A Board Certified attorney is an
attorney who has demonstrated special competence in a particular field in which
the Texas Board of Legal Specialization has certified their competence.
The Texas Board of Legal
Specialization was created by the Supreme Court of Texas and the Board members
are appointed by the President of the State Bar of Texas. The Board, in turn,
administers the program through which an attorney may demonstrate their special
competence in a particular area of law practice.
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Q. How
many attorneys are currently Board Certified in Civil Trial Law?
A. There
are approximately 1,250 Texas attorneys now Board Certified in Civil Trial Law.
Q. How
does the consumer know whether an attorney is Board Certified in Civil Trial
Law?
A. A Board Certified
attorney is entitled to indicate certification on their business card and
letterhead by stating they are "Board Certified - Civil Trial Law - Texas
Board of Legal Specialization." They may display the Certificate of
Special Competence awarded by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and list
the certification in legal directories and telephone listings under
"Attorneys - Board Certified".
Q. How
long does an attorney remain certified in Civil Trial Law?
A. Certification is for a
period of 5 years. To remain certified after that time, every 5 years the
attorney must apply for re-certification and meet the requirements for
continued experience, peer review and continuing legal education.
Q. What
are the general requirements for Board Certification in Civil Trial Law?
A. All Civil Trial
Law Board Certified attorneys must have:
Been licensed to practice law for at least 5 years
Practiced civil trial law for at least 3 years
Devoted a minimum of 35% of their law practice to
civil trial law
Handled a wide variety of civil trial law matters to
demonstrate experience and involvement
Attended civil trial law continuing legal education
seminars regularly to keep their legal training up to date
Been evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges
Passed a day-long written examination
Q. What
special requirements must a lawyer who is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law
meet?
A. A lawyer who is Board Certified
in Civil Trial Law must have prepared and tried significant civil cases. In
addition to handling these trials (which must include jury trials) the lawyer
must have extensive knowledge of the law of evidence, procedure, and other
substantive law involved in the trial of civil cases.
Contact
- Gary McNeil, Executive Director
Certification Substantial Involvement Inquiries
- Odessa Bradshaw Associate
Executive Director
Accreditation of Attorney Certifying Organizations
Discipline Disclosure Information
- Denise Treece Schumann, Member
Services Manager
Web Site and Exam Information
- Priscilla Leal, Lead Certification
Analyst
CLE Course Approval
Criminal Law, Juvenile Law, Health Law,
Personal Injury Trial Law, Tax Law
- Brenda Martinez, Certification
Analyst
Administrative Law, Bankruptcy Law,
Civil Trial Law, Consumer and Commercial Law,
Family Law, Labor and Employment Law
- Kathy Logue, Certification
Analyst
Civil Appellate Law, Estate Planning and Probate Law,
Immigration and Nationality Law, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law,
Real Estate Law
- Molly Galvez, Special Project
Assistant
Legal Assistant Certification and Exam Administration
Internet
http://www.tbls.org
Mailing Address
Texas Board of Legal
Specialization
P.O. Box 12487, Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711-2487
Street Address
Texas Board of Legal
Specialization
505 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 400
Austin, Texas 78752
Phone
800-204-2222, ext. 1454
512-453-7266 Main
512-453-7220 FAX