Board Certified Specialist Attorney in Idaho
Before an attorney in Idaho can advertise that he or she is a "certified specialist" in any area of the law, the attorney must first earn certification as a specialist under Section X of the Idaho Bar Commission Rules.
The Idaho State Bar does not certify attorneys as a specialist. Instead, it approves other organizations to certify attorneys as a specialist in specific areas of the law.
Organizations that want to become approved for specialty certification must file an Application for Accreditation with the Idaho State Bar. The organization must also pay a $200 application fee for each specialty area. To date, seven organizations have been approved by the Idaho State Bar to certify specialists.
Contact Information
Idaho State Bar
P.O. Box 895
Boise Idaho 83701
Phone: 208-334-4500Website: https://isb.idaho.gov/licensing-mcle/specialization/
Rule 1005 Privileges Conferred on Specialist in Idaho
To practice law in Idaho, the attorney is not required to be recognized as a specialist in order to practice in the field of law covered by that specialty. In fact, any lawyer has the right to practice in any field of law, even though he or she is not recognized as a specialist in that field.
On a voluntary basis, however, many attorneys in Idaho have taken the steps necessary to become a specialist pursuant to Section X of the Idaho Bar Commission Rules. Some lawyers are recognized as a specialist in more than one field of law.
If the lawyer is certified as a specialist as provided by the Idaho Bar Rules, then the attorney may communicate that fact. Nevertheless, the board certified specialist in Idaho should be careful about the wording of advertisements.
First, when communicating information in an advertisement, the attorney must clearly identify the particular certifying entity that recognizes the lawyer as a specialist. The lawyer is not permitted to:
- represent, either expressly or implied, that his or her specialty status is recognized by any entity other than the certifying entity; or
- suggest that the attorney is certified by the Idaho State Bar.
Seven Organizations Approved by ISB to Certified Specialist
As of January 28, 2013, seven organizations have been approved by the Idaho State Bar to certify specialists.
These seven certifying organizations have agreed to follow the Standards, Governing Rules, Evaluation Criteria and Procedures for Idaho State Bar Accreditation of Specialty Certification Programs For Lawyers.
For example, pursuant to Rule 5, upon accreditation, an Accredited Organization may state that it is "Accredited by the Idaho State Bar to certify lawyers in the specialty area(s) of ____________________" under the following conditions:
- 5-1.1 An Accredited Organization using this announcement or otherwise referring to its accreditation by the Bar must provide notice to lawyers applying for certification that accreditation by the Bar indicates solely that the organization's certification program has met the Standards, and that the certification of the Accredited Organization does not constitute specialty certification by the Idaho State Bar. ?
- 5-1.2 This announcement must indicate the specialty areas in which accreditation has been granted by the Bar. ?
- 5-1.3 An Accredited Organization, other than the Bar or subdivision thereof, shall not permit certified lawyers to state or imply that they are certified or accredited by the Bar. Accredited Organizations shall actively enforce this prohibition. ?
Idaho Trial Lawyers Association - ITLA Certification Specialization Program
Specialty Practice Areas:
- Civil Trial
- Criminal Trial
- Worker’s Compensation
National Board of Legal Specialty Certification
Specialty Practice Areas:
- Civil Trial Advocacy
- Criminal Trial Advocacy
- Family Law Trial Advocacy
- Civil Pretrial Practice Advocacy
- Social Security Disability Law
American Board of Certification
Specialty Practice Areas:
- Business Bankruptcy
- Consumer Bankruptcy
- Creditors’ Rights
Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc.
Specialty Practice Area:
American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys
Specialty Practice Areas:
- Medical Professional Liability
- Legal Professional Liability
- Accounting Professional Liability
National Association of Counsel for Children
Specialty Practice Area:
National Elder Law Foundation
Specialty Practice Area: Elder Law
Additional Resources
LRS services approved by the Idaho State Bar -
Roster of Attorneys in Idaho -
Finding a Certified Specialist in Idaho
If you are interested in finding an attorney in Idaho, then consider the benefits of beginning your search by looking for a certified specialist. The specialty certification program in Idaho helps the public find a qualified attorney focused on a particular practice area.
At Lawyer Legion, our online attorney directory uses a ranking system that gives recognition to the board-certified specialist in each particular specialty area of the law.
The Lawyer Legion directory recognizes lawyers who have become certified as specialists pursuant to Section X of the Idaho Bar Commission Rules.
This article was last updated on Friday, January 17, 2020.
