The Supreme Court of Alabama approved the Alabama State Bar Rules of Specialization to be effective January 1, 1994. Review the rules in their entirety.
The central message of this program is quite simple: Certification validates the lawyer's specialty:
- Through testing and peer review, certification verifies the lawyer's qualifications
- Discerning clients increasingly expect proven credentials
- Certification eases the match of the client's needs with the lawyer's qualifications.
One of the most frequently asked questions is "How can I communicate my specialty practice field to the public?"
Rule 7.4, Rules of Professional Conduct, allows a lawyer to communicate the fact that the lawyer does or does not practice in a particular field of law.
Rule 7.4 prohibits a lawyer from stating or implying that the lawyer is a specialist except:
(a) a lawyer admitted to engage in patent practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office may use the designation "Patent Attorney" or a substantially similar designation;
(b) a lawyer engaged in admiralty practice may use the designation "Admiralty," "Proctor in Admiralty." Or substantially similar designation; or
(c) a lawyer may communicate the fact that the lawyer has been certified as a specialist is a field of law by a named organization or authority, but only if such certification is granted by an organization previously approved by the Alabama State Bar Board of Legal Certification to grant such certifications.
What organizations are approved by the Alabama State Bar Board of Legal Certification to grant certifications?
The Alabama State Bar Board of Legal Certification has currently approved four national certifying agencies in eight fields of law. If you are interested in learning more about the process to become a specialist in Alabama in one of the following eight fields, contact the certifying agency for additional information
UPDATE: In July, 2006, the Alabama State Bar Board of Legal Specialization approved the National Board of Social Security Disability Advocacy, a division of the National Board of Specialty Certification, as an agency to certify Alabama lawyers in the area of social security disability law. According to the national certifying agency, this area of the law is “a comprehensive legal practice of counseling and representing persons with disabilities and their representatives about their rights to receive benefits from the social security administration. Certified attorneys must be capable of representing their clients at the state agency level, at the hearing level, at the appeals council and in federal court.”
If any Alabama attorney would like to become Board Certified by the National Board of Social Security Disability Advocacy, please contact Gwen Coutu, Certification and Examination Administrator, National Board of Social Security Disability Advocacy, a division of the national Board of Legal Specialty Certification at (508) 384-6565, or toll-free, 1-866-384-6565, or visit the website at www.nbtanet.org for further information and to download an application.
Specialty Areas:
BUSINESS BANKRUPTCY
CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY
CREDITORS' RIGHTS
Agency Approved to Grant Certification:
AMERICAN BOARD OF CERTIFICATION
44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 404
Alexandria, VA 22314-1592
Contact: Michelle L. Anderson, Executive Director
Telephone: (703) 739-1023
Facsimile: (703) 739-1060
E-Mail: abc@abcworld.org
Specialty Areas:
ESTATE PLANNING LAW
Agency Approved to Grant Certification:
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ESTATE PLANNERS AND COUNCILS
1120 Chester Avenue, Suite 470
Cleveland, OH 44114
Contact: Eleanor Spuhler
Telephone: (866) 226-2224
Facsimile: (216) 696-2582
E-Mail: admin@naepc.org
Website: www.naepc.org
Specialty Areas:
CIVIL TRIAL ADVOCACY
CRIMINAL TRIAL ADVOCACY
FAMILY LAW TRIAL ADVOCACY
Agency Approved to Grant Certification:
NATIONAL BOARD OF TRIAL ADVOCACY, a division of the NATIONAL BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION
200 Stonewall Blvd, Suite 1
WrenthaM, MA 02093
Contact: Roberta Hugus, Executive Director
Telephone: (508) 384-6565
Facsimile: (508) 384-8223
Toll Free: 1-866-384-6565
Website: www.nbtanet.org
Specialty Area:
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ADVOCACY
Agency Approved to Grant Certification:
NATIONAL BOARD OF SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ADVOCACY, a division of the NATIONAL BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALTY CERTIFICATION
200 Stonewall Blvd, Suite 1
Wrentham, MA 02093
Contact: Gwen Coutu, Certification & Examination Administrator
Telephone: (508) 384-6565
Facsimile: (508) 384-8223
Toll Free: 1-866-384-6565
Website: www.nbtanet.org
Specialty Area:
ELDER LAW
Agency Approved to Grant Certification:
NATIONAL ELDER LAW FOUNDATION, INC.
1604 N. Country Club Road
Tuscon, AZ 85716-3102
Contact: Lori Barbee
Telephone: (520) 881-1076
Facsimile: (520) 325-7925
Specialty Area:
DUI DEFENSE (Criminal Law)
Agency Approved to Grant Certification:
NATIONAL COLLEGE FOR DUI DEFENSE, INC.
445 South Decatur Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Contact: Rhea C. Kirk
Telephone: (334) 264-1950
Facsimile: (334) 264-1920
Email: rhea@ncdd.com
Website: www.ncdd.com
The commentary to the Rules of Professional Conduct summarizes what a lawyer may do. Paragraph (c) of Rule 7.4 "provides for certification as a specialist in a field of law where the Alabama State Bar Board of Legal Specialization has granted an organization the right to grant certification. Certification procedures imply than an objective entity has recognized a lawyer's higher degree of specialized ability than is suggested by general licensure to practice law. Those objective entities may be expected to apply standards of competence, experience, and knowledge to insure that a lawyer's recognition as a specialist is meaningful and reliable. In order to insure that consumers can obtain access to useful information about an organization granting certification, the name of the certifying organization or agency must be included in any communication regarding certification."
For further information, contact Angela Parks, Director of Regulatory Programs, angela.parks@alabar.org; or Extension 2176.
