Texas Board Certified Attorneys

When everything is on the line — your freedom, your children, your business, your future — you don't want a lawyer. You want a proven specialist. In Texas, there is an official, independently verified way to know an attorney is exactly that: board certification by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS). Only a small fraction of Texas attorneys ever earn it. It cannot be bought, claimed, or self-awarded — it has to be proven, through years of real cases, a demanding exam, and the judgment of the judges and lawyers who have seen the attorney work. If your case deserves that level of expertise, we can connect you with it — anywhere in Texas, right now.

What Does "Board Certified" Mean for a Texas Attorney?

Board certification is the State Bar of Texas's official recognition that an attorney is a specialist in a specific area of law. The credential is awarded by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, created by the State Bar in 1974 and today the largest single-state attorney certification program in the country. A board certified attorney has not merely practiced in a field — they have proven, to an independent board, that they know it at an expert level. Think of the difference between a general practitioner and a board certified surgeon: both are licensed, but only one has been examined and vetted as a specialist. The law works the same way in Texas.

How Hard Is It to Become Board Certified in Texas?

Hard — by design. To earn TBLS certification, an attorney generally must clear every one of these hurdles (TBLS):

The result: of the more than 100,000 attorneys licensed in Texas, only about 7,000 — roughly one in ten or fewer — hold board certification (TBLS). The credential is rare because the standard is real.

What Specialty Areas Can a Texas Attorney Be Certified In?

TBLS currently certifies attorneys in 27 specialty areas, spanning nearly every field where the stakes get high (Texas Bar Blog). Among the most sought-after:

• Criminal law and criminal appellate law — for serious charges, including DWI & DUI defense and felony cases (criminal defense)
• Personal injury trial law — major injury and accident claims, including wrongful death
• Family law — divorce, custody, and property division (Texas family law)
• Estate planning and probate law — wills, trusts, and estate disputes
• Civil trial law, labor and employment law, immigration and nationality law, real estate law, tax law, bankruptcy (consumer and business), construction law, oil, gas and mineral law, and more

The list keeps growing — TBLS added aviation law and insurance law as its newest specialties — because Texas law keeps getting more specialized. Whatever your legal problem is, there is likely a certified specialty that matches it.

Can Any Texas Lawyer Just Call Themselves a "Specialist"?

No — and that is exactly why the credential means something. Under the Texas attorney-advertising rules, a lawyer generally may not hold themselves out as a specialist in a practice area unless they are board certified in it by TBLS or an accredited certifying organization (Texas Center for Legal Ethics). Anyone can say "experienced." Only a vetted, examined, peer-reviewed attorney can say "board certified." When you see those two words, an independent body of the State Bar has already done the homework on that lawyer — the kind of homework most clients have no way to do themselves.

Is a Board Certified Attorney Better Than a Regular Attorney?

Certification doesn't guarantee an outcome — no credential can — but it is the strongest independent signal of specialized expertise Texas offers. Many excellent attorneys are not certified, and the right lawyer for your case always depends on the case. What certification gives you is certainty about the floor: verified years of experience in the exact field your case lives in, expert knowledge confirmed by examination, and a professional reputation vetted by judges and opposing counsel. The American Bar Association recognizes state specialty-certification programs like TBLS precisely because they give consumers an objective way to identify specialists (ABA). When the stakes are high, that floor matters.

How Do You Verify an Attorney Is Board Certified?

It takes less than a minute. TBLS maintains a public, searchable directory of every board certified attorney in the state at tbls.org, and each attorney's profile on the State Bar of Texas website lists any certifications they hold. If a lawyer tells you they are board certified, the claim is checkable — and a trustworthy lawyer will be glad you checked.

When Does Board Certification Matter Most?

The more specialized the law and the higher the stakes, the more the credential earns its keep:

• Serious criminal charges — where specialized trial experience can shape every decision from the first hearing on
• DWI and license cases — a technical field of breath tests, blood draws, and administrative deadlines
• High-conflict divorce and custody — where Texas family law has rules of its own
• Major injury and wrongful-death claims — where the other side's insurer has specialists, and you should too
• Estate, probate, and trust disputes — technical, document-driven, and unforgiving of inexperience

A note on fees, because people ask: what a lawyer charges depends on the matter and the fee arrangement, not on the certification itself. Some matters are billed hourly or by flat fee; some injury claims are handled on contingency. The attorney explains the fee up front — and the referral and the initial consultation are free.

How Do You Get a Board Certified Attorney on Your Case?

You could spend hours searching directories and cross-checking credentials — or you could make one call. Tell us what your case involves and where you are in Texas, and we connect you with an experienced attorney whose practice matches your problem, including board certified specialists where your matter calls for one. We are certified by the State Bar of Texas, the connection is free, and we answer day and night. When the case matters this much, start with the strongest lawyer you can get.

Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Board Certified Attorneys

What does board certified mean for a Texas attorney?

Board certification means the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) — an arm of the State Bar of Texas — has formally recognized the attorney as a specialist in a specific area of law after the attorney passed a rigorous specialty exam, demonstrated substantial experience in that field, was favorably evaluated by judges and fellow lawyers, and completed ongoing continuing legal education.

How many Texas attorneys are board certified?

Only a small fraction. Roughly 7,000 of the more than 100,000 attorneys licensed in Texas hold TBLS board certification — about one in ten or fewer. Most Texas attorneys are not certified in any specialty, which is why the credential signals top-tier, verified expertise.

What does it take to become board certified in Texas?

TBLS generally requires at least five years in practice, at least three years of substantial involvement in the specialty area, completion of specialty-specific continuing legal education, favorable peer review by judges and attorneys, and a passing score on a comprehensive specialty examination. Certification must be renewed, with continued involvement and education, every five years.

What specialty areas does TBLS certify?

TBLS certifies attorneys in more than two dozen specialty areas — currently 27 — including personal injury trial law, criminal law, family law, criminal appellate law, civil trial law, estate planning and probate, labor and employment, immigration, real estate, tax, bankruptcy, construction, oil and gas, and others.

Is a board certified attorney better than a regular attorney?

Board certification does not guarantee any outcome, but it is an objective, independently verified credential: the attorney proved real experience in the specialty, passed a demanding exam, and was vetted by judges and fellow lawyers. Many excellent attorneys are not certified, but certification is one of the strongest signals of specialized expertise available to consumers in Texas.

Can any Texas lawyer claim to be a specialist?

No. Under Texas attorney-advertising rules, a lawyer generally may not advertise as a specialist in an area unless the lawyer is board certified in it by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization or an accredited certifying organization. That is what makes the credential trustworthy — it cannot simply be claimed.

How do I verify that a Texas attorney is board certified?

TBLS maintains a public directory of board certified attorneys at tbls.org, and the State Bar of Texas attorney profile pages also show board certifications. Verifying takes less than a minute.

Does a board certified attorney cost more?

Fees depend on the matter and the fee arrangement, not on the certification itself. Some matters are billed hourly or flat-fee and some kinds of injury claims are handled on contingency — the attorney explains the fee structure up front, and the referral and initial consultation are free.

For what kinds of cases does board certification matter most?

Certification matters most when the stakes are high and the law is specialized — serious criminal charges, DWI defense, complex family law and custody disputes, major injury and wrongful-death claims, estate and probate disputes, and immigration matters. In those fields, deep specialty experience can shape every decision in the case.

Who runs the board certification program in Texas?

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization, created by the State Bar of Texas in 1974. It is the largest single-state attorney certification program in the United States.

How do I get connected with a board certified attorney in Texas?

Call or text 512-872-4400 any time, day or night. Tell us what your case involves and where you are, and we will connect you with an experienced attorney in your area — including board certified specialists where your matter calls for one. Explore more legal topics.