Board Certification is NOT a requirement to practice law in Texas. Every attorney licensed to practice by the Supreme Court of Texas is authorized to practice in all State Courts, Justice Courts, County Courts, District Courts, Appellate Courts and the Supreme Court of Texas.

If an attorney wishes to specialize in a particular area of law and if certification is offered in that practice area he may apply for such certification by meeting specific training and experience requirements.

Specialty fields are:  Administrative Law, Bankruptcy Law, Civil Appellate Law, Civil Trial Law, Consumer Law, Criminal Law, Estate Planning & Probate Law, Family Law, Immigration and Nationality Law, Labor & Employment Law, Oil Gas & Mineral Law, Personal Injury Trial Law, Real Estate Law and Tax Law.

Other practice areas do not offer certification.

Federal courts have their own bars, and an attorney licensed to practice in State Courts may apply to practice in the Federal Courts.  Texas is divided into four districts: Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western. Appeals from all of these districts are through the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.