PLAYING THE MATCH GAME WHEN HIRING A LAWYER

November 9, 2004

TALLAHASSEE -- One way to assist the general public in avoiding a bad experience with the legal process is to help match those who need legal services with the right lawyers. The abilities and availability of the lawyer as well as personality, compatibility with the client and commitment to the cause are all factors.

How does one find the right match?

Legal referral services. The Florida Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service and local bar association lawyer referral services listed in the Yellow Pages are designed to assist consumers in contacting lawyers.

The Florida Bar provides referrals to attorneys who will conduct an initial half-hour office consultation for $25. Consumers can access the service by calling (800) 342-8011 weekdays 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. or by visiting The Florida Bar’s Web site at www.flabar.org.

Participating attorneys must submit extensive applications and must be members in good standing of The Florida Bar with no pending probable cause complaints. Referral service attorneys also must maintain at least $100,000 in professional liability insurance.

Certified attorneys. Another way to connect is to contact a certified lawyer who specializes in the area of law that relates to your case. Certified attorneys are the only lawyers allowed to identify or advertise themselves as "Florida Bar Board Certified" or as specialists. Certification is The Florida Bar’s highest level of recognition of attorneys’ competency and experience in one or more of 20 legal specialty areas approved by Florida’s Supreme Court.

The Florida Bar’s Web site contains links to board-certified lawyers by city. More than 3,800 Florida lawyers are board certified. The standards for certification are high:

- Florida Bar board-certified lawyers have substantial experience and exceptional knowledge in one or more recognized legal specialties.
- They demonstrate expertise by passing a comprehensive examination and participating in advanced continuing education within their practice areas.
- Certified attorneys undergo peer review by other lawyers and judges to verify their special skills and commitment to legal ethics and professionalism.
- Board certification is granted only for five-year periods, after which every certified lawyer must re-qualify to continue this special distinction.

Why hire a board-certified lawyer? Most consumers want to hire the most qualified and competent lawyers they can find. Judges recognize this when they appoint or approve attorneys in cases. Board certification certainly is a factor to me when I am appointing an attorney in a high-profile murder case, for example. Although it is not the only selection criterion, it would give me comfort as one other factor in ensuring the competency of the attorney I assign to an important matter.

As an added benefit, in 1998 the Florida Supreme Court added professionalism as one of the criteria for certification, and certified lawyers must pass stringent peer review from judges and other lawyers attesting to their professional behavior as well as legal ability.

Experience counts. Not all qualified lawyers are certified, but those who are board certified have taken extra steps to have their competence and experience recognized. The fact of the matter is that certification is evidence of a lawyer’s increased commitment to excellence and his or her willingness to work to confirm those qualifications.

“The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.”

All Florida lawyer advertisements must contain this text so that consumers are encouraged to seek more information about lawyers they hire. The Florida Bar spends considerable time and effort evaluating lawyers' qualifications before approving certification. Consumers can rely on the certification process as a useful evaluation tool when they consider hiring lawyers.

CONTACT: Lisa Garcia
DATE: Nov. 9, 2004
TELEPHONE: 850/561-5769

Ralph Artigliere is a 10th Judicial Circuit judge who is board-certified by The Florida Bar in the area of civil trial law. Judge Artigliere is chairof the Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization and Education. His photo is available on the Florida Bar Web site at: he