Board Certified Criminal Defense Attorney
What Is A Board Certified Attorney?
(Reprinted from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization website,
www.TBLS.org)
Board Certification is a voluntary designation program for attorneys and legal
assistants. Initial certification is valid for a period of five years. To remain
certified, an attorney and legal assistant must apply for recertification every
five years and meet substantial involvement, peer review and continuing legal
education requirements for the specialty area.
To become Board Certified in a specialty area, an attorney must have:
- Been licensed to practice law for at least five years
- Devoted
a required percentage of practice to a specialty area for at
least three years
- Handled a wide variety of matters in the area
to demonstrate experience and involvement
- Attended continuing
education seminars regularly to keep legal training up to date
- Been
evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges
- Passed a written examination
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization was created by, and operates
under the authority of, the Supreme Court of Texas. Its members
are appointed by
the President of the State Bar of Texas. The Board administers the program
by which an attorney may earn a certificate of special competence in a particular
field of law. The program is voluntary and is funded entirely by fees imposed
on participating attorneys.
For more information contact:
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
P.O. Box 12487
Austin, Texas 78711-2487
(800) 204-2222, ext. 1454
(512) 463-1454
In 1995, Stephen Gustitis became Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas
Board of Legal Specialization. While most attorneys practice 10, 15 or 20
years to reach the experience level necessary to achieve board certification,
Mr. Gustitis
met the rigorous requirements and passed the exam after being licensed for
only five years. The most effective criminal defense lawyers are Board Certified - call today for a free consultation about your case.
