Unlicensed Foot Doctor Draws Fine

A Huntington Beach man has been placed on three years’ probation and fined $250 after pleading no contest to a charge of operating a La Mirada podiatry practice without a license.

In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped four other related misdemeanor counts against 29-year-old Marc Howard Friedman in a pretrial proceeding Thursday at Downey Municipal Court.

Long Beach podiatrist Timothy James, who sold the La Mirada branch office of his practice to Friedman, faces charges of aiding and abetting Friedman’s unlicensed practice. He plans to plead not guilty, he said.

The Board of Podiatry began looking into the case last September when it received a complaint that Friedman was practicing medicine without a license. Friedman was arrested April 30.

The state Board of Podiatry will take no action against James’ license pending the outcome of criminal proceedings, officials said. James operates the Foot Care Centers Podiatry Group, which has offices in Norwalk and Long Beach.

Friedman, who graduated from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in May, 1988, completed a one-year residency under James but failed at least one licensing exam, according to state records.

Without passing licensing tests, Friedman bought a portion of James’ practice and arranged to use the 39-year-old doctor’s logo, Board of Podiatry officials said.

Friedman still hopes to become a licensed podiatrist, according to his attorney.

“He is a diligent and conscientious man, and he is trying to work within the rules and regulations of the profession, and he was unaware that his residency had expired,” attorney Robert Shapiro said. “The guy is a graduate of a school of podiatry. It’s not like he has no training or ability in this field. He had been in a residency program and was working under a doctor.”