Are You Looking for Free Legal Advice?

Guess what? You won't get it here.

I receive at least three to ten phone calls a month from nurses who essentially want legal advice without establishing an attorney-client relationship. I've been an attorney for almost 11 years and in private practice for 7 of those years so its easy to identify those callers.

I cannot and will not provide advice or counseling to anyone without establishing an attorney-client relationship. This protects me and it protects the nurse also.

Some attorneys offer free legal consultations. I don't. Most attorneys who offer free legal consultations often handle cases on a contingency basis and therefore use the free consultation as means to screen cases for merit.

I don't handle contigency cases and I don't sue anyone or any agency. I use flat fees for the majority of my cases. I use hourly billing for insurance defense work and institutional clients, like hospitals, schools of nursing, etcs.

My law practice involves representing, counseling, and advising nurses in licensure and professional practice matters. I defend nurses who have been reported to the Indiana, Kentucky, or Ohio Board of Nursing. I also represent nurses before federal and state regulatory agencies and counsel nurses on labor, employment, clinical, and contractual issues.

If you have a workplace issue, contact your state nurses association first. You can speak with a staff person there and they may be able to assist you. You can also contact the state board of nursing for information about nursing practice issues.

However if you want legal advice and counseling from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction; schedule a consultation, either via phone or in-person with an attorney in private practice.

I have said this many times before....I think this is one area where state nurses associations and/or national nursing associations can provide a real and identified need AND fill the void between worplace consultations and legal consultations for the 3 million RNs and several hundred thousand LPN/LVNs in the United States.

What do you think? Most dentists and physicians have an attorney either on retainer or  whom they have utilized for business transactions. Nurses for the most don't have an attorney on retainer for legal services related to professional nursing practice.