Many states, including South Carolina, have a state-sponsored program. The Supreme Court of South Carolina Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization has jurisdiction over the certification of South Carolina attorneys as specialists in certain practice areas. The Commission has currently created four different specialty areas for which it may certify lawyers. The 12 members of the Commission are appointed by the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Those members have the power to choose new areas for certification.
Many states, including South Carolina, have a state-sponsored program. The Supreme Court of South Carolina Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization has jurisdiction over the certification of attorneys as specialists in certain practice areas.
Under Rule 7.4(b) of the South Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC), any attorney, other than patent attorneys and proctors in admiralty, not certified under the Commission's rules may not used the words "certified," "specialist," "expert" or "authority" in any advertisement or public statement.
The Commission has currently created four different specialty areas for which it may certify lawyers as listed in Appendix E, S.C. App. Ct. R. Part IV. Those areas are:
The Commission and the Specialization Advisory Boards have the power to set the certification standards for these areas.
Under South Carolina Appellate Court Rule 408, on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization, all lawyers seeking to become certified must meet the following minimum requirements:
Rule 7.4 of the South Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC), Rule 407, SCACR, provides:
RULE 7.4. Communication of Fields of Practice and Specialization
(a) A lawyer who is certified under the Rule on Lawyer Competence, Rule 408, SCACR, is entitled to advertise or state publicly in any manner otherwise permitted by these rules that the lawyer is certified as a specialist in the pertinent specialty field by the Supreme Court of South Carolina.
(b) A lawyer who is not certified as a specialist but who concentrates in, limits his or her practice to, or wishes to announce a willingness to accept cases in a particular field may so advertise or publicly state in any manner otherwise permitted by these rules. To avoid confusing or misleading the public and to protect the objectives of the South Carolina certified specialization program, any such advertisement or statements shall be strictly factual and shall not contain any form of the words “certified,” “specialist,” “expert,” or “authority” except as permitted by Rule 7.4(d).
(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. A lawyer engaged in the trademark practice may use the designation “trademarks,” “trademark attorney,” or “trademark lawyer” or any combination of those terms.
(d) A lawyer engaged in admiralty practice may use the designation “admiralty,” “proctor in admiralty” or a substantially similar designation.
Rule 7.4 took effect on September 1, 1990, and was amended effective October 1, 2005.
The 12 members of the Commission are appointed by the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Those members have the power to choose new areas for certification. When it creates such areas, it then must create a Specialization Advisory Board of five lawyers practicing in that specialized field.
The Advisory Board makes rules for certification in that practice area so that attorneys certified as a specialist in South Carolina meet high standards to warrant their designation.
When considering what areas should be designated as specialties, the Commission is to look at whether the public interest would be served, whether there is sufficient interest, whether there are standards sufficient to judge proficiency in the field, whether there is sufficient existing or potential continuing legal education programs for the field, and whether such a designation would fulfill the orderly growth of legal specialization in South Carolina.
Lawyer Legion maintains a statewide directory of board certified lawyers in South Carolina. The public is able to browse the directory and narrow their search by specialty area, county or city to and connect with board certified lawyers to help with their case. Lawyer Legion is the only commercial lawyer directory to properly acknowledge all ABA-accredited specialization programs for both national and state-level board certifications, including those granted by the Supreme Court of South Carolina.
Use this directory to find board certified lawyers who are specialized in their respective areas of law. Start by choosing your county from the list below.
