Legal Specialization

Paths to Becoming Certified as a Specialist by the State Bar of New Mexico

 1.  Create a Legal Specialization in New Mexico Click Here to Learn More

The Commission will consider a proposal to create a new specialty area upon receipt of one or more of the following:  written application from interested lawyer(s); written application from a section of the State Bar of New Mexico or other professional organization; a motion from the Board of Bar Commissioners; or by its own motion. LS Policies and Procedures Section III

OR

 2.  If New Mexico does not offer Specialization in a given practice area, attorneys may apply individually to the Legal Specialization Commission (LS Policies and Procedures Section III(B)) based on a national or other state organization’s certification, such as an ABA Accredited Lawyer Certification Program. Click Here to Learn More

Except as otherwise provided in these Policies, all specialists certified under the State Bar of New Mexico’s legal specialization program must take and pass an examination designed specifically for the specialty for which certification is sought.  The examination may be created by the specialty committee or it may be an examination associated with a national or other state organization that has been approved by the Commission, which offers a specialty in the specialty area. LS Policies and Procedures Section III(D)

* In accordance with Rule 16-702(C) NMRA:

 A lawyer shall not state or imply that a lawyer is certified as a specialist in a particular field of law, unless:

1. The lawyer has been certified as a specialist by the State Bar of New Mexico, an organization that has been approved by an appropriate authority of another state or the District of Columbia or a U.S. Territory, or an organization that has been accredited by the American Bar Association; and
2. The name of the certifying organization is clearly identified in the communication.