If you are contacted by an investigator for the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) or Board investigator (Medical Board of California, California Board of Psychology, the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, or the California Board of Registered Nursing), the first and most important thing that you should do is contact an attorney. This contact may happen through a letter, over the phone, or even in-person. However it occurs, it is critical to protect your license by reaching out to an experienced lawyer as soon as possible.
When a Board Investigator reaches out to a licensee, they are doing so because there is some sort of problem. It may be related to a complaint filed against you or a report of a malpractice settlement. Some Board investigators have the authority of peace officers in California. Anything that you say to an investigator can be used against you in an enforcement proceeding, and may even be the basis of an arrest.
The Board investigator may be friendly, and accommodating. The Board may tell you that you are welcome to consult with (or hire) an attorney, but that licensees are not obligated to do so. However, regardless of how pleasant the investigator may be, remember why they are talking to you in the first place: because they are looking for evidence that you did something wrong. Being cooperative and talking to the investigator without a lawyer will rarely, if ever, lead to a positive outcome.
Under California law, licensees have certain rights and obligations. For example, if an investigator for the California Medical Board requests an interview, you are required to attend — but you also have the right to be represented by counsel at the interview.
Professionals who hold a license in California have typically spent years (and a substantial amount of money) to obtain that license. If your livelihood is in jeopardy due to a Board investigation, protect yourself — and your license — by consulting with a San Diego professional license defense attorney as soon as possible.