State Administrative Law and Hearings

Administrative law encompasses laws and legal principles governing the administration and regulation of government agencies (both federal and state). Such agencies are delegated power by Congress (or in the case of a state agency, the state legislature) to act as agents for the executive branch. Generally, administrative agencies are created to protect the public interest. They are involved in rulemaking, adjudication, and enforcement of specific regulatory agendas.

We have experience with administrative hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings and state agencies. The OAH is the forum for an independent hearing before an administrative law judge when a dispute with a state agency cannot be resolved through informal procedures.

Our attorneys represent licensed professionals, business owners, corporations, and insurance companies with state administrative issues, including tax appeals, labor and employment issues, professional licensing, and insurance regulation.

We offer our clients legal support in a full range of administrative law matters, including:

• contested unemployment hearings
• enforcement actions and regulatory compliance with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, including negotiating consent orders and assistance with assessment of filing obligations and duties
• appeals of professional license suspensions or denials
• rulemaking and challenges to proposed administrative rules
• procurement issues, including protests of contract awards
• ethics filings and enforcement proceedings
• negotiating corrective action programs with the Consumer Product Safety Commission court challenges, including health care class actions regarding policyholder complaints that involve reimbursement disputes, policy coverage issues, and premium rates
• appellate court challenges of agency actions

Administrative boards we have experience before include:

• Department of Financial Institutions–Securities Division
• Department of Health
• Department of Labor and Industries
• Department of Licensing
• Department of Social and Health Services
• Department of Transportation
• Employment Security Department
• Federal Trade Commission
• Insurance Commissioner’s Office
• Internal Revenue Service
• Liquor Control Board
• Medical Quality Assurance Commission
• U.S. Department of Labor
• Washington State Bar Association
• Consumer Production Safety Commission