DEA Audit Defense Lawyers
Counsel for DEA inspections and registration disputes.
When the DEA asks for records or arrives for an inspection, the response deserves careful legal attention. Keith & Lorfing helps healthcare professionals and controlled-substance businesses address the inquiry and prepare for what may follow.
Start with the request in front of you.
A surprise visit and a written demand raise different questions. We begin by reviewing what the agency has provided, who is involved, and which deadlines need attention. That gives us a basis for advising you about the scope of the inquiry and the next response.
Our representation includes physicians, pharmacies, pharmacists, distributors, and other DEA registrants. Whether the concern involves inventory, dispensing practices, or an allegation of diversion, we work to understand the underlying records before drawing conclusions.
Legal support through the inspection and beyond.
Records and compliance concerns
We examine the documents at issue, identify gaps that need explanation, and help organize a response. The work may involve controlled-substance inventories, purchase records, dispensing records, security procedures, or loss reports.
Registration and administrative proceedings
If the agency challenges your registration, we assess the allegations and the available response. A proposed corrective measure, a hearing, and a negotiated resolution each call for a considered strategy.
Agency communications
We help you prepare for requests and interviews, address questions about the inspection’s scope, and manage communications with investigators. A clear point of contact keeps the response coordinated.
Potential criminal exposure
When an inquiry raises allegations of unlawful prescribing, distribution, or falsified records, we evaluate the defense implications alongside the compliance issues. Our criminal defense practice informs that assessment.
More than one issue can be at stake.
An inspection does not by itself establish that a crime occurred. It can, however, raise questions about your authority to handle controlled substances as well as possible civil or criminal exposure.
The DEA’s administrative-action guidance explains that registration proceedings may involve an Order to Show Cause or, in qualifying circumstances, an Immediate Suspension Order. We review the actual notice and the facts rather than assume every inquiry follows the same path.
The practical concern is often just as immediate: how an investigation affects patients, employees, and day-to-day operations. Those considerations belong in the defense discussion from the outset.
A response built around your records.
1. Establish the scope
We review agency notices, registration information, known allegations, and upcoming deadlines. The first conversation focuses on what has happened and what requires a decision.
2. Examine the evidence
We work through the relevant documents and chronology, identify factual disputes, and consider whether additional professional analysis would help explain the records.
3. Choose the next step
With that groundwork, we advise on a response, corrective measures where appropriate, and a defense if the matter proceeds. The approach changes as the evidence develops.
Work with former federal prosecutors.
Russell Lorfing and Brandi Young bring experience evaluating federal investigations and preparing cases for court. Learn about the background each brings to the firm’s defense practice.
Russell Lorfing
A former Assistant United States Attorney whose work includes complex trials, financial investigations, and electronic evidence.
Brandi Young
A former supervisory federal prosecutor with state and federal courtroom experience, including investigations involving narcotics and financial offenses.
Questions before you call.
Can you help before an inspection takes place?
Yes. If you have advance notice, we can review it with you and discuss preparation. If investigators have already contacted you or arrived at the business, tell us what they provided and whether they identified a deadline.
What should I have available for the first conversation?
Start with any agency notice, letter, subpoena, or other written request, along with a timeline of contacts and any response already made. We will discuss which additional records are needed and how to provide them securely.
Does hiring counsel mean the matter is criminal?
No. Legal representation can help with an administrative inspection or registration issue even when no criminal charge has been filed. Part of our work is assessing what the agency is asking and whether other risks need attention.
Talk through the DEA contact you received.
Tell us what the agency requested and when a response is due. We can discuss the situation, the documents involved, and whether our firm can assist.
Houston office coming soon.