Six area lawyers are among the 77 Florida lawyers who have earned Florida Bar board certification, a designation that places them among the only group of Florida lawyers who may use the terms “specialist,” “expert” or “B.C.S.” for “Board Certified Specialist” when referring to their legal credentials.
The area lawyers who earned Florida Bar board certification on June 1 are:
• Kristen Dabbs Drake, elder law, Fernandina Beach.
• Craig Dennis Feiser, appellate practice, Jacksonville.
• Melissa M. Gross-Arnold, education law, Jacksonville.
• Deborah Ann Halvorsen, civil trial, Jacksonville.
• Karen Jean Stone, education law, Jacksonville.
• Kristen Marie Van Der Linde, civil trial, Jacksonville.
Board certification is The Florida Bar's highest evaluation of attorneys' competence and experience in one or more of the 24 areas of law approved for certification by the Supreme Court of Florida.
About 4,500 attorneys are board certified.
Board certification evaluates attorneys’ knowledge, skills and proficiency in areas of law and professionalism and ethics in practice.
The Florida Bar annually certifies lawyers in two cycles, effective June 1 and Aug. 1.
The 77 newly certified lawyers attained board certification in 11 of the 12 first-cycle specialties, including adoption law and education law.
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.
The minimum requirements for certification are listed below, although each area of certification may contain higher or additional standards.
• A minimum of five years in law practice.
• Substantial involvement in the field of law for which certification is sought.
• Satisfactory peer review from other lawyers and judges to assess competence in the specialty field as well as character, ethics and professionalism in the practice of law.
• Satisfaction of the certification area’s continuing legal education requirements.
• A passing grade on the examination required of all applicants.
Board certification is valid for five years. The attorney during that time must continue to practice law and attend Florida Bar-approved continuing legal education courses. Recertification requirements are similar to those for initial certification. Not all qualified lawyers are certified, but those who are board certified have voluntarily taken the extra step to have their competence and experience evaluated.