What is a Board-Certified Specialist and why is it important?
The State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization was established in 1994 to “assist in the delivery of legal services to the public by identifying to the public those lawyers who have demonstrated special knowledge, skill, and proficiency in a specific field, so that the public can more closely match its needs with available services…” The Board certifies attorneys in 13 areas of law: appellate practice, bankruptcy law, criminal law (including juvenile delinquency), elder law, estate planning and probate law, family law, immigration law, privacy and information security law, real property law, social security disability law, trademark law, utilities law and workers’ compensation law.
“Hiring a board certified legal specialist helps to ensure that your lawyer is proficient in the specialty legal field in which you have a legal need. When you are looking for a lawyer, you can use board certification to identify lawyers who are qualified to represent you.”
How do I find a Board-Certified Specialist?
The Board of Legal Specialization maintains a directory of legal specialists by city and area of law. It also allows members of the public to search for an attorney nearby who is board certified in a particular specialty. The Board also publishes a newsletter for board-certified specialists.
“Board certification is an indication that the lawyer has intentionally focused his or her legal practice to improve the proficiency and quality of the lawyer’s legal services and to stay current in the specialty field. A lawyer who is certified as a specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization has satisfied a number of rigorous standards for certification in the lawyer’s specialty field…”
What is a Board-Certified Specialist in NC Workers’ Compensation Law?
The Board certifies attorneys in the area of NC workers’ compensation law who represent injured workers or their employers. Workers’ compensation claims typically involve medical and wage replacement benefits arising out of on-the-job injuries or occupational diseases. Claims are heard before the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
The requirements to be initially certified in NC workers’ compensation law are:
- Have been licensed to practice law at least five years, at least the last three in in North Carolina.
- For the past five years have averaged at least 500 hours a year with a minimum of 400 hours for any one year of involvement in workers’ comp law.
- During the past three years have attended at least 36 hours of continuing legal education in the field of workers’ compensation law or related areas of law. Related areas of law may include: civil trials and procedure, evidence, insurance, mediation, medical injuries, medicine or anatomy, labor and employment law, Social Security disability law, and long-term disability or Medicaid/Medicare law.
- Provide ten references from lawyers, Industrial Commission commissioners or deputy commissioners, or judges who can speak to the applicant’s competence and qualifications in the area of workers’ compensation law.
- Pass a six-hour exam.
The certification is good for five years. At the end of that time, the NC workers’ comp specialist must be re-certified, which requires a showing of continued substantial involvement in NC workers’ compensation law, continued attendance at continuing legal education on workers’ compensation related topics for at least twelve hours per year on average and satisfy a peer review requirement.
“Board certification, unlike the self-laudatory information in advertising and marketing, is a credential that you can rely upon because it is based upon objective criteria.”
About Board-Certified NC Workers’ Compensation Attorney Kevin Bunn
Kevin Bunn is Board-Certified Specialist in North Carolina workers’ compensation law. Kevin represents injured North Carolina workers statewide as well as workers injured out of state working for a North Carolina company. His office is located in Cary, North Carolina, in the Research Triangle Park area.
