A consultant not licensed by a professional association provides professional services and sues for fees; the likely court outcome is:

A consultant not licensed by a professional association provides professional services and sues for fees; the likely court outcome is:

• A. The court will award the consultant the full amount.
• B. The court will dismiss the claim because providing those professional services without proper licensing is illegal.
• C. The court will refer the case to the licensing authority but allow payment.
• D. The court will require the client to pay only a portion.

Answer: (B)

Providing professional services without the required license is illegal, so a court would not let the unlicensed consultant recover fees for those services. The contract and the payment tied to illegal work are unenforceable, so the claim for payment is dismissed. Licensing authorities may pursue separate disciplinary action, but that doesn’t translate into a civil award for the unlicensed work. The other outcomes would inappropriately reward or complicate illegal practice, so the most appropriate court response is to dismiss the fee claim.

Providing professional services without the required license is illegal, so a court would not let the unlicensed consultant recover fees for those services. The contract and the payment tied to illegal work are unenforceable, so the claim for payment is dismissed. Licensing authorities may pursue separate disciplinary action, but that doesn’t translate into a civil award for the unlicensed work. The other outcomes would inappropriately reward or complicate illegal practice, so the most appropriate court response is to dismiss the fee claim.