22
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
STANDING COMMITTEE ON SPECIALIZATION
INFORMATIONAL REPORT TO THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES
The ABA began accrediting organizations that certify specialists in 1993. ABA
accreditation is now widely recognized as a valuable seal of approval for organizations that wish
to confer specialty certification.
There are fourteen lawyer certification programs approved by the ABA’s House of
Delegates. These programs are: American Board of Certification’s programs in business
bankruptcy, consumer bankruptcy and creditors’ rights; the civil trial advocacy, criminal trial
advocacy, and family law trial advocacy programs of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (a
division of the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification or NBLSC); the National Board
of Legal Specialty Certification’s programs in social security disability law and civil pretrial
practice; the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys’ programs in legal professional
liability and medical professional liability; the Estate Law Specialist Board’s program in estate
planning law; the National Elder Law Foundation’s program in elder law; the National
Association of Counsel for Children’s program in juvenile law-child welfare; and the National
College for DUI Defense, Inc.’s program in DUI defense law.
At this meeting of the House of Delegates, the Standing Committee is recommending the
reaccreditation of two certification programs of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, civil trial
advocacy and social security disability law. The National Board of Trial Advocacy is the oldest
and largest organization certifying lawyer specialists, its programs in civil trial and criminal trial
advocacy pre-dating the ABA’s accreditation function. The continued vitality and growth of
NBTA/ NBLSC programs is a sign of the continued vitality and growth of the legal specialist
certification industry generally.
There are over 30,000 American lawyers who are certified specialists. The Committee
works with states on incorporating the provisions of ABA Model Rule 7.4 into state ethics codes.
This key provision permits certified specialists to publicly disclose certification without any
limitation if they are certified by a program that is accredited by the ABA. The Standing
Committee continues to provide a vital resource to the states as they revise their regulatory
schemes, by supplying the historical context of the various rules changes, networking
opportunities with other certifying organizations and bars, and resources and guidance for the
creation and maintenance of legal specialty certification programs, as well as by offering a
nationwide perspective on the regulation of lawyer specialty certification.
The Standing Committee also encourages other ABA entities to consider certification
programs, and advises on the procedures and requirements for creating and maintaining those
programs. The Standing Committee is embarking on a program of educational outreach to law
schools interested in providing current students and graduates information regarding the benefits
of specialist certification and how to achieve it.
The Committee will host its annual educational conference, the National Roundtable on
Lawyer Specialty Certification in May in Denver, Colorado. The 2015 Roundtable will be held
1
22
in conjunction with the National Conference on Professional Responsibility, the largest
continuing legal education conference devoted to legal ethics and professional responsibility,
hosted annually by the ABA’s Center for Professional Responsibility.
In the coming year, the Standing Committee will continue to collect statistical
information concerning specialization and lawyer certification. The primary mode of data
collection is the Committee’s annual certification census, which is sent to all of the ABA
accredited programs and to state sponsored certification programs. There has been one hundred
percent participation in the survey since its inception in 1994.
The Standing Committee continues to support ABA membership growth and retention by
providing a value-added benefit for lawyers seeking board certification, most of whom are solo
and small firm practitioners. Through support of the Standing Committee and its work as an
accrediting body, the ABA is demonstrating its commitment to its members, particularly the
lawyers who have chosen to enhance their practice by seeking and achieving board certification.
Respectfully submitted,
Alice Neece Mine, Chair
February 2015
2