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Intellectual Property Law Certification

Purpose:

Intellectual Property Law board certification logo, colorTo identify those lawyers who practice intellectual property 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 certified intellectual property lawyers.

Who may apply?

Minimum standards for intellectual property law certification, provided in Rule 6-26.3, include:

  • Practice of law for at least five years;
  • Experience in one or more of the four areas of intellectual property law: patent prosecution, patent infringement litigation, trademark law or copyright law, in the five years immediately preceding application;
  • Substantial involvement in the specialty of intellectual property law ­— 30% or more — in the three years immediately preceding application;
  • 45 hours of approved intellectual property 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 September 1-October 31 of a given year to determine eligibility to sit for the exam in May of the subsequent year (see calendar for details). Applications must be postmarked by October 31. Eligible applicants who pass the exam will be officially certified in August.

REAPPLICANTS

If you’re eligible to sit for the exam from a previous application, you may file the short application.

Recertification

According to the rules, no certification shall last for a period longer than five years. Find out when your recertification application is due.

All applications for recertification must be postmarked by midnight July 31 at the conclusion of the 5-year period of certification. All requirements for recertification are to be completed by this date. August 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.