01/08/2018

OSBA Attorneys Certified as Specialists

Twenty-three were recognized for specializing in seven legal practice areas

The Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) today announced that it has newly certified 23 lawyers as specialists in seven legal practice areas. (A list of names is attached to this release). They join a total of 703 OSBA Certified Attorneys in various specialty areas.

All attorneys licensed to practice law in Ohio must have graduated from an accredited law school, passed an intensive examination and attend continuing legal education courses as required by the Supreme Court of Ohio. Attorneys who devote a large part of their practice to a particular area of the law may choose to go beyond these requirements to earn specialty certification.

“Attorneys who are certified as specialists in a particular area of law have an additional professional credential and they stand out to clients,” said OSBA President Randall Comer. “By meeting the requirements and maintaining their certification, these lawyers hone and strengthen their practice skills. The OSBA congratulates them on their achievements.”

Attorneys seeking certification must satisfy several criteria: demonstrate substantial and continuing involvement in a particular field of law, meaning they must devote at least 25 percent of their practice to that area of law; submit five professional references attesting to their competency in the specialty area; have earned a minimum of 36 hours of intermediate or advanced continuing legal education (CLE) credits in the specialty area during the past three years as part of the CLE hours required of all attorneys; pass a written examination; prove financial responsibility by maintaining minimum professional liability insurance coverage and remain in good standing with the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Attorneys who have earned specialty certification must file annual reports attesting to compliance with program requirements. Additionally, they must be recertified every four to seven years by meeting all of the original requirements for certification except the written examination.

“I am very honored to be a newly certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law,” said Franklin County attorney Bradley Glover. “While the certification test was challenging, I certainly believe it was worth the time and effort and I would definitely encourage my fellow practitioners to consider pursuing this opportunity for themselves.”

Cuyahoga County attorney Max Rieker, certified specialist in labor and employment law, said that going through the steps to obtain certification has already helped advance his practice: “I have every reason to believe that it will further my practice for years to come. Plus, the process has given me a whole new respect for those who have been certified previously.”

The Supreme Court of Ohio established a Commission on Certification of Attorneys as Specialists to identify specialties and set minimum standards for specialty certification. The Commission accredits the certifying agencies of which the OSBA is the largest in the state.

The OSBA is currently accredited to certify specialists in 11 areas of law: administrative agency; appellate; elder; estate planning, trust and probate; family relations; federal taxation; insurance coverage; labor and employment; business; commercial and industrial real property; residential real property and workers’ compensation.

Attorneys who wish to become certified in 2018 can apply for certification online through the OSBA website at www.ohiobar.org between January and June.