Board of Legal Specialization

The Board of Legal Specialization:

• Administers the legal specialization program
• Provides policies and guidelines for certification and recertification of specialists
• Recommends new specialty areas and modifications to existing specialty areas to the State Bar's Board of Governors
• Acts upon the recommendations of the advisory commissions for approval or denial of certifications and recertifications
• Recommends accreditation of private certifying organizations
• Promotes the program to attorneys and consumers

Eleven advisory commissions support the Board of Legal Specialization — one for each area in which specialists are recognized. The advisory commissions:

• Review and make recommendations on certification and recertification applications to the Board of Legal Specialization
• Develop and grade the legal specialist examination
• Review and approve applications for approved legal specialty education provider status and for individual education programs
• Recommend revisions to the standards for certification and recertification to reflect current practice in the area of law

If you are a current specialist interested in serving on the BLS or one of the advisory commissions, contact legalspec@calbar.ca.gov for more information or download an application to serve on an Advisory Commission from the State Bar website.