Being a landscape architect is undoubtedly a gratifying and fulfilling professional career. As a landscape architect, you play a crucial role in designing outdoor spaces that balance beauty, function, and safety.

However, having a practice license to offer landscape architecture services comes under keen scrutiny by the licensing board. One single mistake could cause the licensing board to begin an investigation against you and your practice. Unfortunately, a license investigation by the board could put your landscape architect license at risk of suspension or revocation, affecting your reputation and livelihood.

At Sacramento License Attorney, we comprehend how stressful and overwhelming it can be to face a complaint or allegation that could compromise your professional career as a landscape architect. If you are in this situation, we can aggressively challenge the allegations to secure a favorable outcome.

Landscape Architecture Practice at a Glance

Landscape architects are often overlooked professionals, yet their services are vital and much needed in our societies. Many people appreciate landscape architects' work but may not be aware of the training and licensing required to offer landscape architectural services.

To secure a landscape architect license, you must file your application with the Landscape Architects Technical Committee (LATC). However, not every person qualifies to secure a landscape architect license after filing this application. To secure a professional license and offer your architectural services lawfully, you must meet various requirements by the LATC to ensure you are competent. For example, you must:

  • Provide your proof of a six-year education course and any other relevant professional training in the field of landscape architecture
  • Have an excellent grade or score in your supplemental national exam results

In addition to being visually appealing, your work as a landscape architect must meet the required legal and environmental standards. That is mainly why the LATC ensures that those who secure a practice license are well-qualified and competent to offer architectural services.

Notable Duties of a Licensed Landscape Architect

Whether you are strolling through our city parks and gardens, cycling past tree-lined avenues, or walking past creatively arranged and designed lawns of various residential and commercial structures, you should appreciate and acknowledge the amazing work of landscape architects.

They apply expertise in planning and design to create aesthetically and environmentally responsible spaces. However, many people will notice engineers' jobs on these attractive buildings and lawns, overlooking landscape architects' efforts to achieve the final results. Here are some of the notable duties of licensed landscape architects in our communities:

  • Maintaining communication with various clients regarding ongoing projects
  • Overseeing the progress of various projects
  • Overseeing the designing and planning of various projects, including pedestrian plans, urban development plans, and road plans
  • Conducting initial studies and research on any proposed project or construction site. Examples of studies a landscape architect will undertake include soil analysis and ecology
  • Evaluation and inspection of the proposed project’s location to ensure it meets the owner's or investor's requirements
  • Crafting detailed contracts with the project's estimated cost, including necessary permit fees
  • Landscape architects must oversee safety protocols on all active projects
  • Ensuring compliance with the local authorities and landscaping code
  • Presenting proposals to various clients
  • Writing detailed reports for various projects
  • Billing of different clients for projects
  • Liaising with different professionals, like town planners, surveyors, and engineers

Above are a few of your responsibilities as a licensed landscape architect. Unfortunately, any mistake in your duties or misunderstanding with your client could put your valuable practice license under scrutiny by the LATC. The licensing board will not relent to revoke or suspend your practice license if you refuse or fail to comply with the required regulations in this field.

To stand a chance of securing a favorable outcome if you are under investigation by the licensing board for an alleged violation, you should work with an attorney who comprehends how the LATC treats these types of cases. A skilled attorney can protect your best interests and help convince the board to dismiss your case or award the minimum disciplinary action possible in your case.

The LATC Responsibilities

The LATC is a subdivision of the Architects Board that monitors and regulates the practice and services of all licensed landscape architects. The LATC's main mission is to protect our communities and the public from fraudulent activities and misconduct by licensed landscape architects. In a nutshell, here are some of the responsibilities of LATC:

Licensing of Qualified Professionals

The LATC sets the requirements that people applying for a license to work as a landscape architect must meet, including training and education requirements. These strict requirements ensure only qualified applicants secure a practice license to offer landscape architectural services.

Setting Practice Rules and Standards

The LATC sets strict standards and rules that all qualified and licensed landscape architects must adhere to. These standards are vital because they ensure their services' uniformity and protect the public from unnecessary harm. Examples of these rules and standards include the expected quality of services you must follow as a licensed landscape architect and the valid billing procedures to use.

Receiving and Keenly Investigating Filed Complaints

The LATC is responsible for receiving and handling any complaint against your practice or services as a licensed landscape architect. After receiving a complaint against you from a client, colleague, or law enforcement authorities, the licensing board will review it to know its grounds. If the allegation or complaint filed against you has some merits, the LATC will conduct further investigations.

Enforcing Appropriate Disciplinary Actions

Before enforcing disciplinary actions, the LATC will schedule a hearing to give you a chance to challenge the complaints and allegations you are up against. During this administrative hearing, an administrative law judge (ALJ) will keenly listen to the allegations and complaints you are up against and your attorney's defense arguments to determine whether disciplinary action is necessary.

If the ALJ confirms the allegations you are up against are true, it will propose an appropriate penalty to the LATC. However, the LATC must decide whether to enforce or adjust these suggested disciplinary actions to suit your case's seriousness.

Common Grounds That Could Attract the LATC’s Disciplinary Action

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, your practice license as a landscape architect is your source of livelihood. Unfortunately, the board could launch an investigation and take disciplinary action against you due to various violations, such as:

Offering Landscape Architectural Services Without a Valid License

To legally offer architectural services, you must secure a practice license from the LATC. If the licensing board fails to approve your license application or has suspended it due to a violation, offering landscape architectural services during this period could attract more serious disciplinary action, like revocation of your practice license.

Securing a Practice License Fraudulently

You must follow the required legal procedure to secure a professional license to offer architectural services. When you use fraudulent means to secure a landscape architect license, the licensing board could suspend or revoke it to prevent you from offering your services.

Practicing Beyond Your Profession’s or License’s Scope

After securing your landscape architect license, you must stick to the duties within your profession and the scope of your practice license. Offering services that do not fall within the scope of your license and qualifications as a landscape architect violates the LATC’s standards and could attract severe disciplinary action.

Alcohol and Controlled Substance Abuse

A client or colleague can report you to the board if you have alcohol and controlled substance use disorder. Since your client expects top-notch creativity and reliable architectural services, drug or alcohol abuse could affect your reliability. While alcohol and controlled substance use is a personal decision, it could negatively affect your career as a landscape architect.

Unprofessional Conduct or Behavior

The LATC sets strict standards and rules that every licensed architect should abide by to ensure safe and quality consumer services. Examples of these standards include adhering to an ethical code, acting in clients' best interests, and being truthful and honest in their communications. Deviating from these standards on your services could attract unprofessional conduct allegations.

For example, overbilling or fraudulently billing your client is an example of unprofessional behavior and could attract severe disciplinary action, including revocation of your landscape architect license.

Insurance Fraud

You commit an insurance fraud offense when you make an exaggerated or false claim to receive insurance financial benefits you would not otherwise qualify for. If the board receives a complaint about your insurance fraud case, it could revoke or suspend your practice license. Since it is also a criminal offense, an insurance fraud charge conviction could result in jail time and hefty fines.

Gross Negligence or Incompetence

The LATC could revoke or suspend your landscape architect license when they receive a complaint that you have engaged in negligent or incompetent acts that put nature and people in danger.

Criminal Convictions

A criminal conviction is another common ground for revocation or suspension of your landscape architect license by the board. While the greatest fear for any person under arrest for an alleged offense is jail time, a criminal conviction could jeopardize your landscape architect license. LATC may become aware of criminal convictions through background checks, reports, or complaints and will assess their impact on your license.

Then, the LATC will investigate the case to determine if disciplinary action is necessary. The nature and seriousness of your offense and its impact on your ability to offer your services as a licensed landscape architect will influence the disciplinary action you will receive. Below are crimes whose convictions could jeopardize your landscape architect license.

  • Drunk driving under Vehicle Code 23152
  • Forgery under Penal Code 470
  • Robbery under Penal Code 211
  • Possession of a controlled substance under Health and Safety Code 11350

Defenses That Could Help Challenge The Above Allegations

Aggressive legal representation is vital if the LATC has received any of the above complaints against you. A skilled attorney will keenly scrutinize your case to know the best defenses that can help you secure a dismissal of the allegations or a lighter disciplinary action. Examples of the legal defense strategies your attorney could apply include the following:

  • Challenging the credibility of the accuser or complainant
  • Arguing that no violation occurred
  • Arguing that the allegations you are up against are due to a technical and honest mistake
  • Providing mitigating arguments to justify your violation or breach of professional standards, like staffing challenges and family-related sickness

If you have received a notice of investigation from the board or believe that a client could file a complaint against you, taking proactive steps can help you secure a favorable outcome. Below are practical tips that could be helpful in this situation:

  • Outline your record and emphasize your work history as a qualified landscape architect
  • Respond promptly to the notice of investigation
  • Cooperate with the LATC investigating officers
  • Gather evidence that can work in your favor, including eyewitness accounts and surveillance videos
  • Explore available settlement options that can help resolve the case

Having a skilled attorney represent your best interest when facing any of these allegations or complaints is vital. The attorney you hire will explore the best defenses to help you secure a desirable outcome on the alleged violation or complaint.

Typical Disciplinary Actions by the LATC

When the LATC sustains the allegations you are up against, you should expect any of the following disciplinary actions:

  • A license suspension
  • License probation
  • License revocation
  • Restrictions on your practice
  • Paying fines
  • Further education

During the administrative hearing before an ALJ, the attorney you choose can help you negotiate a favorable penalty.

Find a Reputable License Attorney Near Me

When your career and livelihood as an architect are at risk because of an alleged complaint or violation, you should treat this matter with the utmost attention and seriousness it deserves. The great news is that these allegations do not have to lead to any disciplinary action.

With the legal assistance of our skilled and reputable attorneys at Sacramento License Attorney, you could avoid possible disciplinary actions or secure a lighter penalty. Call us at 279-242-4711 to discuss your case with our seasoned attorneys.