WHAT IS A CRIMINAL LAW BOARD CERTIFIED ATTORNEY?
A Criminal Law Board Certified Attorney is an attorney who has demonstrated special competence in Criminal Law and whose competence has been certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Q. How many attorneys are currently Board Certified in Criminal Law?
A. Approximately 814 Texas attorneys are now Board Certified in Criminal Law.
Q. How does the consumer know whether an attorney is Board Certified in Criminal Law?
A. Board Certified attorneys are entitled to indicate certifications on business cards and letterhead by using the expression "Board Certified - Criminal 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 "Attorney - Board Certified."
Q. How long does an attorney remain certified in Criminal Law?
A. Certification is for a period of 5 years. To remain certified after that time, every 5 years the attorney must apply for the recertification and meet the requirements for continued experience, peer review and continuing legal education.
Q. What are the general requirements for Board Certification in Criminal Law?
A. All Criminal Law Board Certified attorneys must have:
- Been licensed to practice law for at least 5 years
- Practiced Criminal law for at least 3 years
- Devoted a minimum of 25% of the law practice to Criminal law
- Handled a wide variety of Criminal law matters to demonstrate experience and involvement
- Attended Criminal 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 Criminal Law meet?
A. A lawyer who is Board Certified in Criminal Law must have experience in the preparation and trial of serious criminal matters. The lawyer must also have extensive knowledge of state and federal constitutional law, evidence, procedure and penal laws involved in these matters.
