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What is Board Certified in Bankruptcy Law & What are the Requirements?

In the State of Tennessee there are many lawyers who practice in the personal injury field. A good way for lawyers to set themselves apart is by earning a Board Certification in their field of law. While this is not the only tool you should use in picking a lawyer, Board Certified lawyers tend to be good at what they do. Tennessee offers specializations in certain areas of law, and recognizes outside certifications in other areas as explained by Tennessee Rule of Professional Conduct 7.4.

 

RULE 7.4: COMMUNICATION OF FIELDS OF PRACTICE AND SPECIALIZATION

Subject to the requirements of RPCs 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3,
(a) A lawyer may communicate the fact that the lawyer does or does not practice in particular fields of law.
(b) Except as permitted by paragraphs (c) and (d), a lawyer shall not state that the lawyer is a specialist, specializes, or is certified or recognized as a specialist in a particular field of law.
(c) A lawyer admitted to engage in patent practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office may use the designation “Patent Attorney” or a substantially similar designation.
(d) A lawyer who has been certified as a specialist in a field of law by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization may state that the lawyer “is certified as a specialist in [field of law] by the Tennessee Commission on C.L.E. and Specialization.” A lawyer so certified may also state that the lawyer is certified as a specialist in that field of law by an organization recognized or accredited by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization as complying with its requirements, provided the statement is made in the following format: “[Lawyer] is certified as a specialist in [field of law] by [organization].

Some states offer Board Certification programs and others do not. The State of Tennessee does have a Board Certification process. This is managed by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization and the areas of practice involving Bankruptcy are called:

  1. Consumer Bankruptcy law; and
  2. Business Bankruptcy Law

The TCCLES requirements to become Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy law are as follows:

The Commission currently certifies attorneys as specialists in fourteen areas: Civil Trial, Criminal Trial, Consumer Bankruptcy, Business Bankruptcy, Creditors Rights, Accounting Malpractice, Legal Malpractice, Medical Malpractice, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Family Law, Juvenile Law, DUI Defense, and Social Security Disability.  Tennessee's certification process includes two steps:

  1. The attorney must be certified in the appropriate field by the appropriate national agency; and
  2. The attorney must apply to this Commission, meet additional requirements and then be certified.


For information on the requirements for certification by the national agencies and their costs, contact:

Consumer & Business Bankruptcy, Creditors Rights

American Board of Certification
101 Second St. SE, Suite 904
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319)365-2222
Toll Free: (877)365-2221
Fax: (319)363-0127
www.abcworld.org

Useful Links:

Bar associations are useful resources that can help you understand when you need to a lawyer, how to pick a lawyer from those listed on this site, and how to find out if a lawyer is board certified.

The Tennessee Bar Association

The Memphis Bar Association

Other Tennessee Local Bar Associations

If you are in need of a Bankruptcy lawyer in Memphis, conteact a Memphis Consumer Bankruptcy Lawyer today!

If you wish to retain an attorney it is not essential that they be a "Specialist" in bankruptcy law to do an excellent job. However, if you wish to only choose a lawyer that has earned a "Specialization" from the American Board of Certification and you are unsure if they hold such a specialization, simply ask if they do hold such a specialization.

Serving clients throughout Southwestern Tennessee, including Bartlett, Batesville, Bolivar, Brownsville, Collierville, Covington, Forest City, Germantown, Holly Springs, Jonesboro, Marion, Marked Tree, Memphis, Millington, Munford, New Albany, Olive Branch, Osceola, Sardis, Senatobia, Southhaven, Trumann, West Helena, West Memphis, Whiteville, Wynne, areas in the vicinity of Memphis International Airport, and other communities in Shelby County.