Dear Members of the Legal Community,
Registration is open for the State Bar of California’s Legal Specialist Examination, which will be administered remotely online on October 30, 2025.
Becoming a Certified Legal Specialist helps attorneys stand out in their field, build trust with clients, and enhance their professional reputation in a competitive legal market. Specific examinations will be administered for the following specialty areas:
• Admiralty & Maritime Law
• Appellate – Civil Law
• Appellate – Criminal
• Bankruptcy Law
• Criminal – Federal Law
• Criminal – State Law
• Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
• Family Law
• Franchise & Distribution Law
• Immigration & Nationality Law
• Legal Malpractice Law
• Taxation Law
• Workers’ Compensation Law.
To become a certified specialist, one must pass the legal specialist exam in their desired area and submit an initial certification application within 18 months of the exam date. To complete the certification application, one must provide information showing that they meet the task and experience requirements, have completed 45 hours of continuing education in the specialty area (36 hours every three years thereafter), and have received favorable evaluations from attorneys and judges. For more about the requirements for each specialty area, refer to the State Bar’s rules and specialty area standards.
Now is a great time to apply because the timely filing deadline is September 1, 2025. Applicants can still apply after that date with a late fee. Apply by logging into the State Bar’s Applicant Portal. Click "Applications” and “View Application Forms,” and select the "Legal Specialist Examination Application.
Learn more at the Becoming a Certified Legal Specialist and October 2025 Certified Legal Specialist Examination webpages. If you have questions, please contact the State Bar of California’s Legal Specialization unit at legalspec@calbar.ca.gov.
