Everyone wants to hire an outstanding law firm to represent them. But it is more difficult than ever to tell the difference between a good firm and a bad one. Doing your homework is important; word of mouth, online reviews, and Google searches can give you an idea. But they don’t tell the whole story. So, how can you know you are hiring a knowledgeable, respected, and experienced family law lawyer? One surefire way is to look for a firm with a Family Law Specialist.
The State Bar of Arizona’s mission is to serve and protect the public interest regarding legal services and access to justice. Over thirty years ago, the State Bar of Arizona instituted the Certified Specialist designation process to truly test and elevate identify the upper echelon of attorneys. Of the nearly 18,000 attorneys licensed to practice in Arizona, there are less than 70 Certified Family Law Specialists. One of the reasons there are so few specialists is because the process is so rigorous. For example, State 48 Law Firm’s Managing Partner, Robbie Hendricks is one of only six practicing in the city of Scottsdale.
Board-Certified Specialists are Experienced. Respected. Tested. Certified.
“Being a State Bar of Arizona Board-Certified Specialist is a mark of excellence and a distinguished accomplishment. Board-Certified Specialists are lawyers who have substantial experience, the respect of their peers, and demonstrated special knowledge, skills and proficiency in their area of law.” – State Bar of Arizona
“When you look for an attorney to help you with a family matter, you should look at State Bar Certified Specialists near you. Why? Because they have demonstrated that they understand and have advanced knowledge of family related legal issues, and you deserve the best.” – State Bar of Arizona
To become a specialist, an attorney must meet stringent requirements set by the Arizona Supreme Court. Attorneys are eligible to apply to become Board-Certified as a Family Law specialist only if they have been admitted to the practice of law continuously for at least 7 years, and 5 of those years must have been spent engaged in the practice of Family Law within the State of Arizona. They must show they have handled a variety of complex family law cases, including, for example, cases using experts to assess custody, business valuations, and handling a case at the Court of Appeals.
Even with all these qualifications, they must also meet the highest ethical standards, have excellent peer reviews, a specialized legal education, and tested knowledge. If an attorney meets these requirements and is approved by the State Bar Committee, they achieve the honorable distinction of Board-Certified Specialist.
Tested. Proven. Experienced. 
How does this benefit you, the client? 
Benefits of hiring a law firm with a Family Law Specialist Online, many people flippantly use the words expert or specialized to claim a high skill level in their field. While many of these individuals are probably good at their jobs, to be called an expert or a specialist in the practice of law, you need to be a Certified Specialist. It is the highest distinction and accomplishment an attorney can achieve.
Pretend you need a major eye surgery; a once in a lifetime procedure that is risky but necessary. Are you going to trust a doctor you found online who proclaims he is an expert or are you going to trust a Board-Certified Eye Specialist? The answer is obvious, and the same logic applies when hiring a family law attorney.
The attorney you hire will have a major impact on your case. You are going to invest heavily in your attorney—both in terms of time, cost, emotion, and the outcome of your case. You want the assurance the attorney you hire can get the job done. A specialist designation helps you know that the attorney you’ve hired knows what they are doing. The more your attorney knows, the more arguments they can make on your behalf and the more aware they are of potential risks in your case. That allows them to know when they need to attack and where they need to defend.
The rigorous specialist process doesn’t only benefit the attorney with the designation, it improves the entire legal team. Collaboration and teamwork are an important part of creating the right legal strategy. Each case is unique and when you have a Specialist on your team, everyone has access to their oversight, advice, expertise, knowledge, and experience. For clients, that means every attorney at the firm is equipped with proven legal strategies, improving client outcomes.
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