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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 2010 is May 1, 2010, through June 30, 2010. The 2010 exams will take place on November 3 and 4, 2010.

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Examination Locations

Examinations will be held at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh on November 3, 2010, and at the State Bar Building in Raleigh on November 4, 2010. Applicants can also choose to take the exam in an alternative location - Charlotte (dates TBD).

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Forms

Application forms for certification and recertification

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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 .2900.

• 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 - 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)