LA Board of Legal Specialization is accepting requests for applications

The LBLS is accepting applications for certification in five (5) specializations — appellate practice, estate planning and administration, family law, health law, and tax law from November 1, 2019 through February 28, 2020. The LBLS will be accepting applications for business bankruptcy law and consumer bankruptcy law certification from January 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020.

In accordance with the Plan of Legal Specialization, a Louisiana State Bar Association member in good standing who has been engaged in the practice of law on a full-time basis for a minimum of five (5) years may apply for certification. Further requirements are that each year a minimum percentage of the attorney’s practice must be devoted to the area of certification sought, passing a written examination to demonstrate sufficient knowledge, skills and proficiency in the area for which certification is sought and five (5) favorable references. Peer review shall be used to determine that an applicant has achieved recognition as having a level of competence indicating proficient performance handling the usual matters in the specialty field. Please refer to the LBLS Rules and Regulations and standards for the applicable specialty for a more detailed description of the requirements for application. https://www.lsba.org/documents/Specialization/RulesRegulationsofLegalSpecialization.pdf

In addition to the above, applicants must meet a minimum CLE requirement for the year in which application is made and the examination is administered:

• Appellate Practice – 15 hours of appellate practice
• Estate Planning and Administration Law — 18 hours of estate planning and administration
• Family Law — 18 hours of family law
• Health Law – 15 hours of health law
• Tax Law — 18 hours of tax law
• Bankruptcy Law — CLE is regulated by the American Board of Certification, the testing agency

Approved specialization CLE courses can be viewed on the LBLS Approved Course Calendar at https://www.lsba.org/MCLE/MCLECalendar.aspx?L=S. Check off your specialization and click on “Search Courses” to find approved specialization CLE.

With regard to applications for business bankruptcy law and consumer bankruptcy law certification, although the written test(s) is administered by the American Board of Certification, attorneys should apply for approval of the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization simultaneously with the testing agency in order to avoid delay of board certification by the LBLS. Information concerning the American Board of Certification will be provided with the application form(s). Anyone interested in applying for certification should contact LBLS Specialization Director, Mary Ann Wegmann, email maryann.wegmann@lsba.org, or call (504) 619-0128