Under what condition can an attorney claim specialization in their field?

An attorney can claim specialization in their field primarily if they are a certified specialist. Certification as a specialist is typically granted by an accredited board, which evaluates an attorney's experience, knowledge, and proficiency in a specific area of law. Certification often requires passing a written examination and meeting other criteria, such as a certain amount of practical experience and ongoing education in that area of law.

While unique techniques, limiting practice to specific cases, and years of experience may contribute to an attorney's expertise, they do not by themselves confer the formal status of specialization that certification provides. Without the certification, attorneys may be limited in how they can market themselves as specialists, since claims of specialization need to be substantiated by recognized credentials to ensure compliance with professional responsibility standards.