Texas Board Certified Family Law Specialist
What does it mean when a lawyer says he or she is ”Board Certified”? Does it matter?
Board Certification is a voluntary designation program for attorneys and paralegals by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. To become Board Certified in a particular area, an attorney must have:
- Been licensed to practice law for at least five years,
- Devoted a required percentage of practice to a specialty area for at least three years,
- Handled a wide variety of matters in the area to demonstrate experience and involvement,
- Been evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges, and
- Passed a six-hour written examination
The initial certification is valid for a period of five years, with recertification every five years thereafter. There are 18 areas of law in which an attorney may be certified in Texas.
Board certified family law specialists have participated in the contested trial of cases involving matters such as divorce, property division, child custody, child support, adoption, paterniety, or other matrimonial matters. There are only 712 attorneys in the entire state of Texas who have achieved board certification in family law. To download a brochure about Family Law Board Certified Attorneys, click here.
While there are many fine attorneys who practice their entire careers without becoming board certified, there are potential advantages to the client who chooses to retain a board certified attorney. For example, the client may be assured that the attorney has already demonstrated experience and involvement in Texas family law. Also, because of that experience and involvement, the board certified attorney may be able to handle complex issues more efficiently than another attorney, saving the client time, aggravation, and money.
Dallas Divorce Attorney Michelle May O’Neil became a board certified family law specialist in 1997, at the first available opportunity in her career. Please contact us if you would like to discuss further how a board certified family law specialist can benefit your case.
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