.2511 Standards for Continued Certification as a Federal Criminal Law Specialist

The period of certification is five years. A certified specialist who desires continued certification must apply for continued certification within the time limit described in Rule .2511(d) below. No examination will be required for continued certification. However, each applicant for continued certification as a specialist shall comply with the specific requirements set forth below in addition to any general standards required by the board of all applicants for continued certification.

(a) Substantial Involvement - The specialist must demonstrate that for the five years preceding reapplication he or she has had substantial involvement in the subspecialty as defined in Rule .2510(b).

(b) Continuing Legal Education - The specialist must have earned no less than 60 hours of accredited continuing legal education credits as described in .2510(c)(1), with not less than 6 credits earned in any one year.

(c) Peer Review - The applicant must provide, as references, the names of at least six lawyers or judges, all of whom are licensed and currently in good standing to practice law in this state and familiar with the competence and qualification of the applicant as a specialist. For an application to be considered, completed peer reference forms must be received from at least three of the references. Each applicant also must provide the names and addresses of the following: (i) five lawyers and/or judges who practice in the field of criminal law and who are familiar with the applicant's practice, and (ii) opposing counsel and the judge in four recent cases tried by the applicant to verdict or entry of order. All other requirements relative to peer review set forth in Rule .2510(d) of this subchapter apply to this standard.

(d) Time for Application - Application for continuing certification shall be made not more than 180 days nor less than 90 days prior to the expiration of the prior period of certification.

(e) Lapse of Certification - Failure of a specialist to apply for continued certification in a timely fashion will result in a lapse of certification. Following such lapse, recertification will require compliance with all requirements of Rule .2510 of this subchapter, including the examination.

(f) Suspension or Revocation of Certification - If an applicant's certification has been suspended or revoked during the period of certification, then the application shall be treated as if it were for initial certification under Rule .2510 of this subchapter.

History Note: Authority G.S. 84-23

Approved by the Supreme Court: June 15, 2022