The terms Subject Matter Panel and/or Experience Panel are used interchangeably and refer to a lawyer referral service area of practice panel requiring objectively determinable criteria in a particular area of law as a prerequisite to panel membership.
Subject Matter Panels are discussed in Rule X of the ABA Model Supreme Court Rules for Operation of a Lawyer Referral Service and are an integral feature of the ABA LRIS Logo and Slogan Certification Process. These clearinghouse materials provide a discussion of the rationale for subject matter panels, a how-to guide for implementing a subject matter panel program in your public service lawyer referral program, and examples of subject matter panels.