Please review the general requirements for certification and continued certification, as well as the standards for Child Welfare Law.

SUMMARY OF STANDARDS

LICENSURE

Licensed and in good standing to practice law in North Carolina as of the date of application.

SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT IN CHILD WELFARE LAW

During the five years preceding application:

Average of at least 500 hours a year.

Minimum of 350 hours for any one year.

Practice equivalents may be accepted for the following:

• service as a law professor for up to two years;
• service as a district court judge (who attained juvenile court certification through the AOC) for one year.

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

During the three years preceding application:

At least 36 hours of CLE credits in child welfare/juvenile law, nine of which may be in related fields.

Related fields include family law, adoption law, juvenile delinquency law, immigration law, public benefits law, ethics, education law, trial advocacy, evidence, appellate practice, and trainings on topics including implicit bias, cultural humility, disproportionality, and substance use and mental health disorders. The applicant may request recognition of an additional field as related to child welfare practice for the purpose of meeting the CLE standard.

PEER REVIEW

Must provide the names of ten lawyers or judges who are familiar with the competence and qualification of the applicant in child welfare law.

All references must be licensed and in good standing to practice law.

A reference may not be related by blood or marriage to the applicant nor may the reference be a partner or associate at the time of the application.

EXAM

Four 90-minute sessions (6 hours long)

Exam sessions begin around 8:15 am and finish prior to 5 pm.

Includes multiple-choice, short answer, and short essay questions.

Exam administered at the NC State Bar building or through a remote proctoring option.