What Does It Take to Be Board Certified as a Business Litigation Attorney in Florida?

“Business Litigation” is defined in Florida as the practice of law dealing with legal problems in commercial or business relationships, including litigation of controversies arising from those relationships. “Business litigation law” includes evaluating, handling and resolving such controversies before state courts, federal courts and administrative agencies.

Matters — not — qualifying for business litigation are those involving personal injury, routine collection matters, marital and family law, or workers’ compensation.

To become Board Certified as a Business Litigation Attorney in Florida, the applicants must:

• The practice of law for at least five (5) years
• Have substantial involvement in the specialty of business litigation – 30% or more – during the five years immediately preceding the application
• Handle at least 25 contested business litigation matters during the five years immediately preceding application, including at least eight submitted to the trier of fact (summary judgments not considered)
• Handle at least one business litigation jury trial during the 10 years immediately preceding the application (an approved Advance Trial Advocacy Course may replace this requirement)
• Have at least 50 hours of approved business litigation certification continuing legal education in the three years immediately preceding application
• Pass a rigorous peer review
• Pass a written examination

In Florida, there are 101,300 lawyers admitted to The Florida Bar. Of that number, only about 230 are Board Certified as Business Litigation Attorneys — approximately .2%.

When you consider hiring a lawyer, you may wish to ask if she or he is “board certified” as a business litigation attorney in Florida. If the answer is, “Yes,” then you can have confidence the lawyer has earned this distinction by rigorous, objective standards