Become an NACC Certified Child Welfare Law Specialist

As part of our commitment to improve the practice of juvenile law and establish juvenile law as a recognized legal specialty, the NACC certifies lawyers as Child Welfare Law Specialists.  Certification as an NACC Child Welfare Law Specialist signifies to your community, colleagues, courts, and clients that you possess an enhanced level of knowledge, skill, and experience in juvenile law.

Child Welfare Law Certification is available to attorneys who represent children, parents and agencies in child abuse, neglect and dependency cases.  It is modeled after physician board certification and requires that attorneys satisfy the following requirements:

• Substantial involvement in the practice of child welfare law for the three (3) years immediately preceding the application.
• Satisfactory continuing legal education credit in child welfare law.
• Acquisition of satisfactory peer reviews of your competence, including one (1) judge.
• Satisfactory writing sample.
• Passage of the NACC national child welfare law exam (and passage of a state specific exam in a minority of jurisdictions such as California).

Download Certification Materials

• Program Summary/Request Application
• NACC Certification Standards
• NACC Certification Standards for California
• Sample Application for Certification (not for submission)
• Sample Application for Certification in California (not for submission)
• Advisory Board Nomination Form
• Court Improvement Program and Training Memo

The Child Welfare Law Specialist Column

• Winter 2008
• Fall 2007

• Summer 2007

The Plan for National Dissemination

NACC Child Welfare Law Attorney Certification is currently available in the following jurisdictions:

• California
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Iowa
• Michigan
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Tennessee

For information on the status of certification in all jurisdictions, please see the State Status Chart.  The projected open dates are subject to revision based on interest and progress.  The State Status Chart will be updated quarterly.

• State Status Chart

For a detailed explanation of the State Status Chart, please see the Fall 2007 Child Welfare Law Specialist Column.

Cost

The certification fee is approximately $600 plus an annual dues fee and includes a copy of the NACC juvenile law treatise, Child Welfare Law and Practice.  Certification lasts five (5) years and is renewable.  Renewal certification does not require an examination or writing sample.

Download Additional Materials

• Child Welfare Law and Practice Treatise

• Current Certified Attorneys
• Nation's First Child Welfare Law Specialists - Press Release

For more information, contact the NACC at 888/828-NACC.

Protecting children and promoting their well-being through excellence in legal advocacy. 

phone: 1-888-828-NACC | e-mail: advocate@NACCchildlaw.org
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