Texas Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyers
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) was created by the State Bar of Texas and operates under the Supreme Court of Texas. TBLS certifies attorneys in certain practice areas through very rigorous, strict standards.
To become board certified, an attorney must have practiced for at least five years, provide 10 references, document their experience and pass a daylong exam. Personal injury trial lawyers must have tried a certain number of cases to even be considered for Board Certification. TBLS defines its Personal Injury Trial “specialty area” as “litigation based on an individual's injury from automobile accidents, professional malpractice, defective products or negligence by another.”
In order to become Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law in Texas, Matthew D. Shaffer, Jonathan S. Harris and Arthur L. Schechter had to meet strict qualification requirements, demonstrating their extensive knowledge of injury law. There are more than 70,000 lawyers in Texas and only 7,000 of those are Board Certified, even less so in the field of personal injury trial law where the three lawyers mentioned above are three of only 1,350 Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyers in Texas.
Board Certification is an ongoing process that requires certified lawyers to continue to provide references and attend continuing education classes. The lawyers of Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. maintain their certification largely through their active and aggressive personal injury trial practice involving a variety of cases, such as:
- Jones Act
- Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA)
- Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA)
- Suits in Admiralty / Public Vessel Act
- Military Sealift Command
- Admiralty Extension Act
- Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA)
How do I know if my lawyer is Board Certified?
- 1. Look on your lawyer’s letterhead to see if they use the permissible “Board Certified – Personal Injury Trial Law” designation
- 2. Look at the attorney’s web site, telephone directory lists, and other advertising to see if the TBLS seal/designation is displayed
- 3. Ask your lawyer
