Being a board-certified legal specialist is a distinguishable mark of accomplishment for lawyers. Lawyers in Arizona designated as certified specialists have been evaluated in a particular practice area for their knowledge, skills, integrity, and professionalism.
The Board of Governors of the State Bar of Arizona vested the Board of Legal Specialization ("BLS") the authority to determine the minimum requirements for certification. Approximately 700 have earned recognition as a board-certified specialist in the State of Arizona across eight specialty practice areas.
Out of more than 17,000 practicing attorneys in Arizona including Maricopa County and throughout the state. Approximately 700 have earned recognition as a board-certified specialist. Arizona attorneys certified as a specialist must submit to re-evaluation every five years.
The re-certification process confirms the attorney's commitment to continuing legal education and involvement in the specialty field of law.
Only attorneys in Arizona who are board certified as specialists are permitted to advertise that status as a certified specialist on business cards and letterhead, list the certification in legal directories and telephone listings, and display the certificate awarded by Arizona's Board of Legal Specialization unless their practice is admiralty or patent law.
Board-certified Arizona attorneys have met high standards to earn such a designation which gives them a distinct marketing advantage. The programs also help the public by giving them an option to find a group of attorneys who have focused on a particular practice area of the law and earned a designation for that specialization.
The Arizona Board of Legal Specialization recognizes attorneys who have submitted to the highest form of evaluation in eight (8) areas of specialization including:
Lawyer Legion maintains a statewide directory of board certified lawyers in Arizona. The public is able to browse the directory and narrow their search by specialty area, county or city to and connect with board certified lawyers to help with their case. Lawyer Legion is the only commercial lawyer directory to properly acknowledge all ABA-accredited specialization programs for both national and state-level board certifications, including those granted by the State Bar of Arizona.
Use this directory to find board certified lawyers who are specialized in their respective areas of law. Start by choosing your county from the list below.
Lawyers in Arizona designated as certified specialists have been evaluated in a particular practice area for their knowledge, skills, integrity, and professionalism.
The Board of Governors of the State Bar of Arizona vested the Board of Legal Specialization ("BLS") the authority to determine the minimum requirements for certification.
The minimum requirements are in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the BLS. For the attorney to become a certified specialist in Arizona, the attorney must meet certain minimum requirements including:
Each specialty area has additional task requirements. For instance, read more about Arizona criminal defense attorneys earning specialty certification in criminal law in Arizona or family law / divorce attorneys earning board certification for family law in Arizona.
Application for Appointment to the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization - Beginning in the spring of 2017, the form or application can be used by those wishing to be considered for appointment to the State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization or a Commission for the year July 2018 through June 2018.
The bar rules in Arizona for attorney advertising are strict. For example, only attorneys who have become board certified may refer to themselves as a legal specialist in the relevant practice area in an advertisement or communication to the public.
In fact, pursuant to ER 7.4, a lawyer is not allowed to state or imply that he or she is a specialist in a particular area of the law unless the lawyer is certified by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization or by an approved national entity.
To be approved, the national entity must have “standards for certification substantially the same as those established by the board.”
The board must have recognized the entity before the attorney may identify themself as a specialist certified by that national entity.
The Arizona Board of Legal Specialization recognizes the following national entities:
Nevertheless, the attorney may identify himself or herself as a patent attorney in Arizona if the attorney is admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
If only one lawyer in the firm is a certified specialist then the firm may not advertise as “specializing” in an area.
According to Ariz. Ethics Op. 00-01, a firm cannot make blanket statements about specialization without designating which specific members are certified.
According to Ariz. Ethics Ops. 87-11, 00-01., if the attorney is not a certified specialist, the attorney may still indicate that he or she limits or restricts his or her practice to certain fields, but the attorney may not use any derivatives of the word “special,” such as “specializing” or “special emphasis.”
According to Ariz. EthicsOp. 87-11, the attorney may not advertise himself or herself as “specializing” in commercial law and litigation or some other area for which the State Bar does not have a certified specialty.
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