TBLS has certified more than 7,300 lawyers in Texas. More than 990 lawyers have multiple certifications. TBLS has issued more than 8,300 certificates of special fitness. More than half of certified attorneys in Texas have been accredited for more than 10 years. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) offers an exam to certify paralegals in specific specialties of law. These areas of expertise in law are: personal injury law, civil procedure law, family law, real estate law, estate planning and estate law, and criminal law. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) determines the conditions for participation in this exam. The application period begins each year in January and the test is carried out in the fall of each year. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) was established by the Texas State Bar on July 16, 1974.
TBLS oversees the recognition and regulation of lawyers specializing in specific areas of law in the State of Texas. Today, the organization certifies lawyers in 24 different areas of expertise and paralegals in six specialties. [1] [2] [3] TBLS also certifies paralegals. Today, more than 300 paralegals have obtained board certification. The consumer can identify a lawyer certified by the Criminal Council in several ways. An attorney certified by the Board of Directors of the Criminal Law Board is authorized to indicate the certification on business cards and letterhead with the words «Board Certified – Criminal Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization». The attorney may also provide the certificate of special competence issued by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and list the certification in legal directories and telephone lists under «Attorneys – Certified by Council.» The initial certification is valid for a period of five years. To remain certified, a lawyer must apply for recertification every five years and meet the practice, peer review, and legal education requirements for the field. An attorney certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law must have experience in preparing and hearing serious criminal cases. The attorney must also have in-depth knowledge of federal and state constitutional law, evidence, procedure, and criminal laws involved in hearing these cases. A relatively small percentage of all Texas attorneys are certified in a particular area of expertise.
The goal of the TBLS is to improve the standards of the legal profession and to support the availability, accessibility, and quality of services provided by Texas attorneys to the public in certain areas of law. [1] [4] The TBLS is overseen by twelve members appointed by the President of the Texas State Bar and approved by its Board of Directors. It has authority over all matters related to legal specialization in Texas and is subject to the continuing jurisdiction of the Texas Supreme Court. [1] [5] The Texas State Bar established TBLS in 1974 with the passage of the Texas Plan for the Recognition and Regulation of Law Specialization. The Board of Directors, composed of 12 members, is appointed by the President of the Bar for a three-year term. Some board members must be specialists, others must be general practitioners. The committee is overseen by the Texas Supreme Court. Texas certified attorneys must participate in continuing legal education (CLE) and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to the field to maintain certification. Texas Bar rules prohibit any attorney from advertising as a «specialist» unless they have obtained board certification in a TBLS-accredited specialty area. Lawyer Legion maintains a statewide directory of certified lawyers in Texas. The public can search the directory and refine their search by specialty, county or city, and connect with board-certified lawyers to assist with their case.
Lawyer Legion is the only directory of business lawyers that properly recognizes all ABA-accredited specialty programs for state and state certifications, including those granted by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Texas Board of Legal Specialization P.O. Box 12487 Austin, Texas 78711-2487 To learn more about this exam, please contact TBLS at: Texas Board of Legal Specialization P.O. Box 12487, Capitol Station Austin, TX 78711-2487 The Texas Board of Legal Specialization is the largest attorney certification program in the United States. TBLS also accredits several national organizations approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) to certify lawyers as specialists. You can also visit their website in www.tbls-bcp.org. With more than 90,000 licensed attorneys in Texas, only about 7,200 have earned the right to be publicly recognized as board-certified specialists in one of the 22 selected areas of law. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization was created by the Texas Supreme Court and operates under its authority. Its members are appointed by the President of the Texas State Bar.
The Board administers the program, which allows a lawyer to obtain a certificate of special competence in a particular area of law. The program is voluntary and is funded entirely by fees charged to participating lawyers. (512) 463-1454 (800) 204-2222 ext. 1454 Fax: (512) 477-7719. Street Texas Board of Legal Specialization 505 E. Huntland Dr., Ste. 400, LB 28 Austin, Texas 78752 The Texas Board of Legal Specialization certifies attorneys in the following areas of Texas law:[1][6][7] To become a certified law specialist in Texas, the following general requirements include:.
