TWISM Ents., L.L.C. v. State Bd. of Registration for Professional Engineers & Surveyors

**Court Rules on Engineering Firm's Right to Use Independent Contractor as Manager** This case involved a startup engineering company, TWISM Enterprises, that wanted to get a certificate allowing it to provide engineering services in Ohio. The state licensing board denied the certificate because the company planned to use an independent contractor as its full-time manager, and the board believed state law required an actual employee in that role. The court sided with the engineering firm and sent the case back for reconsideration. The court ruled that Ohio law does allow independent contractors to serve as full-time managers of engineering companies. More importantly, the court clarified that when interpreting state regulations, judges don't have to automatically accept what government agencies say the law means—they can make their own decisions about what the rules actually require. This matters for workers because it shows that government agencies can't always have the final word on employment rules. When agencies make overly strict interpretations that could limit job opportunities or business flexibility, courts can step in and provide a different reading of the law. This could potentially create more opportunities for independent contractors and give companies more options for how they structure their management teams.