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State Sources of Certification

State Sponsored Certification Programs

These entities offer certification of specialists directly in various fields of law to lawyers licensed in their state.

State Bar of Arizona Legal Specialization and MCLE
Randal Westbury, Board of Legal Specialization Administrator
4201 N. 24th Street Suite 100
Phoenix, Arizona 85016-6266
Phone: 602/340-7326
Specialty Programs: Administrative, Bankruptcy, Criminal Law, Estate and Trust, Family Law, Injury & Wrongful Death, Real Estate, Taxation, Workers' Compensation

State Bar of California Department of Legal Specialization
Adrian Galang, Program Supervisor
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, California 94105
Phone: 415/538-2115
Specialty Programs: Admiralty and Maritime; Appellate; Bankruptcy; Criminal; Estate Planning, Trust & Probate; Family; Franchise and Distribution; Immigration & Nationality; Legal Malpractice; Taxation; Workers' Compensation

Connecticut State Bar Association
Thomas A. Genung, Attorney
30 Bank Street
New Britain, Connecticut 06050-0350
Phone: 860/612-2033
Specialty Programs:  The Connecticut Bar Association's Standing Committee on Workers' Compensation for workers' compensation law; The Connecticut Bar Association's Standing Committee on Residential Real Estate for residential real estate law

The Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education
Maritza McGill, Director
661 E. Jefferson Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2300
Phone: 850/561-5735
Specialty Programs:
Adoption Law; Admiralty & Maritime; Antitrust & Trade Regulation; Appellate Practice; Aviation; Business Litigation; City, County and Local Government; Civil Trial; Construction Law; Criminal Appellate; Criminal Trial; Education Law; Elder Law; Health Law; Immigration & Nationality; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor & Employment Law; Marital & Family Law; Real Estate; State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice; Tax; Wills, Trusts & Estates; Workers' Compensation

Indiana State Bar Association
Christine Cordial, Assistant CLE Director 
One Indiana Square, Suite 530
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Phone: 800/266-2581
Specialty Programs: Family Law; Trust & Estate
The Indiana State Bar Association is an Independent Certifying Organization (ICO) for Family Law and Trust and Estate Law.

Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization
Maryann Wegmann, Executive Director
601 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Phone: 504/619-0128
Specialty Programs:
Appellate Practice; Business Bankruptcy; Consumer Bankruptcy; Employment Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning & Administration; Family Law; Health Law; Labor Law; Tax Law

Minnesota State Bar Association - Certified Legal Specialists
Kari White, Legal Certification Director
600 Nicollet Mall #380
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Phone: 612-278-6318
Specialty Programs:
Civil Trial Law; Criminal Law; Labor and Employment Law; Real Property Law

State Bar of New Mexico
Stormy Ralstin, General Counsel
5121 Masthead Street NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
Phone: 505/797-6000
The Board of Bar Commissioners voted to implement a legal specialization program in New Mexico and the State Bar Association is in the process of implementing the program. 

New Jersey Board on Attorney Certification
Wendy L. Weiss, Staff Attorney
25 Market Street, 8th Floor North, P.O. Box 965
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Phone: 609/984-3077
Specialty Programs: Civil Trial; Criminal Trial; Matrimonial Law; Municipal Law; Workers' Compensation

North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization
Brian Oten, Executive Director
P.O. Box 25908
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611
Phone: 919/828-4620
Specialty Programs: Appellate Practice; Bankruptcy Law; Criminal Law; Elder Law; Estate Planning & Probate Law; Family Law; Immigration Law; Privacy and Information Security Law; Real Property Law; Trademark Law; Utilities Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Ohio State Bar Association
Melissa Quick, Assistant Director of Committees and Sections
P.O. Box 16562
Columbus, Ohio 43216-6562
Phone: 800/282-6556
Specialty Programs: Administrative Agency Law; Appellate Law; Elder Law; Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law; Family Relations Law; Federal Taxation Law; Insurance Coverage Law; Labor and Employment Law; Real Property - Business, Commercial and Industrial Law; Real Property - Residential Law and Workers' Compensation Law

Pennsylvania Bar Association
Tameka Altadonna
100 South Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: 800/932-0311 ext. 2280
Specialty Program: Workers' Compensation Law Certification

South Carolina Supreme Court Commission on CLE and Specialization
Mary Germack, Executive Director
950 Taylor Street, Suite 120
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Phone: 803/799-5578
Specialty Programs: Bankruptcy and Debtor/Creditor Law; Employment and Labor Law; Estate Planning & Probate Law; Taxation

Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Leo Figueroa, Executive Director
505 E. Huntland Drive, Suite 400, L.B. 28
Austin, Texas 78752
Phone: 512/453-7266
Specialty Programs: Administrative; Business Bankruptcy; Consumer Bankruptcy; Child Welfare; Civil Appellate; Civil Trial; Commercial Real Estate; Consumer and Commercial; Criminal; Construction; Estate Planning & Probate; Family; Immigration & Nationality; Juvenile; Legislative and Campaign; Labor & Employment; Oil, Gas & Mineral; Personal Injury Trial; Property Owners Association; Commercial Real Estate; Residential Real Estate; Farm and Ranch Real Estate; Tax; Worker's Compensation

Each state has specific rules governing how lawyers may communicate their certification.

Each state has specific rules governing how lawyers may communicate their certification.

State Entities that Accredit or Approve Private Certifiers

These entities accredit or approve certification programs of other, private organizations certifying lawyer specialists in their state. 

Alabama State Bar Board of Legal Specialization
M. Michelle Shaw, Executive Assistant
Phone: 334/517-2152

State Bar of California Department of Legal Specialization
Adrian Galang, Program Supervisor
Phone: 415/538-2115

State of Connecticut Judicial Branch - Legal Specialization Screening Committee
Denise K. Poncini, Counsel, Legal Services
Phone: 860/706-5120

Florida State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education
Maritza McGill, Director
Phone: 800/561-5655

Idaho State Bar 
Annette Strauser, Licensing and MCLE Administrator
Phone: 208/334-4500

Indiana Supreme Court Commission for Continuing Legal Education 
Joy Tolbert, Staff Attorney
Phone: 317/233-6928

Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization
Maryann Wegmann, Specialization Director
Phone: 504/619-0128

Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar
Aria Eee, Executive Director
Phone: 207/623-1121

Minnesota State Board of Legal Certification
Mariah Olson, Executive Assistant
Phone: 651/297-1857

State Bar of Nevada
Mary Jorgensen, Member Services Director
Phone: 702/317-1424

Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Certification of Attorneys as Specialists
Alexis Preskar, Secretary to the Commission
Phone: 614/387.9343

Pennsylvania Bar Association Review and Certifying Board
Ursula Marks, Committee Relations Coordinator
Phone: 800/932-0311, ext. 2206 

Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Leo Figueroa, Executive Director
Phone: 512/453-7266

Directory by State

A directory of certifying programs by state.