Our office represented a registered nurse in 2019 who had suffered discipline from a registered nursing state agency outside of California. The allegations were that the nurse had admitted to a substance abuse dependency and was subject to five years of monitoring in the other state due to that admission. The California Board of Registered Nursing brought an Accusation against the client, attempting to revoke the client’s license. After careful consideration of our client’s credibility, the evidence the client would be able to present, and the availability of witnesses to testify on behalf of our client, we proceeded to an administrative hearing in front of the Office of Administrative Hearings in San Diego. The Proposed Decision from the Administrative Law Judge dismissed the Accusation, and the Board of Registered Nursing adopted the Decision. The client was not disciplined in California at all. This case highlights the importance of experienced trial counsel in professional licensing matters, so that every licensee can make an informed decision about whether or not settlement is appropriate under the circumstances, or whether an administrative hearing is necessary to protect the licensee from discipline.