Los Angeles Legal Blog

California doctors selling vaccine exemptions are facing trouble

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC posted in receiving and maintaining professional licenses on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.

We've touched on this subject before and have warned that doctors in California who are capitalizing on the "anti-vaxx" movement by selling their signatures on exemption forms for children could be in trouble. That warning has now come to fruition in Senate Bill (SB) 276.

The proposed legislation would put any doctor who writes five medical exemptions or more per year under a microscope. If a doctor is found to have provided a phony medical exemption, that doctor would be charged with perjury. In turn, that would put the doctor's license and practice at risk.

California Bar aims to revoke celebrity attorney's license

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC posted in administrative law on Friday, June 21, 2019.

"Celebrity" attorney Michael Avenatti, who is perhaps best known for his representation of actress Stormy Daniels and his abrasive style of commentary, is facing a new battle: He's trying to keep his license to practice law.

The California State Bar has moved to place the attorney on "involuntary inactive" status over allegations that he embezzled money from several clients by diverting settlement money that should have gone to them to his personal accounts. He's also accused of trying to extort millions from the major manufacturer Nike. All together, he's facing criminal charges that include embezzlement, extortion, wire fraud, conspiracy, identity theft and sending interstate communications in order to commit extortion.

Common ways nurses risk losing their licenses

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC on Wednesday, June 19, 2019.

In a typical day for a California nurse, any number of things can go wrong. From simple frustrations, such as a co-worker calling in sick, to a crisis like a recovering patient who suddenly takes a turn for the worse, you must be prepared to deal with matters in a calm and professional way. Sometimes, however, the crisis is personal and may affect your future.

Because you are busy helping others throughout the day, you may not consider that you have to protect yourself too. Your nursing license is on the line every minute that you are on the job and even when you are not on duty. As challenging as it may have been to obtain your license, you can lose it in one careless moment. It is important to know the most common ways you can jeopardize your license and face disciplinary action from the California Board of Registered Nursing.

Beloved California doctor battles for her license

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC posted in professional license defense on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

Is a California pain doctor -- much-beloved by her patients and respected by her peers -- really putting her patients at risk of death by overprescribing opioids to some and allowing others to be on dangerous combos of opioids and benzodiazepines?

That's what the executive director of California's Medical Board thinks -- and she filed a formal complaint alleging as much, among a slew of other allegations. As a result, the doctor is now fighting for her license and ability to practice -- with the support of many of her patients and others in the community.

What drives most legal malpractice claims?

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC posted in professional license defense on Thursday, June 6, 2019.

A legal malpractice claim against you is one of the top things that could put your license in jeopardy -- so it's critically important to understand what is likely to bring that kind of trouble to your doorstep.

What are the common causes of legal malpractice claims?

Testing accommodations, autism and the California Bar Exam

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC posted in administrative law on Thursday, May 30, 2019.

A lot of people forget that autism encompasses a vast spectrum of capabilities -- and it isn't necessarily a barrier to achieving one's dream of becoming an attorney.

Just this past January, for example, a young woman with high-functioning autism was admitted to the Florida Bar. She's believed to be the first openly autistic person who has done so.

Worried about the bar's moral character application? Get help

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC posted in receiving and maintaining professional licenses on Sunday, May 26, 2019.

Typically, new graduates from law schools get their applications into the state bar before graduation in May, take their bar exam sometime in July, find a job working in a law firm as an assistant while they wait to get their passing score and finally get admitted to practice by the end of the year.

But that isn't how it works for everyone. If there's something in your past that makes the bar question your moral character, you could be gearing up for an informal conference with the Committee of Bar Examiners. (If you feel more like you're about to face an inquisition, you can be forgiven -- because it definitely feels that way to many!)

Addiction is a familiar burden for many nurses

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC on Friday, May 24, 2019.

You probably worked hard to build your career as a nurse. In addition to studying and increasing your knowledge, you established yourself as a skilled professional, someone who coworkers appreciate and patients prefer. You likely spend long hours on your feet and work shifts that keep you away from your family throughout the workweek.

While you may be proud of the work you do, the stamina you maintain and the reputation you have established for yourself, you may not be proud of the crutch you use to keep yourself on top of your game. If you, like more than 15% of nurses, are the victim of a drug or alcohol dependency, you have a lot on the line, including your health, your relationships and your career.

Think twice before representing these clients

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.

Few things can place your law career in jeopardy faster than a dissatisfied client. You may have learned in your earliest days as a lawyer that one of your first tasks is getting your clients to accept the reality of their situations, and this often means lowering their expectations.

Nevertheless, some types of clients will almost certainly mean trouble for you. If you are able to recognize them, you may decide it is better for your law practice to decline to represent them rather than risk the grief they may bring. Ironically, these may not always be the ones who are guilty of committing a crime.

New fingerprinting rule trips up attorneys with something to hide

On behalf of Law Office of Zachary D. Wechsler, APC posted in administrative law on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

A new rule requiring attorneys in California to resubmit their fingerprinting forms to the State Bar by the end of April of this year has uncovered numerous instances of attorneys who had something to hide -- like crimes they had committed.

As of shortly before the April deadline, only 83% of active California attorneys had submitted their forms. Out of the 158,000 forms, the Department of Justice and the State Bar determined that 2,699 respondents had omitted criminal information from either their initial applications for a license to practice or when applying for a renewal of their existing license.