If you’ve come across the term “certified family law specialist,” you might wonder if they’re the same as a family attorney. In fact, they are a specialized type of family law attorney.
This article will draw a clear line between a regular family lawyer and one who is certified. We’ll also explore situations in which you may want to choose a specialist for your case.
What Does a Family Law Attorney Do?
Family law attorneys work on cases about significant family changes. While the first things that come to mind might be divorce and child custody, those are only some of the services family lawyers provide.
Think of family law as an umbrella term for anything that legally changes the family structure and who has rights to what.
Whether a family is forming through marriage or adoption, or breaking up because of divorce, certain legal aspects must be managed for everyone’s protection.
Family law includes:
- Prenuptial agreements
- Adoption and guardianship
- Surrogacy
- Divorce
- Child custody and visitation
- Spousal and child support
- Grandparents’ rights
- Domestic violence
- Restraining orders
Your family attorney might focus on a few areas of family law, or they might be part of a firm that also offers a range of legal services, such as estate planning and criminal defense.
To become a family lawyer, an attorney must complete an approved form of legal education and pass the state bar exam. As long as they pay annual license fees and remain in good standing, they may continue to offer family law services.
What Does a Certified Family Law Specialist Do?
A certified family law specialist (CFLS) is a family law attorney who has gone above and beyond the basic requirements in their practice area. The State Bar can certify lawyers who do this in all practice areas, including personal injury, criminal law, estate planning, and others.
To get the certification, a CFLS attorney must be currently licensed and practicing in addition to the following:
- Pass a written exam specifically on family law.
- Have practiced for the past five years (continuously), with a quarter of that being in family law.
- Finish family law education that goes beyond education required for taking the bar.
- Receive positive evaluations from judges and other lawyers.
- Complete a number of items demonstrating consistent skill in a variety of family law case types.
Only after meeting this criteria may a family lawyer call themselves a family law specialist.
It’s an extremely challenging process, and one that means the CFLS attorney is highly qualified to take on particularly complex cases. This also means that certified family law specialists sometimes charge a higher rate than regular family attorneys.
Because family law is often highly emotional, dealing with the most intimate and sometimes painful aspects of people’s lives, it can make a world of difference to have a family law specialist in your corner.
When Should I Choose a Certified Family Law Specialist Over a Family Lawyer?
If you anticipate that your case is going to be especially difficult–whether from a legal standpoint, on your emotional wellbeing, or both–it might be worth talking to a CFLS attorney.
Chances are, they’ve encountered something like your situation before, and have experience helping families find a way through.
For example, say you and your spouse have agreed to a divorce, but that’s about all you agree on. You’re facing a fight when it comes to child custody, asset division, college debt, retirement funds, and everything else.
Further, because you and your spouse grew up in vastly different cultures, you’re nervous about how certain aspects of the case might be interpreted by your in-laws when it comes to grandparents’ rights.
That’s a lot for anyone to deal with. Even the best family lawyers could have trouble navigating the various complexities of your case.
However, for a certified family law specialist, this is just the sort of thing they’ve trained for.
In addition to understanding the legal nature of your divorce, they’re prepared to compassionately guide you through the conversations, decisions, negotiations, and potential trial ahead. And of course, your children’s wellbeing will always be a top priority.
Another example would be a case of domestic violence and restraining orders. When your safety is on the line a family law attorney will certainly do their best to keep you safe.
However, abusers can be unpredictable, and the specific experience of a CFLS means they know how to work with the courts and law enforcement to act fast.
Even though you’re not required to hire a certified family law specialist, their credentials can give you peace of mind during some of the hardest times of your life.
Contact Envision Family Law for Family Law Help Today!
If you’re about to enter a particularly difficult divorce, custody, or domestic violence case, consider talking to a certified family law specialist. No one is more equipped to help you through this difficult transition.
Our senior managing attorney in California, Brinda Gandhi, has this certification level and is happy to help you with your case.
To schedule your free, initial consultation, call or text Envision Family Law at (888) 211-7814 or complete the simple contact form on our site. We will be honored to get to work for you!