What It Means to Be Board Certified

Experienced Legal Representation in Williamson County

If you're facing a criminal matter, a lot is on the line. A conviction could lead to jail or prison time, fines, and other sanctions the court deems necessary to impose. Having an experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled attorney is crucial in such circumstances. But how do you find the right attorney for your case? One of the ways is checking to see if they are Board Certified.

At R. Scott Magee, Attorney at Law, Mr. Magee is a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS). According to the TBLS, there are 110,000 lawyers licensed to practice in Texas, and only 7,400 of those are Board Certified. About 1% of criminal law attorneys have obtained this distinction.

According to the TBLS, being Board Certified "is a mark of excellence and a distinguished accomplishment within the Texas legal community." Achieving this honor is not an easy feat, and it takes an immense amount of dedication to the field.

Obtaining Board Certification is voluntary. An attorney can only apply after they have practiced law for a minimum of 5 years, 3 of which must be within a specific legal area.

When a lawyer first applies for Board Certification in criminal law, they must demonstrate that at least a quarter of their time is spent in this practice area.

They must also show that, within 3 years before applying, at minimum, they handled the following as lead counsel:

• 5 state felony jury trials
• 10 state misdemeanor jury trials (or 5 additional state felony jury trials)
• 5 federal jury trials
• 5 state or federal appeals

Not only must an attorney demonstrate that they have substantial experience in the field of criminal law, but they must also support their assertions with recommendations from others. With their application, the lawyer seeking Board Certification must include a minimum of 5 letters of recommendation. The references can be judges, opposing counsel, and fellow lawyers. Additionally, they must have substantial involvement in criminal law, they cannot be partners or associates of the attorney applying for Board Certification, and they must have worked with the applicant in some capacity within 3 years prior to seeking certification.

Lawyers seeking Board Certification must also have completed 60 hours of continuing education in the legal field and passed an exam. They must also apply for recertification every 5 years.

Reach Out to R. Scott Magee, Attorney at Law for the Defense You Need

Our lawyer is committed to providing top-quality legal representation to those accused of crimes in Williamson County, Round Rock, and Georgetown. We do this by staying current in the field of criminal law and pushing ourselves to achieve distinctions such as Board Certification. If you need effective counsel for your case, you can be confident that you'll receive honest, aggressive, and dedicated service from our team.