First, you should always open each letter or email communication received from a disciplinary agency. Ignoring communications can be considered misconduct in and of itself and failing to respond to the communication could result in a default judgment against you. Most importantly however, if you are contacted by an investigator, you should contact an attorney and obtain counsel as soon as possible. Never speak with an investigator without counsel present. You may think, in the spirit of cooperation, speaking to an investigator early on may bring a quick closure, but in most instances, that is simply not true. It is extremely important that any contact with an investigator from OPD or OPMC be carefully planned, otherwise you may create additional hurdles that will need to be overcome in the future. A person may fear that appearing with an attorney may make them seem more guilty, but again, this is simply not true and especially in this area of the law, where it is necessary to protect your career, license, and livelihood.
