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Copyright © 2009 - 2010
The Gilbert G. Garcia Law Firm,
Principal Offices in Conroe, Texas.

Board Certification is a voluntary designation program for attorneys and paralegals. Initial certification is valid for a period of five years. To remain certified, an attorney and paralegal must apply for recertification every five years and meet substantial involvement, peer review and continuing legal education requirements for the specialty area.

To become Board Certified in a specialty area, an attorney must have:

• Been licensed to practice law for at least five years;
• Devoted a required percentage of practice to a specialty area for at least three years;
• Handled a wide variety of matters in the area to demonstrate experience and involvement;
• Attended continuing education seminars regularly to keep legal training up to date;
• Been evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges;
• Passed a 6-hour written examination.

TBLS currently certifies attorneys in the following 20 specialty areas of the law:
Administrative, Business Bankruptcy, Civil Appellate, Civil Trial, Consumer Bankruptcy, Consumer and Commercial, Criminal, Estate Planning and Probate, Family, Health, Immigration and Nationality, Juvenile, Labor and Employment, Oil, Gas and Mineral, Personal Injury Trial, Commercial Real Estate, Residential Real Estate, Farm and Ranch Real Estate, Tax and Workers' Compensation Law.

Listed below is a brief description of the types of matters and expertise defined by each of our specialty areas.

• Certified Administrative Law specialists have handled contested cases before state or federal regulatory agencies. They are knowledgeable of the statutes and rules under which the agencies operate and have provided advice as to the impact of the statutes and rules on individuals and companies.
• Certified Business Bankruptcy Law specialists can represent business debtors and creditors in all areas which involve the Bankruptcy Code and other aspects of debtor/creditor relations.
• Certified Civil Appellate Law specialists have handled many aspects of matters in the appellate courts of the state. They are knowledgeable of the rules that govern appeals of civil cases and have prepared briefs and performed oral argument in those appeals.
• Certified Civil Trial Law specialists have participated in the preparation and trial of significant civil cases. They are familiar with the negotiation and pre-trial process, as well as with the rules of evidence, procedure, and other substantial law involved in these civil cases.
• Certified Consumer Bankruptcy Law specialists can represent non-business debtors and creditors in all areas of bankruptcy including debtor/creditor relations affected by bankruptcy and debt adjustment.
• Certified Consumer and Commercial Law specialists have counseled and represented clients in matters involving the purchase or lease of goods and services by consumers and are familiar with the various federal and state laws which affect these transactions. Consumers may be any persons or entities, including in some instances businesses or business consumers.
• Certified Criminal Law specialists have experience in the preparation and trial of serious criminal matters. They have extensive knowledge of state and federal constitutional law, evidence, procedure and penal laws involved in these matters.
• Certified Estate Planning & Probate Law specialists have dealt with the analysis, planning and disposition of property owned by clients. They have prepared various documents, such as wills, trusts, and business agreements. They have dealt with different types of probate procedures. They are familiar with the tax laws that govern these matters.
• Certified Family Law specialists have participated in the contested trial of cases involving matters such as divorce, property division, child custody, child support, adoption, paternity or other matrimonial matters.
• Certified Health Law specialists have experience with the health care industry and the application of federal, state, and local law, rules, and regulations to health care patients, providers, payors, and vendors in the health care industry. They have handled matters involving delivery of health care services with an emphasis on operations, regulatory and transactional legal issues which are involved in the industry.
• Certified Immigration and Nationality Law specialists have dealt with the various procedures by which foreign citizens may remain in , or become citizens, of the United States. They have dealt with the rules, documents and proceedings of the federal agencies that deal with these matters, primarily the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
• Certified Juvenile Law specialists have handled matters that involve the rights and obligations of youths and the procedures involved in the probationary and correctional systems for youths.
• Certified Labor and Employment Law specialists are familiar with the various state and federal laws which govern the rights and obligations of employees, businesses, and labor organizations in the workplace.
• Certified Oil, Gas, & Mineral Law specialists have advised clients as to the acquisition, ownership, and leasing of oil, gas and other mineral interests. They have dealt with the title to and surface use of property and the documents, statutes and rules that affect these interests.
• Certified Personal Injury Trial Law specialists have handled various aspects (including jury trials) of matters such as vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, or defective products which cause physical or mental injury to a person.
• Certified Real Estate Law specialists have experience with the statutes and regulations governing the acquisition, transfer and use of land and improvements on the land. Residential Real Estate deals with matters affecting homes, Commercial Real Estate with matters involving business operations, and Farm and Ranch Real Estate with matters involving agriculture.
• Certified Tax Law specialists have dealt primarily with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code dealing with the imposition and collection of taxes. They have advised clients as to their rights and responsibilities regarding taxes, and have prepared various documents in furtherance of that advice. They are also familiar with the procedure for contesting proposed and assessed taxes.
• Certified Workers' Compensation Law specialists have dealt primarily with the rights and duties of employees, employers, health care providers, and insurance carriers involved in matters arising out of the Texas Workers' Compensation Act, and also with matters involving workers' compensation claim disputes adjudicated under the Administrative Procedure Act.

There are currently 8,364 board certified attorneys in Texas:

What are the benefits of becoming Board Certified?

Professionalism - Certification promotes the availability, accessibility and quality of legal services. It also increases proficiency and encourages attorneys and paralegals to achieve high standards of professional excellence.

Professional Recognition - Recognition from the public and the legal community for having attained a certain level of experience and skill as a specialist . Although not always determinative, the Board Certification is one factor clients consider when selecting an attorney and other attorneys weigh when making referrals.

National Recognition - TBLS currently has the largest number of certified attorneys in the nation. TBLS was the first state-associated program to certify paralegals in specialty areas.
 TexasBoardCertified.com is a premier, interactive Texas website designed to connect you to Board Certified Attorneys who practice in your county or region. Forget about sifting through the yellow pages with a magnifying glass looking for which attorney is or is not Board Certified.

Attorneys have been certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as having a "special competence" in relation to a particular area of the law. Attorneys can be Board Certified in one or more of seventeen (17) different areas of the law. The decision to become Board Certified is voluntary. The certification process may take eight to nine months from the initial application to notification of test results. There are limitations on how often an attorney may reapply to become board certified. The designation "Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization" means your attorney is recognized as having experience and involvement in a particular area of the law. For more information see Frequently Asked Questions.

Frequently Asked Questions...

What are the requirements to be a Board Certified attorney?
          The requirements are:
          1. At least five (5) years practice in the State of Texas.
          2. A required percentage of practice in the area of specialty for 3 years preceding application.
          3. Experience in a wide variety of matters related to that specialty.
          4. Evaluation by Judges before whom the attorney has appeared.
          5. Evaluation by fellow attorneys, either as co-counsel or adversaries.
          6. Pass a day long written examination.

How many Board Certified attorneys are there in the State of Texas?
Currently there are 6481. This represents slightly less than 10% of all attorneys in the State.

Are there on going requirements to keep certification?
Yes. Board certified attorneys must remain in good standing with the State Bar of Texas and must attend 100 hours of Continuing Legal Education programs in their specialty within five years from certification. The certification is reviewed every five years by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Do I need a Board Certified attorney?
The decision to seek out a Board Certified attorney is personal to the person with the legal problem. If your situation is serious, whether civil or criminal, a Board Certified attorney may put your mind at ease. You will not have to ask, "Have you handled this type of case before?"

Is It Important To Hire a Texas Lawyer Who Specializes In Criminal Law? 
The legal profession covers a vast expanse of information and procedures which differ in various areas. No one person can be familiar with all of those areas. If you are charged with a criminal offense, you don't want an attorney who is trying to get up-to-speed in criminal law. Not only will it probably cost more for him to spend the research time, but his representation will very likely be inferior to an attorney who practices in this area every day. It is like asking a house painter to paint your portrait. He has the paint. He can get the tools, but the result probably won't justify the fee. You are likely to receive far superior results from a lawyer who specializes in criminal law and is Board Certified in that area. When your life...your freedom...and your reputation are in jeopardy, you need the best lawyer you can find! Texas Board Certified Lawyer Gilbert G. Garcia 

A Texas Board Certified lawyer is an attorney who has demonstrated special competence in a particular area of legal practice in which the Texas Board of Legal Specialization has certified their competence.

A Texas lawyer who is Board Certified in Criminal Law must have experience in the trial of serious criminal matters and the preparation of such cases for trial. They must have extensive knowledge of state and federal constitutional law, evidence, procedure, and penal laws involved in the trial of criminal cases.

For more information on Board of Certification Contact Gilbert Garcia today at 936-756-3333.