Stewart Law Offices’ attorney Marcus Spake is a board-certified workers’ compensation specialist. But what does this mean? If you’re not sure, you’re not alone. The North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization recently released results from its public awareness survey, finding that most people are unaware of what legal specialization means. 55% of respondents reported that they were not aware legal specialization is not required.
Here is what you should know about board certification and how it can impact your case.
What Does Board Certification Mean?
Lawyers must follow very specific ethical rules regarding advertising. According to these rules, a lawyer cannot call themselves a specialist unless they are certified by an appropriate certifying organization. In North Carolina, this organization is the North Carolina State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization.
The North Carolina State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization says that its objective certification process fulfills its mission to protect the public by “providing relevant, truthful, and reliable information to consumers of legal services.” Furthermore, board certification allows consumers to find and identify lawyers with relevant experience and skill in certain practice areas.
What Does It Take to Be Board Certified?
The specific criteria for being board-certified depends on the practice area. However, the minimum standards for board certification include the applicant to:
- Be licensed and in good standing to practice law in the state
- Be involved in the practice area, usually for at least five years
- Achieve a satisfactory score on a written test in the specific practice area
- Spend at least 25% of their time in the practice area
- Make a satisfactory showing of qualification in the practice area through peer review
- Take a certain number of continuing legal education credits in the practice area within the previous three years
Lawyers must renew their board certification every five years.
What Board Certification Means for You
The North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization says that hiring a board-certified legal specialist ensures that your lawyer is proficient in a specialty area and is qualified to represent you in that area. It also states that board certification indicates the lawyer has intentionally focused their legal practice to improve their proficiency and the quality of their legal services. Furthermore, it asserts that consumers can rely on this credential because it is objective, rather than boastful advertising in an attorney’s advertising materials.
According to the legal specialization public awareness survey, 63% of survey respondents said they would hire a board-certified specialist over a lawyer with more years of experience. Board-certified specialists are in high demand, so it is critical to contact one as soon as possible if you have a legal need in a specialty area.
Learn More When You Work with a Board-Certified Attorney
Marcus Spake is proud to be a board-certified specialist in workers’ compensation law. He is committed to providing dedicated legal services to his clients and continuing to expand his knowledge and experience in the area of workers’ compensation law. Learn more about his qualifications and how he can help you with your claim when you contact Stewart Law Offices today for a free case review.
