Florida Bar Board Certification
651 East Jefferson Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300
Contact: Arlee Colman
The Florida Bar Legal Specialization
& Education Department, (850) 561-5805
FloridaBar.org/certification
Florida Board Certified Lawyers on LinkedIn
Evaluated for Professionalism and Tested for Expertise
EXAMPLE OP-ED ARTICLE
Notes for Certified Lawyers: The text below is an example to illustrate the format for op-ed articles.
Op-eds are signed articles expressing personal viewpoints. They typically appear opposite the editorial pages in
newspapers. You may cite some of the information included in this example, but please personalize the article before
submission, as other lawyers in your area might also submit articles. “Personalization” could be inclusion of reasons why
you earned board certification, benefits to your practice, reflections on the certification process, etc.
LEGAL ADVERTISING GOES HIGH TECH: BOARD CERTIFICATION CAN HELP CONSUMERS
SORT THROUGH INTERNET CLUTTER TO EVALUATE LAWYERS’ CREDENTIALS
[City of Origin] – [Date] – Legal advertising is making a high-tech shift, with law firms placing more emphasis on Internet
marketing and search engine rankings. This shift is good news for consumers, who now are better able to compare
lawyers’ qualifications online before interviewing them.
According to Lawyers.com Editor in Chief Larry Bodine, the ways that consumers look for lawyers have changed in
today's digital age. Bodine in a blog post cites a March 2012 survey of 4,000 adult internet users that found three out of
four consumers seeking an attorney over the previous year used online resources at some point in the process.
Bodine comments, “The advent of social media, smart phones and search engines has dramatically affected the way
consumers find lawyers.”
Many legal web sites include key words that increase their search engine rankings and help attract clients. Consumers
should be aware that in Florida, lawyers who are board certified by The Florida Bar or another Florida Bar-approved
certifying organization may use the terms “board certified specialist,” “board certified expert,” or the letters “B.C.S.” for
Board Certified Specialist when referring to their legal credentials. Our slogan is, “Evaluated for Professionalism, Tested
for Expertise.”
If board certified lawyers advertise as experts to distinguish themselves from other attorneys, how does that designation
differ from other lawyers’ credentials, and what does it mean for consumers?
Board certification evaluates attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law and
professionalism and ethics in practice. Board certified lawyers are evaluated for professionalism, tested for expertise. Of
the lawyers eligible to practice law in Florida, 7 percent – approximately 4,800 Florida lawyers – have earned board
certification.
Certification is The Florida Bar’s highest evaluation of attorneys’ competency, experience and professionalism in the
areas of law approved for specialization. The Florida Bar maintains high standards lawyers must meet before seeking
certification in one or more of the 26 areas of law approved by the Florida Supreme Court for board certification. Even if
an attorney does meet the stringent application criteria; judges and other lawyers must evaluate the lawyer as to
character, ethics and professionalism; and the lawyer must pass a rigorous examination or meet strict criteria to exempt
the exam before officially earning board certification.
Florida offers 26 specialty areas for board certification, more than any other state. The Florida Bar maintains a free, on
online directory of board certified lawyers by specialty area and city at FloridaBar.org/certification.
“Florida Bar board certified specialist,” “board certified expert” and “B.C.S.” are terms that let you know an attorney is a
legal expert dedicated to professional excellence, a credential that can help you sort through the clutter of Internet legal
advertising when comparing lawyers’ qualifications.
For more information on Florida Bar board certification or to find a board certified lawyer, visit FloridaBar.org/certification.
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