Houston DWI Attorney

TEXAS BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALIZATION

What is a Criminal Law Board Certified Attorney?

The consumer can identify a Criminal Law Board Certified attorney in one of many ways. A Criminal Law Board Certified attorney is entitled to indicate certification on business cards and letterhead by stating "Board Certified - Criminal Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization." The attorney may also display the Certificate of Special Competence awarded by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and list the certification in legal directories and telephone listings under "Attorneys - Board Certified." Initial certification is valid for a period of five years. To remain certified, an attorney must apply for recertification every five years and meet practice, peer review and continuing legal education requirements for the specialty field. An attorney who is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law must have experience in the preparation and trial of serious criminal matters. The attorney must also have extensive knowledge of state and federal constitutional law, evidence, procedure and penal laws involved in the trial of these matters. A relatively small percentage of all Texas lawyers are board certified in a particular area of specialization.

To become Board Certified in Criminal Law, an attorney must have:

Been licensed to practice law for at least five years
Devoted a required percentage of practice to criminal law for at least three years
Handled a wide variety of criminal law matters to demonstrate experience and involvement
Attended criminal law continuing education seminars regularly to keep legal training up to date
Been evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges
Passed a day-long written examination covering state & federal criminal law

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization was created by, and operates under the authority of, the Supreme Court of Texas. Its members are appointed by the President of the State Bar of Texas. The Board administers the program by which an attorney may earn a certificate of special competence in a particular field of law. The program is voluntary and is funded entirely by fees imposed on participating attorneys.

Unfortunately, the board does not have a certification specific to the field of drinking and driving. However, rest assured that a board certified lawyer will provide you with the finest representation available in the State of Texas. Tad Nelson has been a board certified defense attorney since December 1996, and is committed to upholding the standards and guidelines set forth by the board.

For more information please write to:
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
P.O. Box 12487
Austin, Texas 78711-2487

Or visit their website:
http://www.tbls.org

Or call:
(512) 463-1454
(800) 204-2222 ext. 1454
Fax: (512) 477-7719