California Architects Board
Architect License Attorneys
The California Architects Board receives hundreds of complaints each year, including written complaints from the public, other licensees, professional groups, and governmental agencies.
If you are an architect facing a board investigation or disciplinary action, we have the experience and resources to provide expert representation.
Complaints and investigations
The following represent common allegations architects face:
- Contract compliance
- Practice issues including negligence or willful misconduct
- Practicing with an expired license
The board reviews and investigates complaints received before deciding to close the case, issue a citation or lesser form of discipline, or refer the matter to the California Office of the Attorney General for formal disciplinary proceedings. The attorney general may file an accusation or, in the case of an applicant, a statement of issues, which initiates a formal hearing process under the California Administrative Procedures Act.
Penalties imposed at the administrative hearing stage may include a public reproval, multiyear probation with complex terms, license suspension, or license revocation. The board may also order recovery of its costs.
While each situation is unique, it is generally wise to engage counsel before responding to a board investigator or a request for information. Answering questions, providing documents or evidence, or agreeing to other actions without counsel can be risky. As the holder of a professional license, you have important statutory and constitutional rights. Immediately seeking advice from an attorney experienced in professional licensing helps protect your reputation and career.
How we can help
Our experienced attorneys will work closely with you to close an investigation without discipline or minimize the discipline that may eventually be imposed. In many cases, we can assist in negotiating an agreed resolution with the board’s counsel without a hearing. We can also aggressively defend you at a contested hearing.
If you are facing criminal prosecution, you should know and understand the consequences that a no contest or guilty plea and a conviction can have on your license. A conviction that results from an incident outside of your professional work and appears to have no correlation with your architecture practice may still have a significant impact on your license.
Whether you have been wrongfully accused of misconduct or have made an uncharacteristic mistake, our attorneys offer the experience, expertise, and resources to aggressively defend you before the board. We will listen, offer advice, and develop a plan to obtain the best result possible.
More information:
Verify the status of an architect license
California Architects Board Disciplinary Guidelines
Newsletter, California Architects