.3406 Standards for Continued Certification as a Specialist

The period of certification is five years. Prior to the expiration of the certification period, a certified specialist who desires continued certification must apply for continued certification within the time limit described in Rule .3406(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 each of the five years preceding application for continuing certification, he or she has had substantial involvement in the specialty as defined in Rule .3405(b) of this subchapter.

(b) Continuing Legal Education - The specialist must earn no less than 60 hours of accredited CLE credits in child welfare law and related fields during the five years preceding application for continuing certification. Of the 60 hours of CLE, at least 42 hours shall be in child welfare/juvenile law, and the balance of 18 hours may be in related field CLE. A list of the topics that qualify as related-field CLE and technical CE shall be maintained by the board on its official website.

(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 North Carolina. References must be 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. All other requirements relative to peer review set forth in Rule .3405(d) of this subchapter apply to this standard.

(d) Time for Application - Application for continued 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 a lapse, recertification will require compliance with all requirements of Rule .3405 of this subchapter, including the examination.

(f) Suspension or Revocation of Certification - If an applicant’s certification was suspended or revoked during a period of certification, the application shall be treated as if it were for initial certification under Rule .3405 of this subchapter.

History Note: Authority G.S. 84-23

Approved by the Supreme Court December 14, 2021