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Becoming a Legal Specialist

Certification is granted for a period of five years. To be recertified, a lawyer must again demonstrate that he or she is substantially involved in the practice area; attend CLE seminars in the practice area; and be favorably evaluated by peers.

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Important Dates

The application period for 2013 is May 1, 2013, through June 30, 2013. The 2013 *tentative exam schedule is listed below:

Friday, September 20
Elder Law

Friday, October 4, 2013
Family Law

Thursday, October 10, 2013
Bankruptcy Law (additional time on 10/11 for those taking both sub-specialties)

Friday, October 11, 2013
Appellate Practice (View CLE course options)
Criminal Law (including juvenile delinquency)
Immigration Law
Real Property Law (additional time on 10/10 for those taking both sub-specialties)

Friday, October 18, 2013
Trademark Law

Friday, November 1, 2013
Estate Planning and Probate Law
Social Security Law
Workers’ Compensation Law

*Due to the State Bar relocating to our new building, the exam schedule is tentative at this time. Please check back regularly for any changes until the schedule is finalized.

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Examination Locations

All examinations will be held at the *NEW* State Bar building in Raleigh at 217 E. Edenton Street.

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Forms

Certification applications will be available on April 30, 2013.

Recertification applications will be available June 30, 2013.

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Cost for Certification

The initial application must be accompanied by a check for $250. If approved to sit for the examination, the applicant must pay a $150 examination fee. Certification is effective for five years. At the end of five years, a specialist must apply for recertification. There is a $250 fee for recertification. The standards for recertification are similar to the standards for initial certification but no written examination is required. Specialists also pay a $100 annual fee.

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Specific Application Requirements for Each Specialty

Although the requirements vary from one specialty area to the next, the minimum standards for certification as a specialist include the following:

(1) the applicant must be licensed and in good standing to practice law in North Carolina;

(2) the applicant must be substantially involved in the practice area, usually for a minimum of five years;

(3) the applicant must take a certain number of continuing legal education credits in the specialty area during the three years prior to application;

(4) the applicant must make a satisfactory showing of qualification in the specialty through peer review

(5) the applicant must achieve a satisfactory score on a written examination in the practice area.

The standards for certification in these practice areas are set forth in
27 NCAC Subchapter D, Sections .2100 through .3100.

• Real Property Law - Section .2100
• Bankruptcy Law - Section .2200
  (Click Here for information regarding the bankruptcy specialization exams and the alliance between the NC Board and the American Board of Certification.)
• Estate Planning and Probate Law - Section .2300
• Family Law - Section .2400
• Criminal Law (including Juvenile Delinquency) - Section .2500
• Immigration Law - Section .2600
• Workers' Compensation Law - Section .2700
• Social Security Disability Law - Section .2800
• Elder Law - Section .2900
  (Click Here for information regarding the elder law specialization exams and the alliance between the NC Board and the National Elder Law Foundation)
• Appellate Practice - Section .3000
• Trademark - Section .3100