ABA Accredited Specialty Certification Programs
The ABA accredits 18 lawyer certification programs offered by 8 national certifying organizations.
State Certification
State sponsored certification plans and areas of specialization and states which accredit ABA accredited specialty certification programs.
Case Law
View case law related to ABA and State sponsored specialty certification programs and plans, and legal specialization.
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
Rule 7.2 relates to advertising and communicating legal specialization to consumers. An article by McNeel explores The Ethical Connsiderations in Marketing and Advertising Specialization. Each state has specific rules governing how lawyers may communicate their certification. Be sure to contact state representatives for more information regarding lawyer certification rules in that state.
ABA Specialization Committee Accreditation Resources
Find out more about accreditation and reaccreditation of lawyer specialty certification programs.
History and Rationale for Legal Specialization
View articles explaining the history and rationale for legal specialization.
Report: Lawyer Specialty Certification by the Numbers
View a statistical overview of specialization from 1996 to 2012.
ABA Legal Specialization Roundtables
The Committee hosts in-person and virtual roundtables, which bring together representatives from state certification programs and national certifying organizations to discuss topics of board certification, marketing, public awareness and standards.
