Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer
* Mr. Willis is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988. He is licensed in Texas & New York and maintains his principal office in Houston, Texas
What does Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer mean?
Certification by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization identifies an attorney who has been recognized as having extensive knowledge and actual experience trying a prescribed number of personal injury cases to a jury verdict. In order to be Board Certified, Mr. Willis had to pass strict testing and qualification requirements to demonstrate his knowledge of the law of evidence, procedure and other areas of substantive law in the trial of civil cases. Less than 2% of all Texas attorneys have earned this important certification. Mr. Willis maintains an aggressive personal injury practice that focuses on litigation involving product liability litigation, pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, defective products and industrial accidents.
What is a Personal Injury Trial Law Board Certified Attorney?
A Board Certified attorney is an attorney who has demonstrated special competence in a particular field and whose competence has been certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization was created by the Supreme Court of Texas, and the Board members are appointed by the President of the State Bar of Texas. The Board, in turn, administers the program through which an attorney may demonstrate special competence in a particular area of law practice.
How many attorneys in Texas are currently Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law?
Approximately only 1,350 Texas attorneys are now Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law.
How do you know if an attorney is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law?
Board certified attorneys are entitled to indicate certification on business cards and letterhead by using the expression "Board Certified - Personal Injury Trial Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization." They may display the Certificate of Special Competence awarded by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and list the certification in legal directories and telephone listings under "Attorneys - Board Certified."
How long does an attorney remain certified in Personal Injury Trial Law?
Certification in Texas is for a period of 5 years. To remain certified after that time, every 5 years the attorney must apply for re-certification and meet the requirements for continued experience, peer review and continuing legal education.
What are the requirements for Board Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law?
All Personal Injury Trial Law Board Certified Attorneys in Texas must have:
- Been licensed to practice law for at least 5 years
- Practiced personal injury trial law for at least 3 years
- Devoted a minimum of 25% of their law practice to personal injury trial law
- Handled a wide variety of personal injury trial law matters to demonstrate experience and involvement
- Attended personal injury trial law continuing legal education seminars regularly to keep their legal training up to date
- Been evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges
- Passed a day-long written examination
What special requirements must a lawyer who is Board Certified meet?
A Texas lawyer who is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law must have handled jury trials in cases involving vehicle accidents, worker's compensation, premises liability, products liability, statutory tort claims, maritime accidents, social security claims, or claims involving mental anguish damages not necessarily accompanied by a physical jury. The lawyer must also have extensive knowledge of the law of evidence, procedure, and other substantive law in the trial of civil cases.
Source: Texas Board of Legal Specialization
