E D I T O R ’ S M E S S A G E J i m W i m s a t t – H a r r i s , H u n t & D e r r , P . A .
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Once I became aware of the trend I was seeing , I decided to look into the process . I went to the Florida Bar ’ s website and found the section on board certification and looked at the requirements . Practice of law for at least five years : check . Marital and family law constituting over fifty percent of my practice for the past five years : check . Seventy-five hours of approved marital and family law CLE ’ s in the preceding five years : check . Handling of at least twenty-five contested family law cases in the preceding five years with at least seven trials : check . Peer review : don ’ t know until I try , but people seem to like me , so check ! Hopefully . And finally , a written exam . Ugh .
Dreading the prospect of taking another exam , but keeping my eye on the trend I had noticed , I set about completing the application to become a board-certified attorney . The application , is , to put it mildly , daunting — seeking detailed information on cases for which I was the lead attorney and the trials I had conducted , the names of peers who hopefully had good things to say about me , identifying judges before whom I had appeared and hopefully made a good impression on — essentially hours of non-billable work completed on nights and weekends . Finally , it was completed and turned in , leaving just the exam remaining .
Studying for the board certification exam was one of the most difficult processes I have been through in my legal career . I had to fit over one hundred hours of studying into a calendar already full of litigation , mediation , client meetings , and collaborative work , in addition to family , professional , and community obligations . It could not have been done without the full support of my firm and family , for which I am forever grateful .
Now , the exam is done , and I wait to find out if I passed . But pass or fail , I can definitively say that I feel more confident in my legal knowledge than I ever have in my career . The process of studying and preparing for the exam has put me at the top of my game , deepened my knowledge , and strengthened my abilities . The feeling of achievement that came over me once the exam was complete was similar to the feeling I had completing my first marathon — the studying , like the training process , was long and arduous ; the exam was difficult with its own ups and downs , mini-victories and defeats , just like the race ; the exhaustion at the end hit hard , but brought its own exhilaration . Marathons are not for everyone , and the board certification process is not for every attorney . But , if you look around , and find the attorneys that you respect and look up to and learn from are board certified , I would encourage you to take the plunge , apply , and take one more test — the journey alone can make you a better attorney . n m a r - a p r 2 0 2 3 | H C B a L a W Y E r
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