What is a State Bar Certified Legal Specialist in California?

A Certified Legal Specialist is a California attorney certified in a specific field by the State Bar of California's Board of Legal Specialization, under a programme authorised by California Rules of Court, rule 9.35. It is a formal certification requiring examination, experience, education, and peer review — not a rating, a ranking, or an award, and only a small fraction of the roll holds one.

A Certified Legal Specialist is an attorney certified in a defined field of law by the State Bar of California's Board of Legal Specialization. The programme exists under California Rules of Court, rule 9.35, which authorises the State Bar to certify specialists, and it was created to give the public an independent way to check an attorney's qualifications in a particular field. Certification is not self-declared. An attorney must pass a written examination in the specialty, demonstrate substantial involvement in that field over a period of years, complete continuing education in it, and be favourably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with their work. Certification is periodically renewed rather than granted once. This is worth distinguishing from the other labels that appear beside attorney names. It is a certification issued by the State Bar under a Supreme Court rule, not a rating produced by a directory, an award, a peer-voted list, or a paid listing — those are different things with different criteria, and some have none that are published. Only a small fraction of California attorneys hold one, which is precisely what makes it informative. California Attorney Registry shows the designation on a profile wherever the official record carries it, and labels it as a certification rather than a score.

Authority: Cal. Rules of Court, rule 9.35; State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization