Area attorneys certified as specialists

Date: 1/6/2010 11:30:00 AM

The Ohio State Bar Association announced that it has certified an additional 28 lawyers as specialists in several legal practice areas.

All attorneys licensed to practice law in Ohio must have graduated from an accredited law school, passed an intensive examination and attended continuing legal education courses as required by the Supreme Court of Ohio.  Attorneys who devote a large part of their practice to a particular area of the law may choose to go beyond these requirements to earn specialty certification. To become certified, they must:

• Demonstrate substantial and continuing involvement in a particular field of law, meaning they must devote at least 25 percent of their practice to that area of law;
• Submit five professional references attesting to their competency in the specialty area;
• Have earned a minimum of 36 hours of intermediate or advanced continuing legal education credits in the specialty area during the past three years as part of the continuing legal education credits required of all attorneys;
• Pass a written examination;
• Prove financial responsibility by maintaining minimum professional liability insurance coverage; and
• Remain in good standing with the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Attorneys who have earned a specialty certification must be recertified at least every four to seven years and must earn a minimum of 12 continuing legal education credits in the specialty area every two years in addition to the CLE obligations required of all attorneys in Ohio.

“The OSBA congratulates these attorneys who have elected to earn certification,” said Barbara Howard, OSBA president.  “As a specialist myself, I am delighted for all who passed.  Certification as a specialist is one way attorneys strengthen their practice skills in a particular area of the law and inform their clients of that expertise.  The Ohio State Bar Association is pleased to participate in the certification process."

The Supreme Court of Ohio established a Commission on Certification of Attorneys as Specialists to identify specialties and set minimum standards for specialty certification. The commission accredits the certifying agencies.

The OSBA is the largest certifying agency in Ohio. It is currently accredited to certify specialists in nine areas of law.

Ohio attorneys certified as specialists include:

Appellate Law
John P. Donahue, Perrysburg
Paul W. Flowers, Cleveland
Stephen W. Funk, Akron
Thomas R.  Houlihan, Akron
Latecia E. Wiles, Wooster

Administrative Agency Law
Ronald Alexander, Munroe Falls

Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law
L. Robert Bolin, Oxford
Kimberly M. Cutler, Marysville
Michael R. Miller, Cincinnati
Sheri A. Peters, Munroe Falls
Mark F. Swary, Cleveland
Laurie A. Watson, Toledo
Heather Duffey Welbaum, Dayton

Family Relations Law
Renee F. Eubanks, S. Zanesville
James A. Giles, Mount Vernon
Edward R. Jansen, Cleveland
Julia L. Leveridge, Columbus
Todd D. Severt, Troy

Labor and Employment Law
Michael J. Bogdan, Canton
Elizabeth A. Crosby, Independence
Carrie L. Sponseller, Toledo
David A. Young, Cleveland

Workers' Compensation Law
Robert J. Curry, Youngstown
Victor H. Holcomb, Napoleon
Richard L. Johnson, Toledo
A. Brooke Phelps, Toledo
Matthew K. Seeley, Cleveland
Richard C. Zollinger, Canton