The Florida Bar recently certified eight Jacksonville lawyers as specialists in six areas of legal practice. Board certification recognizes attorneys special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law and professionalism and ethics in practice.
Certified attorneys are the only lawyers allowed to identify or advertise themselves as “Florida Bar Board Certified” or as 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.
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. More than 3,700 Florida lawyers are board certified. Minimum requirements for certification are:
• 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
• Satisfaction of the certification area, continuing legal education requirements.
Here are the local lawyers newly certified by The Florida Bar:
Appellate Practice Law
Sonya Harrell Hoener
Civil Trial
Donald F. Black
James Read Holland II
Criminal Trial
Oliver David Barksdale
Stephen Wayne Siegel
Health Law
Robert Henry Pritchard
Marital and Family Law
Jeffrey Allen Conner
Tax Law
Robert Scott Bernstein