Law firms often state on their websites that they “specialize” in a type of law, whether it be business litigation, personal injury or immigration.
However, most law firms are prohibited from using the word “specialized” by their respective state legal bar association. This word and other superlatives could be misleading, since there has not been a standard in place to define such distinction.
To specialize in an area of law, an attorney must be “board certified,” though this certification is still not possible for legal professionals who dedicated their careers to helping truck accident victims.
Why is Board Certification Important?
In the medical field, professionals are encouraged to become “board certified,” since medicinal knowledge is so vast that remaining current on all topics is nearly impossible and a medical professional’s lack of knowledge could endanger patients.
The same is true for lawyers. While the legal field has been slow to embrace specialization and specialty certification, a groundbreaking specialization was approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) just this week.
Beginning in September 2018, The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) – an advocacy group that facilitates the examination process – will begin accepting applications for Truck Accident Law board certification! This is a major win for the public as well as for legal professionals who have zealously represented families involved in truck crash cases.
Joseph Fried, my legal partner and co-founder of the Academy of Trucking Accident Attorneys (ATAA), has been involved in the process of seeking specialization approval for nearly three years.
“Board certification acknowledges the complexity of trucking accident litigation, which will align the best litigators throughout the country to represent their clients most effectively while simultaneously continuing our mission to change an industry which, on average, kills five or more Americans each day.”
– Joseph Fried
What is a Board Certified Attorney?
A National Board of Trial Advocacy Certified Attorney will have demonstrated skill and expertise in a particular field and proven it through rigorous examination and testing. The NBTA, along with other ABA accredited organizations, will demonstrate that certified lawyers have an enhanced level of expertise and substantial involvement in the specialty area of certification. These standards will enable the NBTA to thoroughly evaluate the objectives, standards and procedures of attorneys and facilitate greater public access to the right legal services.
In short, board certification is just one more step to ensuring the public is getting the best lawyer for their case – one who truly specializes in representing survivors and their families of trucking and commercial vehicles accidents.
