What Is A Certified Elder Law Attorney?
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You may be wondering what a
Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) is. That is not
surprising since Elder Law is a relatively new specialty.
In 1988 the National Academy
of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) was formed to address the
unique needs of the elderly and the disabled. Elder Law
differs from other legal specialties such as tax law or
trusts and estates because its objective is to provide
comprehensive services to a class of people rather than
provide narrowly focused technical skills.
In July of 1993, NAELA
assisted in the formation of a nonprofit organization called
the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF). The purpose of
NELF is to develop and improve the professional competence
of lawyers in the field of Elder Law.
NELF's
Board of Directors decided to identify those lawyers who had
a sufficiently enhanced level of skill and knowledge in the
area of Elder Law, coupled with the competence to identify
the elderly or disabled client's needs, and capability to
either take care of the client or refer to client to someone
who could help them. NELF developed a certification program
and submitted it to the American Bar Association for
accreditation. The first exam was given in November 1994. In
February 1995, the American Bar Association's House of
Delegates accredited NELF as the certifying entity for
specialization in Elder Law.
To become a CELA, an
attorney must be in good standing, have substantial
involvement in the practice of Elder Law, take 15 hours of
continuing legal education in Elder Law each year, submit to
peer review, and successfully pass a comprehensive written
examination. The CELA exam is rigorous. An attorney must
apply for recertification every five years. The
recertification process includes peer review, proof of
continuing legal education, and demonstration of ongoing
involvement in the practice of elder law.
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