I am always surprised to hear from nurses that they hired a lawyer who is not responsive to phone calls or emails in a timely manner, confused the nurse’s matter with other clients, failed to keep the nurse informed of the status of their matter, or failed to provide the nurse with a monthly accounting of legal fees and expenses. However, I am most surprised to hear from nurses who tell me that they hired a lawyer who they do not feel comfortable confiding in.

I am often asked what skills, qualifications, and qualities a nurse should look for when selecting legal representation for a matter involving the Ohio Board of Nursing (or any other State licensing Board).  Because Administrative Law is a rather unique area of the law, it is important to consider the following:

Not All Cases Are The Same: It is important to select defense counsel who you feel comfortable confiding in, and who recognizes that each matter is different and can present to the Board the unique circumstances of your particular matter with passion and commitment.

Understanding: An attorney who understands and presents your matter to the Board in a clear and coherent manner is also an important aspect of the representation.

Responsiveness: Selecting an attorney who is responsive to your phone calls and emails, and who timely communicates with you concerning important information about your matter is critical to the client-counsel relationship.

Sound Legal Advice: An attorney who provides sensible options based on their knowledge of nursing laws and rules and administrative law procedure, is an essential element to the handling of your matter.

Experience: Hiring an attorney who has handled multiple matters before your licensing Board from the initial investigation through the administrative hearing process is of paramount consideration.

When selecting legal counsel for your Ohio Board of Nursing matter, please remember the acronym N-U-R-S-E.

As always, if you have any questions about this post or about the Ohio Board of Nursing in general, please contact one of the attorneys at the Collis Law Group LLC at 614-486-3909 or email me at beth@collislaw.com.