California Legal Specialists

Welcome to the country's first legal certification program, which offers attorneys the opportunity to demonstrate high competence through evaluations by a panel of experts in one of 11 areas of law practice and in 11 additional areas through our certifying partners.

Consumers

Find certified legal specialists in your county. For options to search by languages spoken or geography, visit the attorney search at www.calbar.ca.gov and choose "Advanced Search."

Examinees Who Took the 2011 Examination and Those Thinking of Applying in the Future

Thank you to all applicants who took the Legal Specialization Examination on Oct. 25, 2011.

Grades are targeted to be distributed in February 2011. More information will be posted as it is available. Pass letters will be mailed only to the applicant taking the examination. No public list of examinees will be posted.

Those wishing to plan ahead can view a sample of the type of post-exam application that will be mailed with all pass letters. Sample post-exam applications are found on the individual specialty pages under Specialty Areas.

Candidates have 18 months after the examination to complete the additional certification requirements, including experience and education. After opening a file at 18 months, an extension can be requested of up to three years after the examination date, if needed.

The next Legal Specialization Examination will take place in 2013 on a date to be determined in 2012. Those entering their third year of practice in the specialty area by the fall of 2013 will be eligible to register for the examination.

Whether you are preparing for the examination or just getting started, start preparing today by downloading a sample post-exam application to use as a roadmap and tracking log.

Already Certified?

Fee statements have been mailed for 2012. The 2012 Annual Fee is $360 and is listed on your fee statement along with general bar dues. This is the second step of a two-step price increase instituted in 2011 and 2012. It is hoped that this fee level will be sufficient for some time. As you know, the program is non-profit and self-funding, and prior to this fee increase had not had a price increase in eighteen years.

Ready for a leadership role? Plan ahead to apply to an advisory commission by February 2012 for terms beginning in October 2012. Applications are posted now! Visit cc.calbar.ca.gov to downloand an application.

Download the certified specialist logo and terms of use.

Update your My State Bar Profile to add your firm website, photo and languages spoken. Certified specialists are automatically listed by their specialty on the State Bar website.

Order What Can A Certified Specialist Do for You? brochures.

Search for a list of approved educational providers in your area of specialty.

Want to be on the radio? Bay Area certified specialists can audition to be part of the Your Legal Rights radio call-in radio panel. Contact LegalSpec@calbar.ca.gov if interested.

Access Recertification Forms. The recertification fee for applications received on or before December 31, 2011 is $250. The fee for recertification applications received on January 1, 2012 or later is $350.

Educational Providers

Apply to offer Legal Specialization Credits and MCLE.

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