To identify lawyers who practice civil trial law and have the special knowledge, skills, and proficiency, as well as the character, ethics, and reputation for professionalism, to be properly identified to the public as board certified in civil trial law.
Who may apply?
Minimum standards for civil trial law certification, provided in Rule 6-4.3, include:
Practice of law for at least five years;
Substantial involvement in the specialty of civil trial law — 50% or more — during the three years immediately preceding application;
Handling of at least 15 contested civil cases, including cases before juries as lead counsel and as trier of fact on some or all of the issues;
50 hours of approved civil trial law certification continuing legal education in the three years immediately preceding application;
Peer review; and,
A written examination.
Becoming Board Certified
All applicants for board certification or recertification should carefully read the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar to be sure you have met each of the requirements prior to filing your application. Unless the rules provide for a waiver of a specific requirement, each of the requirements must be met by the dates indicated in the rule.
NEW APPLICANTS
The application filing period runs July 1-August 31 of a given year to determine eligibility to sit for the exam in March of the subsequent year (see calendar for details). Applications must be postmarked by August 31. Eligible applicants who pass the exam will be officially certified in June.
REAPPLICANTS
If you’re eligible to sit for the exam from a previous application, you may file the short application.
All applications for recertification must be postmarked by midnight May 31 at the conclusion of the 5-year period of certification. All requirements for recertification are to be completed by this date. June 1 after the fifth year of certification is the effective date of recertification.
A single, 3-month recertification file extension will be granted if accompanied by a properly executed application for extension and payment of the appropriate fee.
