What Is Board Certification in Texas?

A Credential That Means Something

In Texas, any licensed attorney can practice in any area of law. While there are ethical limitations, there is no legal requirement that a lawyer have specific training, experience, or proven results in the area they choose to advertise. That is simply how the system works.

Board certification exists to fill that gap.

Board certification is a formal credential granted by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS), an organization established by the Texas Supreme Court in 1974. It identifies attorneys who have demonstrated special competence in a specific area of law through a rigorous, multi-step evaluation process.

It is the only credential in Texas that permits an attorney to call themselves a "specialist" or "expert" in their field. That distinction is protected by the rules of the State Bar of Texas — no other attorney may use those terms, regardless of their experience or reputation.

What It Takes to Become Board Certified

Becoming board certified is not easy, and it is not supposed to be. The process is designed to separate attorneys who have genuinely committed to a specialty area from those who simply list it on a website.

Here is what TBLS requires:

Substantial Experience

An applicant must have been in the full-time practice of law for at least five years. Beyond that, they must demonstrate "substantial involvement" in their chosen specialty for a minimum of three to five years preceding their application. In many trial specialties, this means devoting at least 25% to 30% of their practice to that specific area — and it must include meaningful, hands-on work, not just peripheral involvement.

Advanced Legal Education

The attorney must complete at least 60 hours of TBLS-approved continuing legal education (CLE) in the specialty area within the three years before applying. This is significantly more than the baseline CLE required of all Texas attorneys and ensures the applicant is current on developments in their field.

Peer Review

This is one of the most distinctive features of board certification. The applicant must provide references from at least five qualified attorneys, including both judges and opposing counsel, who can attest to the applicant's competence, professionalism, and reputation in the specialty area. TBLS contacts these references directly and evaluates their responses.

No other legal credential in Texas includes this kind of formal, independent peer evaluation.

Written Examination

The applicant must pass a rigorous, daylong written examination designed to test not just foundational knowledge but advanced applications of the law in complex, real-world scenarios. This exam is specific to the specialty area and is considered one of the most challenging professional examinations in the legal field.

Maintaining the Credential

Earning board certification is only the beginning. The credential is valid for five years, after which the attorney must go through a formal recertification process. Recertification requires the attorney to demonstrate continued substantial involvement in the specialty area and complete 100 hours of approved specialty CLE during the five-year cycle.

This ongoing requirement ensures that board certified attorneys stay current with changes in the law. It prevents the credential from becoming a one-time achievement that an attorney can coast on indefinitely.

Who Can Use the Title?

Under the rules of the State Bar of Texas, only board certified attorneys are permitted to publicly represent themselves as "specialists" or "experts" in a specific area of law. Any attorney can say they "handle" certain types of cases or "focus on" a particular area. But the terms "specialist," "expert," and "board certified" are reserved exclusively for attorneys who have earned the TBLS credential.

This matters because it gives the public a clear, enforceable standard. When you see "Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization," you know that title has been earned through a defined, verifiable process — not simply claimed.