By permanently surrendering his license, Dr. Bill S. Schnall, 60, of Shoreline, will settle a case that was scheduled to go before the state Medical Quality Assurance Commission next Monday, according to a statement issued Wednesday by his lawyer, John Gagliardi.

Schnall's license was suspended in August by the panel, which accused him of violating physician-patient boundaries and standards of medical care with eight adolescent patients. He could still face criminal charges, and a lawsuit is pending.

The doctor continues to "adamantly deny that his interactions with patients have ever been sexually motivated as implied in the initial charges," Gagliardi's statement said.

Schnall, a married father of two daughters, practiced medicine for nearly 30 years, most recently at the Richmond Pediatric Clinic, was president of the medical staff at Children's Hospital in 2002 and was a member of the Shoreline School Board in 1989-96.

In his initial response to the state panel he maintained that he tried only to be a friend, mentor and advocate for the young men of high school and college age who were cited in the complaint. He denied accusations that he masturbated in front of a patient or forced that young man to masturbate.

Schnall decided to surrender his license "rather than subjecting himself, his family, his colleagues and most importantly, the multiple patients that were unwillingly brought into this matter by the state to the stress and public spectacle that likely would attach to a public hearing," Gagliardi said.

As part of the settlement, the state panel dropped all charges except one, that Schnall practiced outside the standard of care by "violating appropriate physician patient boundaries," and eliminated any reference to sexual motivation, the lawyer said.

The commission will announce the settlement formally Thursday, spokesman Donn Moyer said.

"If we get what we're after, which is putting that person out of practice, they can say what they want," Moyer told The Seattle Times. "We would not bring charges if we didn't think we could prove them."

Dan Donohoe, spokesman in the King County prosecutor's office, said no decision had been made on whether to bring criminal charges pending further review.

Anne Bremner, a lawyer for a former patient who filed a malpractice lawsuit against Schnall in Superior Court in January, said she was relieved by the license surrender.

"Justice, for the family I represent, is so much tied to Dr. Schnall not doing this to anybody else," Bremner said.