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Peel v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of Illinois, 110 S.Ct. 2281 (1990), disallows any state from prohibiting disclosure of NBTA certification.

West Virginia State Coordinator
I proudly identify myself as having been board certified by the NBTA .
--Laura Faircloth
Why I Got Board Certified
For those of us who are women lawyers who”run our own shops,” it is important to at least recognize that we are still in the age of the proverbial glass ceiling. When Ireturned to my hometown to practice law as a sole-practitioner} I understood that the practice of law was still largely in control of the “good ol’ boys.” I wanted to have a competitive edge in my practice and I wanted to prove to myself and my clients that I was every bit as dedicated and competent as the attorneys who had been practicing for quite some time.

In studying for the exam and in collecting all of the information to facilitate the consideration of my application, I became even more aware of the high quality that NBTA requires of the attorneys who are actually board certified. I believe that the use of the term “board certified” in telephone ads and other marketing pieces sticks in the mind of the consumer when hiring a lawyer. I generally include of piece of information about the NBTA when I initially meet with a client.

I can honestly say that those of my clients who feel compelled to speak with me about the quality of my representation usually are impressed with the obvious amount of time and attention that the office puts into their case. This is usually demonstrated with correspondences in keeping the client involved in the progress of their respective cases. Each piece of letterhead displays the credit of board certification, which is a constant reminder of the distinction.

People generally tell me that they call my office because they have been referred by another client or have heard “good things” about my abilities as a lawyer. Any one or all of theses things can be directly linked to the NBTA board certification. NBTA puts a great deal of effort into the certification process and I proudly identify myself as having been board certified by the NBTA since 1989 (just five years after graduating from law school). I believe it makes a difference in the public’s perception of lawyers and that it earns me a special distinction when people are shopping for lawyers.

Laura Faircloth
West Virginia Attorney
Certified since 1989
 (304) 267-3949

Choose a Board Certified Trial Lawyer

All lawyers are not created equal, but all lawyers are free to take any case they want, regardless of whether they've proven themselves.

NBTA board certification provides both consumers and other lawyers looking to refer cases with an objective credential.

It just makes great sense to choose a board certified trial lawyer over a non-certified lawyer.

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