What does it mean when an attorney is “board certified?"

Board certification is a mark of the highest quality of legal services in a particular field. Only seven percent of eligible Florida attorneys have earned board certification in a specialty area, making us extremely fortunate to have two board certified attorneys in our law offices: Board Certified Elder Law Attorney D. "Rep" DeLoach III and Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney Paul R. Cavonis.

Benefits of Hiring a Board Certified Attorney

The certification program is approved by the Florida Supreme Court and administered with rigorous requirements by the Florida Bar. The Florida Bar evaluates all certified lawyers for expertise in a particular area of law, as well as professionalism and ethics in the practice of law.

Certification is the highest level of evaluation by the Florida Bar, and clients who hire certified lawyers should expect:

• Experience. Board certified lawyers must have a minimum of five years practicing law.
• Focus. Certified lawyers received passing grades on comprehensive examinations for their specialty areas; or met strict criteria of knowledge, skills, and expertise to exempt them from the exams. They're also heavily and actively involved in their fields of law.
• Continuing education. In order to maintain board certification, attorneys must continue to practice law and attend Florida Bar-approved continuing legal education courses in their specialty fields. Attorneys must have their certification renewed every five years by meeting education and experience requirements similar to those of initial certification. 
• Good standing among peers. Certified lawyers are recognized by their fellow attorneys as having the highest level of competence in their specialty fields. The required peer review assessment also involves opinions on the character, ethics, and professionalism of the certified attorney.

At DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis, P.A., we're dedicated to helping our clients through the most difficult times in their lives. To find out how we can help, simply fill out the quick contact form on this page to set up your consultation.