What is this Logo for the California Board of Legal Specialization and why is it important to me?
This is the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization Seal. For a bankruptcy lawyer to have the privilege of posting this California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization logo they must have:
1. Passed a difficult written exam administered by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization to prove that they are highly skilled in Bankruptcy Law;
2. Practiced a minimum of 5 years in bankruptcy law;
3. At least 25% of their practice is in bankruptcy law;
4. Have handled a large number of cases and have litigated a set number of these cases;
5. Passed a rigorous background check that includes the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization contacting the Bankruptcy Judges, Bankruptcy Trustees and even attorneys that the specialist has litigated against. The State Bar then requests their opinion as to both the skills and ethical standards of the lawyer.
Only if the bankruptcy attorney passes all of these hurdles does a bankruptcy lawyer get the right to display this logo and tell the public that they are a California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization Certified Bankruptcy Law Specialist.
Every 5 years the bankruptcy lawyer must go through all the steps above except the lawyer does not have to take the test again.
This is the equivalent of an A+ on a report card. Simply put, the State Bar is telling you that they rate the attorney to be among the best bankruptcy attorneys in skill, quality of work and ethics. At present, there are only 120-150 attorneys in the State Certified as bankruptcy law specialists.
Warning: Beware that some bankruptcy lawyers claim that they “specialize” in bankruptcy law when in fact they are not California State Bar CERTIFIED bankruptcy law specialists. While they say that they specialize in bankruptcy, it is misleading to people looking for a bankruptcy lawyer to represent them. If in doubt, you can go to the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization search page and confirm that the bankruptcy attorney is a real Certified Specialist.
What is the Avvo.com ratings logo and why is it important to me?
Avvo.com is the largest attorney rating service in the United States. Its purpose is to rate attorneys based on multiple factors. Some of the factors they use include years in practice, disciplinary history, professional achievements, state bar specialization, industry recognition, client reviews, attorney endorsements, and much more. Ninety percent of all attorneys in the United States are rated by Avvo.com.
In addition, Avvo.com has profiles of the lawyers so people can find out more information beyond their rating. They also have a section where people can ask questions and have them answered by attorneys.
Unlike many so-called “ratings organizations,” attorneys do not and cannot pay to improve their Avvo.com rating. It also cannot be improved or influenced by advertising. All attorneys are rated by the same standards. This insures that their ratings are unbiased. There cannot be any favoritism among attorneys for their ratings.
Avvo.com ratings are on a 1-10 scale with 1 the lowest rating to 10 the highest rating. The ratings are as follows: 9.0-10.0 Superb, 8.0-8.9 Excellent, 7.0-7.9 Very good, 6.0-6.9 Good, 5.0-5.9 Average, 4.0-4.9 Concern, 3.0-3.9 Caution, 2.0-2.9 Strong caution, 1.0-1.9 Extreme caution.
You can check out my Avvo.com rating and profile by clicking here or on the Avvo.com logo. In fact, you can compare me to numerous other bankruptcy law attorneys at Avvo.com.
What is the Better Business Bureau (BBB) logo and why is it important to me?
Most people have heard of the Better Business Bureau but many have not used it. They rate many different types of businesses, including attorneys. Ratings run from A+ to F like a report card. They also maintain a system for handling complaints against businesses and methods to help people resolve their complaints. Click here or on the BBB logo to see my rating and compare it to other bankruptcy attorneys.
What is the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) & why is it important to me?
The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) is, as its name states, an association of bankruptcy attorneys that primarily represent consumers and small businesses who are in financial trouble and need expert help.
Members of NACBA spend a lot of their time and effort keeping themselves educated on the latest bankruptcy laws and Court case decisions. Bankruptcy law is not static. It changes and evolves based on changes in the laws themselves and decisions interpreting those laws. NACBA files briefs in cases where the result could dramatically change the interpretation of bankruptcy law.
NACBA members also lobby for laws that could improve results for consumers and lobby against proposed laws that can make things worse. Since this association does not have significant funding, many of the attorneys go to meet with legislators using their own money. Unlike the big banks and mortgage companies, NACBA and its membership cannot afford to pay to hire lobbyists nor do they make political contributions to candidates.
Members of NACBA are committed to helping you.
