Which is exactly what you want your attorney to do for you.™
Specialization Home Page
MSBA
Home Page
4th Annual Free Civil Trial Specialists’ Seminar
4.5 CLE credits
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
June 24, 2008
Town & Country Club
Order Form: Program Materials
The MSBA certifies specialists in two fields:
Civil Trial
Real PropertyFAQ
Contact:
Jessica Thomas
Certified Specialist Manager
Minnesota State Bar Association
600 Nicollet Mall #380
Minneapolis, MN 55402
612/278-6318
800/882-6722
Certification
When you're on top of things
Join
us June 24, 2008 at the
4th Member Rewards Seminar
Town & Country Club, St. Paul MN
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Justice Paul Anderson
Judge Gordon Shumaker
Professor M. Steenson
Professor David Prince
William Z. Pentelovitch
Certification Benefits:
- Provides peer and judicial recognition of civil trial expertise
- Permits advertisement as a specialist in civil trial law
- Improves and maintains practitioner's knowledge of civil trial practice
- Client recognition of attorney's certification enhances attorney credibility
- Listing with specialists on the MSBA Certification searchable directory
- Ad listing specialists in Bench & Bar Directory - asterisk signifying certified specialist in individual listings
"Certification
maintains a level of expertise and directs clients
to those lawyers who can best serve them."
--MSBA Civil Trial specialist survey response
| Step 1. | Complete Application |
| 5 years of practice | |
| 50 % substantive involvement in civil trial law | |
| Full disclosure of any ethical complaints or malpractice claims | |
| 45 Civil Trial CLE hours completed in 3 years before applying | |
| Initial Certification Application | Certification Standards | |
| Step 2. | Pass Examination |
| Test areas: Evidence; Ethics; Civil Practice | |
| Exam is offered twice yearly by the MSBA | |
| Examination Facts | |
| Step 3. | Complete Attachments |
| Primary responsibility for two jury trials | |
| Primary responsibility for ten trial units: either court trials (1 unit) or jury trials (2 units) | |
| Experience in contested matters; depositions, arbitrations, motion practice, administrative hearings | |
| 45 hours of continuing legal education courses in the area of civil trial law in the 3 years before your application | |
| Trial brief adressing facts and law written within 3 years of application | |
| Six positive references: minimum of 2 from judges before whom applicant has appeared attesting to applicant's knowledge, trial skills and reputation for ethical conduct and courtesy in the civil trial practice area. | |
| Certification Attachments | |
| Step 4. | Civil Trial Board Approval |
| Nine member Board is appointed by the Minnesota State Bar Association, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association and Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association. | |
| Board reviews application and attachments and determines whether applicant has met all standards for certification | |
| Civil Trial Certification Board |
Maintaining Certification.
- Specialists must submit an Annual Audit Form providing information that they continue to meet the requirements for certification.
- Every six years, specialists must be recertified by submitting a Recertification Application and Recertification Attachments.
- Board reviews materials to ensure that applicants continue to meet the standards for certification as a Civil Trial specialist.
-
Last Updated 3/5/08 -