Next week is the final deadline to sign up to take one of the October 2025 Legal Specialist Examinations that are administered by the State Bar of California. In advance of the October 1, 2025, final registration deadline, Trust on Trial caught up with Downey Brand Attorney Hannah Shakin to gain some of her insight about the legal specialization process and why you might be interested in joining the ranks.
Hannah became a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law through the State Bar of California in 2020.
For attorneys practicing in this field, the certification process is one way to reinforce subject-matter expertise and demonstrate a meaningful commitment to this area of law. For potential clients, it is a signal that their advisor has met certain standards required by the State Bar of California and has been formally recognized for their knowledge and experience.
What does certification entail?
To become certified, an attorney must have practiced law for at least five years, with at least 25 percent of their practice in the specialty area during the three years immediately preceding the application. Applicants must also pass a comprehensive written exam administered by the State Bar. The exam covers a wide range of topics, including estate planning, trust administration, probate, fiduciary duties, taxation, and litigation involving estates and trusts. After passing the exam, a specialist must complete specialized continuing legal education to keep their certification active.
Hannah, what was your experience like with the certification process?
I sat for the exam in 2019, and even though estate planning and probate law have always been the focus of my practice, preparing for the exam was still a serious lift. As part of the preparation process, I had to delve into areas of the law that I did not see every day in my estate planning practice, and I had to think through issues from both the estate planner’s perspective and a litigator’s perspective. The exam was thorough and definitely challenging. I was tested both on what I knew and also on how I would apply that knowledge to messy situations.
I took the exam in a hotel ballroom with rows of silent attorneys bent over paper booklets; it was eerily reminiscent of the bar exam. It brought back deeply repressed memories, at least for those of us who took the bar exam in the pre-COVID era when in-person testing was still the norm.
After passing the exam, I completed the certification process by submitting documentation of my experience and CLE compliance. A few months later, I received notice that I had passed the exam and officially earned the Certified Specialist designation.
Why pursue specialization?
Specialization reflects a commitment to a particular area of the law and can help prospective clients find counsel in a crowded marketplace. The State Bar’s Attorney Search website allows users to filter by those who have earned the designation as a Certified Specialist.
If you’re an attorney considering the certification process, it is not too late to sign up, HERE!
If you decide to sign up, the California Lawyers Association is offering a helpful CLE program for those preparing, which includes an overview of the exam structure, study tips, and a review of the substantive materials tested on the exam.
Good luck and happy studying!
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