The Texas Supreme Court approved legislative and campaign law as the newest Texas Board of Legal Specialization specialty area. It will join the other 24 areas of specialization already approved.

Texas is the first state in the country to approve specialization in legislative and campaign law. Attorneys who wish to earn certification must have extensive experience in this area of law, complete a specified number of CLE hours in the specialty area, and pass an exam. The new specialization will focus on legislative procedures, campaign finances, lobby laws, and mechanisms of government.

The certification effort was led by Andy Cates, former State Bar Legislative and Campaign Section chair.

“Our intent with this specialization is to help build trust in lawyers that practice in this area of law by finally establishing a standard baseline for those claiming to be specialists in the area,” Cates said in a press release.

Current State Bar Legislative and Campaign Section Chair Elizabeth Hadley will serve on the committee to develop the application for the certification and to vet exam applicants. A separate committee will oversee the exam’s creation.

“It’s great to have legislative and campaign law formally recognized in Texas as a legal specialization,” Hadley said in a press release. “As this specialization is the first and only legal specialization in this area of law in the country, I’m honored to be a part of this historic moment in time.”

To find out more about the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, go to tbls.org.