Vernon's Texas Rules Annotated - VTRA TX R LAW SPECIALIZATION Section III. Jurisdiction of the Board

Subject to the continuing jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Texas, the TBLS shall have general jurisdiction of all matters pertaining to specialization in the practice of law and shall have the authority and duty to:

A. Administer the program for the recognition and regulation of specialization in the law.

B. Upon appropriate petition, define and designate areas of law in which certificates of special competence may be granted and provide procedures by which such areas may be determined, redefined or eliminated.

C. Make and publish reasonable and nondiscriminatory standards concerning education, experience, proficiency, and other relevant matters for granting certificates of special competence to attorneys in defined and designated areas of law, after public comments on due notice have been received and considered.

D. Provide procedures for the investigation and testing of the qualifications of applicants and certificate holders and to award certificates of special competence in a form approved by the TBLS.

E. Make and publish reasonable and nondiscriminatory standards for continuing proficiency, recertification or renewal of certificates of special competence after public comments on due notice have been received and considered.

F. Encourage law schools, the State Bar Committee on Continuing Legal Education, local bar associations and other agencies of continuing legal education to develop and maintain a program of legal education and continuing legal education to meet the standards prescribed by the TBLS.

G. Cooperate with other agencies of the State Bar of Texas in establishing and enforcing standards of professional conduct necessary for the recognition and regulation of specialization in the law in the manner determined by the TBLS.

H. Cooperate with the Standing Committee on Specialization of the American Bar Association and with the agencies in other states engaged in the regulation of legal specialization.

I. Make and publish standards, rules and regulations to implement this authority, all in accordance with the limitations on the power of the TBLS and the minimum standards prescribed by the TBLS.

J. Establish and publish reasonable and non-discriminatory standards for accreditation of private certifying organizations which grant certification in a manner similar to that granted by the TBLS.