Under 27 NCAC 01D Section .2301, the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization established estate planning and probate law as a field of law for which attorney could obtain board certification.
For purposes of the board certification program the specialty area of "estate planning and probate law" is defined as the practice of law dealing with "planning for conservation and disposition of estates, including consideration of federal and state tax consequences; preparation of legal instruments to effectuate estate plans; and probate of wills and administration of estates, including federal and state tax matters."
Use our directory to find a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law in North Carolina
Under 27 NCAC 01D Section .2305, the North Carolina Bar Board of Legal Specialization established certain standards for certification as a specialist in estate planning and probate law. Those standards include showing substantial involvement through time spent doing substantive legal work in the practice of estate planning and probate law.
To obtain certification, the attorney must also show experience gained through representing clients in specific types of legal problems. Tasks showing experience gained in the practice area include:
Part of the substantial involvement requirements can also be shown through a practice equivalent such as:
Additionally, the attorney seeking specialty certification in Estate Planning and Probate Law much meet certain Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements in estate planning and probate law or related areas of the law include real property, family law, Medicaid planning, elder law, guardianship, taxation, business organizations.
The attorney seeking specialty certification in North Carolina for Estate Planning and Probate Law must also submit to peer review from other lawyers or judges who are familiar with the attorney's practice and can attest to the attorney's qualifications.
The attorney must pass a written examination designed to test the attorney's knowledge on the following topics important to estate planning and probate law in North Carolina:
Under 27 NCAC 01D Section .2306, the period for certification is five years. During that period the attorney must apply for continued certification showing substantial involvement, obtaining certain continuing legal education (CLE) credits, and peer review.
Estate planning clients make sure that all assets are protected in the estate plan. Those assets might include life insurance, annuities, securities, stock options, IRAs, qualified retirement plans, real estate, and businesses. Estate planning often overlaps with other legal practice areas such a tax law and family law.
At Lawyer Legion, we understand the important role that board certification programs play when the public begins their search for a qualified attorney in the specialty area of probate law or estate planning in North Carolina.
This article was last updated on Friday, November 22, 2019.