Edwin A.D. Schwartz
Represents professionals and organizations in litigation, professional licensure, and commercial matters. Advises on ethics, compliance, and licensure appeals.
See full profileProfessional Licensing and Ethics Defense
A licensing or ethics matter can affect your ability to practice, your business, and your reputation. We guide professionals and firms through applications, investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and appeals.
Our focus
Protecting your right to practice and the reputation behind it
A professional license is more than a credential. It determines whether you can continue serving clients and operating your business. When an application, complaint, investigation, or disciplinary proceeding places that at risk, we help you understand the process, respond effectively, and protect what you have built.
We represent licensed professionals at every stage of the licensing process, from applications and renewals through administrative hearings, disciplinary actions, and appeals. Our attorneys regularly appear before Pennsylvania licensing boards and government agencies, bringing an understanding of the procedures and regulations that govern each matter.
For lawyers and law firms, we provide ethics and professional responsibility counseling in addition to disciplinary defense. We review firm policies and practices, advise on obligations under the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct, and conduct training on risk management and malpractice avoidance. We also handle internal investigations and defend lawyers and firms facing ethics or malpractice claims.
A licensing or ethics matter can affect more than the client’s professional standing. It may disrupt operations, consume substantial time, and create reputational concerns. We develop the legal strategy around those broader consequences and keep clients informed as the matter progresses. When communications support is needed, we can coordinate with Apollo Communications on media response, social media, reputation management, and crisis communications.
Who we represent
We advise licensed professionals and organizations, including:
- Accountants
- Architects and engineers
- Attorneys and law firms
- Commercial drivers
- Funeral directors
- Dentists
- Health care professionals, including physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, and veterinarians
- Real estate professionals
- Vehicle dealers and salespersons
Agencies and boards
Our experience includes matters involving:
- Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs
- Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Banking and Securities
- Department of Education
- Department of Health
- Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
- Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- Judicial Conduct Board
We guide professionals through initial applications, renewals, and other licensing requirements. When an application raises questions or encounters an obstacle, we help clients respond to the licensing board and protect their ability to enter or continue in the profession.
We represent professionals responding to complaints, investigations, and disciplinary actions. Our attorneys evaluate the allegations, develop the response, and advocate for the client before the applicable agency or licensing board.
We represent clients in administrative hearings and appeals from adverse licensing or disciplinary decisions. We develop the record and legal arguments with the client’s professional standing and ability to practice in view.
We advise lawyers and law firms on their responsibilities under Pennsylvania law and the Rules of Professional Conduct. Our work includes compliance reviews, ethics counseling, disciplinary defense, and representation involving professional conduct claims.
We conduct discreet internal investigations for law firms and other professional organizations. We provide clear findings and recommendations designed to address the immediate issue and reduce future risk.
We defend licensed professionals facing malpractice claims and other allegations involving their professional responsibilities. We coordinate the defense with related disciplinary or reputational concerns when the matters overlap.
Key Contacts
