Standing Committee on Specialization

About Us

The ABA Standing Committee on Specialization accredits private organizations that certify lawyers as specialists. Through the review of applications for accreditation and reaccreditation using the Standards for Accreditation of Specialty Certification Programs For Lawyers, the Standing Commitee makes recommendations to the ABA House of Delegates.

The Standing Committee on Specialization accredits 16 certification programs conducted by 8 different private organizations. A listing of these organizations can be found here. 

We hope these pages will help you discover and understand the growing movement toward lawyer specialty certification. For a history of the Committee and Lawyer Specialization, download this free PDF: A Concise Guide to Lawyer Specialty Certification.

Meet the Committee

Chair
Steven Lesser (2023)
Becker & Poliakoff
Ft. Lauderdale

Ernestina R. Cruz (2022)
Cruz Law Office LLC
Taos, NM

Samuel Edmunds (2021)
Sieben Edmunds Miller PLLC
Saint Paul, MN

Leo Figueroa (2021)
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Austin, TX

Shannon Hartsfield (2021)
Holland & Knight LLP
Tallahassee, FL

Melissa S. May (Advisor)
Indiana Court of Appeals
Indianapolis, IN

Heather Linn Rosing (2023)
Klinedinst PC
San Diego, CA

Steven D. Rubin, B.C.S. (2022)
Boca Raton, FL

Board of Governors Liaison
Lynn Fontaine Newsome (2021)
Newsome O'Donnell LLC
Florham Park, NJ

Staff Director
Erin Ruehrwein
Chicago, IL

Specialization

Lawyers

Find state specialization plans and ABA-accredited certification programs on our Certification page.

• A current listing of lawyer specialty certification programs sources offered to lawyers in various parts of the country.
• Standards for Specialty Certification Programs for Lawyers
• Governing Rules for Accreditation

While attorneys may be certified by state or private certification program, each state has specific rules governing how lawyers may communicate their certification. Be sure to check each state’s rules and contact the state representatives for more information regarding publicizing specialization certifications.

Legal Specialty Groups

Interested in starting a program and obtaining accreditation? Please email Erin Ruehrwein at Erin.Ruehrwein@americanbar.org. 

Consumers

• Your Lawyer and Specialist Certification

Resources

Directory

• Find a Certification Program

Publications

• A Concise Guide to Lawyer Specialization Certification
• Lawyer Specialty Certification by the Numbers

Decisions and Analysis

• History of Attorney Specialization in Indiana
• Peel v. Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, 496 U.S. 91 (1990)
• Hayes v. New York Attorney Grievance Committee (2d. Cir., March 5, 2012)
• Searcy v. The Florida Bar (N.D. Fla., September 30, 2015)
• Thomas Sartwelle, Your Doctor is Board Certified. Is Your Lawyer? The Professional Lawyer, vol. 20, no. 4 (2011).
• Gary McNeil, Ethical Considerations in Marketing and Advertising Specialization

Policy

ABA Policy

• Standards for Specialty Certification Programs for Lawyers
• Accreditation of Specialty Certification Programs for Lawyers - Governing Rules

Related Material

• Model Rules of Professional Responsibility Rule 7.4