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What does it mean to be Board Certified in Civil Trial Law?
A lawyer who is a member in good standing of The Florida Bar and who meets the standards prescribed by the state's Supreme Court may become board certified in one or more of the 20 certification fields. Minimum requirements for certification are listed below; each area of certification may contain higher or additional standards
- A minimum of five years in law practice
- A satisfactory showing of substantial involvement in the field of law for which certification is sought
- A passing grade on the examination required of all applicants
- Satisfactory peer review assessment of competence in the specialty field as well as character, ethics and professionalism in the practice of law
- Certified lawyers in civil trial law deal with litigation of civil controversies in all areas of substantive law before state and federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitrators. In addition to actual pretrial and trial process, civil trial law includes evaluating, handling and resolving civil controversies prior to the initiation of suit. Every board certified civil trial lawyer has practiced law for at least five years and been substantially involved -- 30 percent or more -- in the area of civil trial law during the three years preceding application.
To be certified, the lawyer is required to have conducted at least 15 contested civil cases in courts of general jurisdiction during the lawyer's practice, including cases before a jury and as lead counsel. Credit is given to the lawyer if he or she has served as a judge. Each certified lawyer must also have passed peer review, completed 50 hours of continuing legal education within the three years preceding application and passed a written examination demonstrating knowledge, skills and proficiency in the field of civil trial law to justify the representation of special competence.
Board certification is valid for five years, during which time the attorney must continue to practice law and attend Florida Bar-approved continuing legal education courses. To be recertified, requirements similar to those for initial certification must be met.
Board certified lawyers are specialists who meet Florida’s high legal standards. Testing and peer review verify their qualifications. Certified attorneys are the only lawyers allowed to identify or advertise themselves as "Florida Bar Board Certified," as “specialists” or as “experts.”
David Gorewitz P.A.
Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
Established in 1982 by the Florida Supreme Court, Board Certification enables consumers to identify attorneys who are qualified specialists. Certification is the highest level of recognition by The Florida Bar of the competency and experience of attorneys in the areas of law approved for certification by the Supreme Court of Florida.
As of June, 2006, approximately 1,097 of Florida’s 76,000 lawyers were board certified in Civil Trial Law, less than 1.5% of the Florida Bar.