What is a Board Certified Attorney?
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Why Board Certification?
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In the medical profession, many hospitals forbid doctors to practice
without proof of board certification in their specialty. Administrators
realize the value of independent screening of credentials and
experience. Consumers are therefore afforded added confidence that the
doctors treating their conditions are well and truly qualified. And
because of its widespread acceptance, most people seeking medical
assistance are unlikely to hire uncertified physicians.
Before the NBTA's founding in 1977 no such mechanism existed for
lawyers. Potential clients were forced to rely on word of mouth or
advertisements when seeking help in situations often as dire as failing
health. The problem was (and remains) that lawyers admitted to their
state bar were (and still are) free to accept cases in any area of the
law.
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Lawyers Specialize
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As with the medical profession where the body of knowledge is so
large that it's impossible for one doctor to remain current in all areas
of specialty, the body of law has grown so large and complex that
attorneys can no longer be all things to all people.
But unlike the medical profession, which has embraced specialization
and specialty certification, the legal profession has been slow to
acknowledge publicly what it has known for years: nearly all lawyers
specialize but do so without substantiation beyond
"reputation" or simply saying it's so.
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Truth in Advertising
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| Unfortunately, not all who claim expertise possess the
experience and competence implied by their declarations or ads. Founder
Theodore I. Koskoff and several other nationally renowned attorneys
formed the National Board of Trial Advocacy in response to this
situation and out of a deeply held conviction that the law profession
and its clients would benefit from an organization dedicated to
establishing objective standards by which to measure experience and
expertise.
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Becoming Board Certified
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| That dedication to achieving and maintaining a high
standard of practice and to leveling the playing field for clients is
shared by those who obtain National Board of Trial Advocacy
certification. Certificate holders undergo a thorough screening of their
credentials, including: documentation of their experience, judicial and
peer references, an exam, and they must report all disciplinary matters
brought before any official body, whether public or private, for
scrutiny by the NBTA Standards Committee.
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Staying Board Certified
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| Possessing the NBTA certificate means that the attorney
has been held to a higher standard of professional and personal conduct.
NBTA lawyers maintain active trial practices and are required to submit
a disclosure of misconduct annually and, at the end of each five-year
term, prove once again they meet the standards for recertification.
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Demand Experience
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| All trial lawyers are not created equal. Don't settle for
someone else's word when you require a lawyer's services. Demand an NBTA
board certified attorney. There is no substitute. |
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| Copyright 1977-1999 National Board of
Trial Advocacy. All Rights Reserved. Reuse/reprint of any material
contained within this web site in any medium is by permission only.
Reprinted with permission. |
