The Law Society of NSW operates the Specialist Accreditation Scheme to help the general public identify solicitors who have demonstrated proficiency in a particular area of law. Only individual solicitors can be Accredited Specialists, not firms.

What is an Accredited Specialist?

In the legal profession, an Accredited Specialist is a practising solicitor who has demonstrated specialised competence in a particular area of law and has been conferred Specialist Accreditation by the Law Society under its Specialist Accreditation Scheme.

The scheme is a structured peer to peer assessment process enabling legal practitioners to be recognised for their expertise.

The program consists of meticulous assessments on both legal knowledge and its application in practice. For accreditation to be conferred the candidate must pass all assessments.

Why should I use an Accredited Specialist?

To become an Accredited Specialist a solicitor must have practised law full-time for at least five years and worked in their area of legal specialty for at least three years.

To gain status as an Accredited Specialist a solicitor must pass the Law Society’s rigorous assessments in communication, problem solving, client relations and, of course, their specialist area of law.

To maintain their status as an Accredited Specialist, a solicitor must annually renew a certificate to practise the law and membership of the Law Society, plus update his or her skills and knowledge at the specialist level.

Specialist Accreditation Chair, Richard Harvey, said:

“Specialist Accreditation is held by less than 6% of the profession here in New South Wales. We are proud that Specialists Accreditation is such a rigorous process and getting accredited is just the start. When a specialist retains their accreditation year on year their clients know the value of the advice they receive.”