Estate Law Specialist Program

The Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc., an attorney-run subsidiary of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils in Cleveland, Ohio, is the only ABA-accredited program for certification of an attorney as an Estate Planning Law Specialist (EPLS). We believe that specialization is the future of practicing law and, as specialization increases, it will benefit lawyers and the public.

Attorneys who become Board-certified under this program demonstrate a high level of professionalism and commitment to the concept of specialization. We believe that as attorney specialization increases, it will benefit not only lawyers but the public. This program is currently the only program, other than certain state bar association programs which are only for residents of their particular states, accredited by the American Bar Association to Board-certify attorneys as Estate Planning Law Specialists. It is administered by an attorney-run affiliate of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils, the Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc. The program was accredited by the ABA in 1996.

To obtain Board-certified status, an attorney must meet the following requirements:

• Five or more years as an estate planning attorney during which at least 1/3 of the attorney’s practice is devoted to estate planning
• 12 or more hours of continuing legal education in estate planning topics per year for the last three years
• Verification of professional liability insurance coverage
• Recommendations from at least five colleagues that are not related to or within the same firm as the applicant
• Passing a comprehensive exam designed so competent attorneys having constant exposure to estate planning can pass without substantial independent study

See complete details about standards for certification.

Many states permit lawyers to hold themselves out as specialists if their certification is awarded by an ABA-accredited program. Each lawyer must consult the rules in his or her own state to determine how such a designation applies.

Find an Estate Planning Law Specialist near you.