Dated: October 22, 1999

The following standards for certification of Tennessee attorneys as Family Law Specialists are hereby adopted by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization.

Initial Certification

To obtain certification by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization as a Family Law Specialist, a Tennessee attorney must:

1. Become board certified as a Family Law Diplomate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
2. Provide the names and current mailing addresses of five (5) clients whom the attorney has represented in family law matters within the last three (3) years for the Commission's use in soliciting client evaluations. This requirement shall not apply to an attorney exclusively employed for the preceding three years by a government agency or agencies, or as in-house counsel for a single corporation. The Commission may reduce or waive this requirement, in its discretion, for attorneys who have left employment by a government agency or agencies, or as in-house counsel for a single corporation, during the three years preceding application for certification.
3. Complete and file with the Commission a Practice Management Checklist in a form acceptable to the Commission.
4. Provide a release for the Board of Professional Responsibility, and the disciplinary agencies of all other states in which the attorney may be licensed, to advise the Commission of any past or pending disciplinary complaints against the attorney, and the action taken thereon, and for the Commission and the National Board of Trial Advocacy to disclose and discuss any information obtained as part of the attorney’s application to either the Commission or National Board of Trial Advocacy.
5. Provide the Commission with evidence of professional liability insurance of not less than Five Hundred Thousand ($500,000) Dollars and with policy provisions acceptable to the Commission unless the attorney is practicing exclusively as an employee of a government agency or agencies.
6. Submit a fee of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars to the Commission.

Continuing Certification

To continue to be certified, the attorney must:

1. Maintain board certified status as a Family Law Diplomate with the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
2. File annually with the Commission a Practice Management Checklist (see (3) above) and evidence of professional liability insurance (see (5) above) and a fee of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars.
3. Provide a release for the Board of professional Responsibility to advise the Commission of any ethics complaints filed against the attorney, and any action taken thereon, so long as the attorney remains a certified specialist.