists, and other health care practitioners.
Learn moreDepartment of Financial Services
Insurance agents, adjusters, bail bond agents, title agents, and funeral and cemetery licensees.
Learn moreDepartment of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Pest control, security and investigative licenses, concealed weapon licenses, and regulated consumer businesses.
Learn moreDepartment of Education
Teachers and administrators facing Professional Practices investigations or certificate denials.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions
An investigator sent me a letter asking for a written response. Should I answer it myself?
Speak with a lawyer first. Your response becomes part of the investigative file and can be used as evidence against you. A carefully prepared response, or in some cases a decision not to respond, can affect whether the case is closed or charged.
What is an Election of Rights?
It is the form served with an administrative complaint that asks how you want to proceed: a formal hearing to dispute the facts, an informal hearing if you do not dispute them, or another option the agency offers. The deadline is short, generally 21 days from the day you receive it, and missing it can waive your right to a hearing.
My license application was denied. Is that final?
Usually not. A Notice of Intent to Deny carries the right to request an administrative hearing, but only if you act within the deadline stated in the notice.
This page is general information about Florida law, not legal advice for your situation. Deadlines and procedures vary by case and change over time.