> Well, if you are a real professional then a complaint can result in your being struck off and it being legally impossible for you to work in that area again.

> Well, if you are a real professional then a complaint can result in your being struck off and it being legally impossible for you to work in that area again. Sort of, but not really (here in the US anyways). Usually first complaints get you a slap on the wrist, and even things that rightfully ought to get you kicked out (e.g. attorneys mishandling escrow accounts) frequently don't result in much more than a fine. Basically, you really need to fuck up to be kicked out of a professional organization. A similar level of fuck up by a software engineer would probably result in them being similarly unemployable. This isn't necessarily a good thing (professional enforcement probably ought to be more aggressive), but the risk is overstated by these organizations, in part as a justification for their existence.