What actually makes a regulator decide to dig deeper, and what can make a routine inspection turn into serious enforcement action? Benjamin England, a former FDA investigator, criminal special agent, and attorney who now represents companies against the agency, joins Know Your Regulator to break down how FDA, USDA, and Customs actually think during an inspection. 

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, we discuss what can trigger increased regulatory scrutiny, why documentation and recordkeeping matter so much during an FDA inspection or other regulatory inquiry, and how a company’s response can influence what happens next. 

Benjamin also breaks down: 
 
 • What regulators are looking for during an inspection
 • The behaviors that can raise an inspector’s suspicions
 • Why safety, trust, and documentation can quickly escalate a regulatory issue
 • How to respond when a regulator asks for information they may not be entitled to receive
 • FDA vs. USDA authority and how overlapping agency jurisdiction can affect businesses
 • Regulatory risks involving foreign suppliers and imported products
 • What to do when you receive a regulatory notice, records request, or notice of violation
 • When it may be time to involve regulatory counsel
 • Why written SOPs and inspection-response procedures can help protect your organization before a regulator ever arrives

One of the biggest takeaways? Preparation should happen before an inspection or enforcement issue begins. Clear SOPs, organized records, properly trained employees, and a clear understanding of your regulator’s authority can help you respond thoughtfully instead of reactively. 

Whether you’re a licensed professional, business owner, quality assurance leader, compliance professional, or work in a highly regulated industry, our conversation offers a behind the scenes look at how regulators think, and how regulated professionals and organizations can better prepare for regulatory scrutiny.

Share and subscribe to Know Your Regulator for conversations that help Texas professionals better understand the agencies, rules, investigations, and regulatory processes that can affect their careers and livelihood. 

Watch Here: https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/
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About Benjamin England, Esq., Founder and CEO of FDAImports: 
 
Benjamin is a former FDA official, microbiologist, and federal regulatory inspector who went on to serve as a Special Agent with the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations and an attorney to the FDA’s Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs. Today, he advises companies at the intersection of FDA, Customs, and USDA regulations, with over two decades of experience navigating enforcement, compliance, and cross-border trade issues. He is known for his practical, behind-the-scenes insights into how food, drug, device, and cosmetic regulation actually work, and for translating complex regulatory systems into clear, actionable guidance.
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Learn more about FDAImports, FDA consultants and advocates - https://www.fdaimports.com/
 
 Explore FDAImport’s free resources on various FDA, USDA, and Customs regulations!-
 https://www.fdaimports.com/regulations/
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Tony Bertolino, Managing Partner of Bertolino Law Firm, breaks down how Texas licensed professionals can evaluate advice from influencers, consultants, and social media before it puts their license at risk. With licensed professionals now getting advice from social media, podcasts, co-workers, and self-proclaimed experts, the real question isn’t whether you agree with the advice, but whether the person giving it actually understands your licensing board and the regulatory process behind it. 

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, Cimone Murphree sits down with Tony Bertolino, Managing Partner of Bertolino Law Firm, to unpack why confidence online doesn’t equal expertise. Credentials and big followings can be misleading, as someone can be highly experienced in one area but still be the wrong person to answer a question that could affect your professional license. 

Tony walks through the red flags Texas licensed professionals should watch for like advice delivered in absolute language (“always do this”, “never do that”), guidance that never mentions your specific state rules or licensing board, and recommendations that gloss or skip over the potential consequences of major decisions. He also draws a clear line between content that is designed to educate versus content that is designed to entertain. This distinction matters most when the decision at hand could affect your license, your career, or your livelihood. 

We then cover practical steps for verifying whether someone is actually qualified to speak on a professional licensing issue, where generally helpful information ends and the need for legal advice or counsel begins, and the questions that every license holder should ask themselves before they act on advice they saw. Tony closes with three key takeaways: most professionals get into trouble not because they intended to do anything wrong, but because they trusted advice that didn’t fit their situation; confidence is not the same as expertise; and a title or a large following doesn’t guarantee someone has the right answer. 

Whether you’re a nurse, educator, healthcare provider, or any other licensed professional in Texas, this conversation gives you a real framework for pausing before advice (no matter how confident it sounds) ends up costing you something you can’t easily get back.

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/

Domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and coercive control do not always stay behind closed doors. These issues can show up in workplaces, schools, professional settings, and other environments where colleagues, supervisors, educators, or other licensed professionals may notice that something is wrong.

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, Cimone Murphree is joined by Bronwyn Blake, Chief Legal Officer of Texas Advocacy Project, to discuss how abuse can show up at work and what professionals should understand before trying to help.

Texas Advocacy Project is a free nonprofit law firm serving survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, and human trafficking across Texas. Bronwyn explains how abuse may appear in the workplace, including missed work, visible injuries, an abuser showing up at the office, or other changes that may signal a person is unsafe. She also shares what a supportive response can sound like when someone discloses abuse or when a coworker, employer, or professional is concerned.

The conversation addresses why “just leave” is not a helpful response, why survivors may not be ready or able to leave an abusive situation, and how safety, finances, housing, children, and fear of retaliation can all play a role. Bronwyn encourages listeners to avoid isolation, create space for honest conversations, and connect survivors with trained resources when they are ready.

We then cover how Texas Advocacy Project helps survivors through its free and confidential legal services, including intake, conflict checks, attorney consultations, and legal information about options and next steps. Bronwyn also discusses how organizations, businesses, and employers can request training, review workplace policies, and support TAP’s mission through initiatives like Handbags for Hope and Backpacks for Hope.

Whether you are a licensed professional, employer, supervisor, coworker, educator, or someone who wants to better understand how to support survivors, this episode offers practical guidance on recognizing red flags, responding with care, and referring people to the right resources.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the Texas Advocacy Project’s legal line for survivors at 1-800-374-HOPE.

Watch the episode here! - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/when-abuse-shows-up-at-work-texas-advocacy-project-on-red-flags-and-how-to-help/

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Visit the resources mentioned: 

Texas Advocacy Project Website

Texas Advocacy Project General Contact: [email protected]

Texas Advocacy Project Trainings and Outreach

Handbags & Backpacks for Hope

"50 Obstacles to Leaving, a.k.a, Why Abuse Victims Stay" by Prof. Sarah Buel

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About the guest:

Bronwyn Blake, UT Law ’05, is the Chief Legal Officer of the Texas Advocacy Project and the Founder of their Teen Justice Initiative, a program that advocates for teen victims of dating violence.  Blake was awarded the first UT Faculty Fellowship in Public Interest Law from the William Wayne Justice Center to start this valuable work.  In 2016, Blake was awarded the Texas Access to Justice Commission’s James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award for her legal services work. She is also a graduate of Leadership Austin’s Emerge Program for young leaders and the former President of the Young Women’s Alliance, a professional organization in Austin, Texas. She has served as an officer on the board of Girlstart, an organization that empowers girls in science, technology, engineering, and math. She is an adjunct professor at UT Law teaching “Domestic Violence and the Law.”

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When a teacher is burned out, frustrated with administration or feeling pushed out of the classroom, resignation starts to feel like the easiest way forward. But for Texas educators, walking away from a contract can carry consequences that follow them long after they leave a district or campus.

We sit down with LaJuana “LJ” Acklin, a senior associate attorney at Bertolino LLP, to discuss what Texas teachers should understand before resigning, especially during the summer months when many educators are deciding whether to return to their district, change schools, or considering leaving the profession altogether. We talk through why an educator certificate still matters, how campus evaluations, investigations, and student-related allegations can become part of a much larger record, and how contract abandonment can lead to certificate discipline.

LJ also explains the 45-calendar-day resignation deadline before the first instructional day of the upcoming school year, what “good cause” may look like, and why teachers should think carefully before resigning under pressure from administration. The conversation also discusses grievance options, documentation, communication with the district, leave options, and why getting legal guidance early does not make an educator look guilty — it helps them understand their rights and protect their professional future.

For Texas teachers who feel burned out, overwhelmed, or unsure whether they can keep going, this episode offers an opportunity to understand the rights and options they may have before making an emotional decision that has a potential impact on the certificate they worked hard to earn.

Watch Here: https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/can-texas-teachers-just-quit-resignation-burnout-and-certificate-risk/

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/

A summer camp, a licensed nurse, and a Texas Board of Nursing case may not seem connected at first glance. But when a licensed professional’s training, judgment or credentials are part of the role they hold, the licensing board may still have a regulatory interest, even outside a traditional hospital or clinic setting. 

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, Cimone Murphree is joined by Bertolino LLP’s Amy Cadwell and Melissa Hooper to examine the Camp Mystic nursing license case as an educational example. We do not break down the tragedy itself or assign any blame. Instead, we look at how this situation at a summer camp can become a matter before the Texas Board of Nursing, and what licensed professionals can learn from it. 

We begin with the connection between professional licensure and non-traditional work environments, including what happens when a licensed professional also holds an operational or leadership role. Amy and Melissa discuss why boards focus on function over setting, how emergency planning and medication systems become regulatory issues, and why informal “we’ve always done it this way” workplace practices can create serious risk. 

We cover practical red flags for licensed professionals in Texas, including unclear authority, lack of written protocols, unsafe delegation, inconsistent documentation, and situations where your professional judgement may be overridden or minimized.

If your license is part of the reason why you serve or supervise others, make safety decisions, oversee care, or respond to emergencies, then your professional responsibilities may follow you farther than you think. 

Subscribe to Know Your Regulator, share this episode with a licensed professional who may need it, and know your responsibilities and protocols before a crisis occurs. 

Watch Here: https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/camp-mystic-and-the-texas-board-of-nursing-what-licensed-professionals-can-learn/

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/

A board complaint lands in your inbox. A notice of investigation arrives from your licensing agency. A hearing deadline is already running, and suddenly your professional license, your income, and your reputation may all be on the line.

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, host Cimone Murphree sits down with Troy Beaulieu, Director of Legal Services at Bertolino LLP, and Valerie Rivera, Certificated Paralegal, to talk about why the lawyer you call, and when you call them, could make a major difference in a professional licensing case. Whether you are a nurse, physician, engineer, educator, pharmacist, real estate professional, counselor, or other licensed professional, your license is your livelihood, and a board investigation is not the time to wait and see what happens.

We talk through what can happen when a license holder tries to handle a board complaint alone, relies on internet research and generic templates, or hires a lawyer who does not regularly practice before licensing boards and state agencies. Troy explains why administrative law and professional licensing cases are often controlled by strict deadlines, agency procedures, evidence rules, and issue preservation, and why your options can shrink the longer you wait. Valerie shares what she sees behind the scenes when clients come in late, leading to missing records, short deadlines, incomplete exhibits, heightened stress, and a damaging narrative that may already be taking shape.

Then we look at a lighter path, where a licensed professional calls the right professional license defense attorney early, the legal team has more time to gather documents, build a timeline, prepare witnesses, develop mitigation, respond strategically, and present a full picture to the licensing board. Early representation does not guarantee a perfect outcome, but it can give a license holder more control, more options, and a better chance at protecting their professional license and livelihood.

If you have received a board complaint, notice of investigation, proposed order, hearing notice, or disciplinary action from your licensing agency, this conversation can help you understand why timing matters and why not every lawyer is the right lawyer for a professional license defense matter. Subscribe to Know Your Regulator, share this episode with a licensed professional who may need it, and stay ahead before a complaint becomes a crisis.

Watch Here: https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/got-a-board-complaint-dont-wait-until-its-too-late/

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/

A student and situation are escalating, others are at risk, and you have seconds to act. For Texas special education teachers, that split-second decision can later be framed as “use of force,” “inappropriate contact,” or a violation of policy and could trigger an internal investigation, paid administrative leave, a report to TEA, and educator contract termination.

We sit down with LaJuana "LJ" Acklin, a senior associate attorney at Bertolino Law Firm, to map what happens when a district moves to end a teacher’s contract and why the decisions made early on matter so much. We talk through termination vs nonrenewal, how notice works, and the strict deadlines to request a contract termination hearing before an independent hearing examiner. We also unpack the hard truth behind “resignation in lieu of termination”, where it can feel like it protects your narrative, but it may also wipe out your best chance to contest allegations and preserve key defenses.

Then we get practical for the classroom realities. We cover Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) training, why de-escalation should come first whenever possible, what “proportional” force means in real life, and why documentation and communication with paraprofessionals and campus leadership can protect both students and staff. Finally, we explain statutory immunity under Texas Education Code 22.0512 and Texas Penal Code 9.62, and how “non-deadly justified force” may apply when you reasonably believe you must act to maintain discipline or protect safety, even when district policy gets complicated.

If you’re a Texas teacher, especially in special education, this conversation can help you understand some of your options before you make a decision. Subscribe to Know Your Regulator, share this with a Texas educator who needs it, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next!

Watch Here: https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/texas-special-education-teachers-and-contract-termination-what-to-know-before-you-resign/

Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/

Summer can be a busy season for licensed professionals. Schedules change, offices are short-staffed, families are traveling, professionals might be changing jobs, and license renewal or continuing education deadlines can easily fall to the bottom of the list.

But your professional license does not take a summer break.

In this episode of Know Your Regulator, host Cimone Murphree shares practical summer reminders for licensed professionals and explains how everyday situations can create preventable licensing risks. Whether it’s missed licensing board notices, renewal deadlines, job transitions or off-the-clock conduct, documentation gaps, social media posts and comments, or even those casual “just helping out” moments, this episode encourages license holders to stay aware of the professional responsibilities that continue even in the busy seasons of life. 

This episode walks through simple ways to complete a summer license reset, discussing checking license status, confirming renewal dates, reviewing continuing education requirements, updating board contact information, and thinking carefully before posting online or giving informal professional advice.

If you are a healthcare professional, educator, appraiser, real estate professional, insurance professional, dental professional, mental health provider, or another Texas license holder, this episode is a reminder that regulatory awareness and education are part of protecting your career, credibility, and ability to continue doing the work you’ve trained for. Understanding your licensing board, your professional obligations, and common risk areas helps you avoid easily preventable issues before they become complaints, investigations, or disciplinary concerns.

Watch Here: https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/your-license-doesnt-take-a-summer-break/
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Mentorship can mean very different things in the appraisal world. It may support someone entering the profession, help an appraiser through a practicum program, or become part of resolving a complaint, experience audit, or a contingent dismissal. In this episode of Know Your Regulator, we look at how Texas appraiser mentorship really works in practice and what it means for USPAP compliance, reports, and public trust.

Host Cimone Murphree is joined by Bertolino Law Firm Director of Legal Services, Troy Beaulieu, and AQB Certified USPAP instructor Diana Jacob for a practical, case driven conversation that goes well beyond just fixing a single report. Drawing on their experience with state boards and appraisers in multiple states, Troy and Diana unpack issues that show up again and again in real files such as the overreliance on canned comments, weak highest and best use analysis, scope of work problems, and work files that do not actually support the story in the report.

We also explore appraiser mindset and accountability, discussing what effective mentorship sessions look like, why ignoring a board notice makes matters worse, and how honest feedback can push appraisers to review their development process, not just their narrative language. Whether you are facing a complaint, mentoring another appraiser, or looking for ways to strengthen your practice before a problem even arises, this episode offers grounded, practical insight into how thoughtful mentorship can improve your analysis, public trust, and reduce future risk to your license.

Watch Here: https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/texas-appraiser-mentorship-uspap-reports-complaints-best-practices/

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About Diana Jacob, AQB USPAP Certified Instructor:

Diana Jacob currently resides in Lafayette, LA.  She serves as an advisory consultant on real property appraisal both to independent practicing appraisers, attorneys and school providers of appraisal education.  Over the past decade she has also held the position of quality control of two AMCs and is recognized nationally for her USPAP knowledge.  She currently provides appraisal mentorship services in two State Enforcement Agencies (TX and WV), has taught live classes in 36 states, and was in the first group to become an AQB USPAP Certified Instructor.  She’s written over 25 books for pre-licensed and continuing education and has written numerous articles over her career.  She appeared on CNN, “Your Money”, being interviewed on the topic of the impact of home improvement on property value, featured in Louisiana Woman as a “Trailblazer in Appraisal”, granted recognition in 2013 ATA Appraiser of the Year, and in 2019 the Association of Texas Appraisers Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Your marketing finally works, but that’s when the real risk begins. When a solo or small firm gets a surge of calls, referrals, and attention, weak systems do more than just slow you down. They create client frustration, professional exposure, and the kind of preventable mistakes that lead to grievances. In this episode, we break down how lawyers can grow with intention, compliance, and confidence, so their reputation keeps pace with their visibility.

I’m joined by Delisi Friday, a legal marketing strategist and founder of First Call Friday. Delisi has spent decades helping firms scale through relationship-based referral marketing, and she makes a strong case for a systems-first approach: fix operations before you pour fuel on your marketing. 

We dig into the three areas that can quietly decide whether growth helps or hurts: intake, marketing, and accounting. We're talking tracking referral sources and conversions, understanding what actually becomes a client, reviewing what you keep after referral fees, and using clean numbers to guide growth decisions.

We also get specific about ethics and lawyer advertising, including Texas Rule 7.03, what “nominal gifts” really means, and why referrals involving non-lawyer businesses can quickly become problematic. We unpack independent professional judgment, competence checks, and how joint responsibility on referred cases can put both lawyers at risk.

Finally, we move into visibility and reputation, discussing results-based marketing, disclosing co-counsel involvement, and the deceptive trend of “made-up awards” that can mislead the public. Delisi also shares practical guidelines for scaling, including client communication cadence, average time on desk, proactive hiring, and protecting IOLTA trust accounting as your firm gets bigger.

Watch Here: https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/more-clients-more-risk-law-firm-growth-referrals-and-reputation/

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Want to learn more from Delisi? 

Connect with Delisi through First Call Friday: 
https://www.firstcallfriday.com/

Explore the From Coffee to Cases podcast:
https://www.firstcallfriday.com/podcast
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Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/