The Marchese Law Firm, LLC  What is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney? The Certified Civil Trial Attorney designation is granted by the New Jersey Supreme Court to attorneys who are able to demonstrate sufficient levels of experience, litigation, knowledge and skill in the civil practice.  The Supreme Court, through its Board on Attorney Certification, designates only those lawyers who apply for certification and who are able to meet the standards set by the Board and approved by the Court.

What does it mean when an attorney is certified?

A certified attorney is more than just an attorney who specializes in a particular area of law.  A New Jersey attorney who is certified by the Supreme Court as a civil trial attorney must have:

been a member in good standing of the New Jersey bar for over five (5) years;

fulfilled ongoing continuing legal education requirements;

demonstrated a substantial level of experience in civil trial law;

been favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with his or her work; and,

taken and passed a written examination in civil trial law.

Why does New Jersey have a certification program?

The Certification program helps the public find attorneys who have demonstrated proficiency in specialized fields of law. Certification helps lawyers by giving them a way to make their experience known to the public and to other lawyers. Certification also encourages the maintenance and improvement of attorney competence in specialized fields and practice areas of the law.

What areas of law does the New Jersey Supreme Court certify attorneys?

At present, there are four specialty areas of practice that are approved for certification by the Supreme Court of New Jersey: civil trial law, criminal trial law, matrimonial law and workers’ compensation law.

How many attorneys are certified in New Jersey?

There are only approximately 1500 Board certified civil trial attorneys in New Jersey out of nearly 83,000 lawyers.

How does the consumer know if an attorney is Board certified?

Although many practicing trial attorneys now advertise in newspapers, on television and in the Yellow Pages, only attorneys certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court are entitled to use the designation “Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney” on their letterhead, business cards, Yellow Pages listings or in their advertisements.

Should you have more questions or need to find out more about certification, contact the Board on Attorney Certification:

P.O. Box 970

Trenton, NJ  08625

(609) 984-3077

Finding the right attorney is to your benefit and the attorney’s as  well.  That is why the Supreme Court of new Jersey has directed the Board on Attorney Certification to carry out the certification program as an effort to raise the level of competence of attorneys in this State.  This program is designed to help you make an informed decision when seeking and selecting an attorney.

*Please note that the information contained on this web page was taken directly from the New Jersey Board on Attorney Certification pamphlet entitled: “Why should you use a Certified Civil Trial Attorney?” It is the only Board-sanctioned explanation on the topic.