Regulatory and Administrative Law
Small businesses routinely interact with various governmental and regulatory agencies as they carry out their trade. From dealing with state Departments of Insurance, Banking and Securities, to the Departments of Revenue, State and Commerce, as well as the Motor Vehicle Board and various other licensing boards, these administrative bodies govern numerous aspects of any business. Businesses also must frequently interact with consumer protection agencies housed within the Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection and other related entities.
The Regulatory, Compliance and Administrative Law Practice of Hladik, Onorato & Federman, LLP (“HOF”) addresses the regulations that govern the administration of numerous federal and state agencies and the many rules, procedures and regulations of each board. The growth of state and federal regulatory bodies results in many types of business matters being handled by agencies rather than in the courts. Each of these agencies or administrative bodies has its own specific rules, regulations and procedures which must be followed to defend matters or file appeals.
To successfully challenge an adverse agency action, an attorney must understand the legal regulations and rules governing the specific agency. The attorneys at HOF are well-versed in dealing with the myriad of governing agencies and boards.
Attorneys at HOF are also particularly experienced in handling regulatory matters dealing with security clearances.
State Attorneys General Inquiries
Has your business ever received a consumer complaint from the Office of Attorney General? Have you received a document request or subpoena from the Attorney General? Is there a potential for litigation being commenced by the Attorney General?
The attorneys at HOF can handle matters related to state Attorneys General complaints, investigations, subpoenas and litigation, licensing issues with state regulatory boards, and administrative matters before the Departments of Banking, Securities, State and other related agencies.
Partner Stephen Hladik previously served in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and he was the attorney in charge of the Harrisburg office of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. Mr. Hladik is well-versed and has over 25 years of experience handling regulatory matters involving state attorneys general.
Security Clearances
Has your security clearance been denied, suspended or revoked? The federal government denies security clearances for many reasons, including financial, criminal, mental health, foreign contact and other issues. However, the government’s denial of a security clearance may be appealed. Because a security clearance is vital to your career, you need an experienced security clearance attorney to help you fight for your livelihood.
HOF Attorney Anthony Ciuca conducted security clearance investigations for more than six years as a Special Investigator for a federal contractor to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. His investigations covered every detail required by the stringent guidelines issued by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and other federal agencies, and he understands the approval process for a security clearance, and what is needed to overcome or mitigate the negative factors that led to a denial, suspension or revocation.
Whether you need assistance completing the initial application for a security clearance (SF-86/e-QIP), responding to a Statement of Reasons, or require representation at a formal hearing, Anthony Ciuca can help. The security clearance appeals process is adversarial, and the government will be represented by an attorney who is seeking to convince an administrative law judge (or similar official) to uphold the government’s denial or revocation of your clearance. You must have an experienced attorney on your side to help protect your ability to obtain, or maintain, your security clearance.
Licensing Issues
Have you received an inquiry from the Pennsylvania Real Estate Commission? Or the Motor Vehicle Board? Or the Cosmetology Board? These are but a few of the state licensing agencies that are within the Pennsylvania Department of State.
The attorneys at HOF have handled licensing issues before many of the boards and agencies of the Commonwealth.
Cybersecurity Matters
The explosive growth in the area of protection of data and information has given rise to the necessity to employ the latest legal strategies in protecting your business, including Privacy Matters and Data Breach.
The lawyers at HOF understand the emerging threats to the security of IT systems, and related cyber-regulatory efforts by governments that pose unique legal challenges to businesses. HOF can assist clients in a broad range of industries in complying with adoption of key internal operating policies and procedures to minimize the chances of a cybersecurity incident. HOF attorneys are available to assist with how to handle incident response after a data breach or to adopt strategic solutions to business problems posed by these new threats.
HOF are available to advise individuals and companies on the requirements related to data protection and privacy laws, including obligations under certain laws known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). There are also many new breach notification laws that have gone into effect nationwide. The attorneys at HOF can assist companies in formulating or revising their privacy policies to comply with new laws.
If you have any questions or need any assistance in these areas of the law,
please reach out to Partner Stephen M. Hladik at 267-662-9022 or shladik@hoflawgroup.com today to schedule a free consultation.