A family member has been charged with a serious offense, and you need to know who is defending them. Checking credentials is a reasonable place to start. This guide shows how to read a Texas criminal lawyer’s certification claim, one part at a time.

What should I ask about a Texas criminal defense lawyer’s credentials?

Read the lawyer’s own statement. It should name the lawyer, state the certification, name the area as Criminal Law, and name the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) in full.

TBLS certifies individual lawyers, and a lawyer may hold certification in more than one area. A firm does not hold that certification. A credential in one area also does not cover another area. So read the claim exactly as written.

Certification is also voluntary. The credential shows one thing: this lawyer earned a recognized credential in one named area.

Ask the lawyer for the full statement in writing. Check that it names the person, the area, and the board. Bring your questions to a free, confidential first consultation with Barbieri Law Firm before you decide anything.

What does an accurate certification statement look like?

An accurate statement names one lawyer, the certification, the area, and the full board name, all in one line.

Here is the statement Barbieri Law Firm uses for the attorney who leads the firm: “Heather Jean Barbieri, Board Certified, Criminal Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization.” Each part does a job. The name shows who holds the credential. The area shows what it covers. The board name shows who granted it.

Missing parts matter. A certification phrase with no board named does not meet the standard. A statement with no area leaves you guessing about the field. A statement that says the firm holds certification does not tell you which lawyer holds it.

The statement covers only the person and the area it names. It does not reach a colleague, another practice area, or the business as a whole. That limit lets you match the credential to the lawyer who will handle your family member’s case.

Which Texas Board of Legal Specialization areas are different from criminal law?

Criminal Appellate Law and Juvenile Law are separate TBLS areas. Each is different from Criminal Law. A certification in one area does not show certification in another.

Criminal Appellate Law deals with appeals in criminal cases. Juvenile Law deals with cases involving young people. These are general descriptions, not a list of what each certification requires.

When you read a statement, match the area to the matter. If the statement names a different area, ask the lawyer how that credential relates to your family member’s charge.

Does certification belong to the lawyer or to the firm?

Certification belongs only to the lawyer the board certified. It does not belong to the firm, the office, or the team.

Barbieri Law Firm is an all-women criminal defense firm in Frisco, Texas, led by Heather Barbieri. Its lawyers include Heather Barbieri and Carrie Thomas. The firm’s statement names Heather Jean Barbieri in Criminal Law. It does not claim that credential for Carrie Thomas or for the firm as a whole.

That is why a claim such as “the whole team is certified” needs a closer look. It is accurate only if every lawyer described holds the credential. Plural words like “our lawyers” describe the lawyers the firm has. They do not pass a certification to each one.

Look for the lawyer’s name next to the credential. You should also be able to find the firm’s name, the responsible lawyer, and the lawyer’s primary practice city on the site. Those details show who is accountable for what you read.

What wording should make me look more closely?

A certification claim that names no board, no area, or a firm instead of a person deserves a closer look.

Watch for these signs:

• A certification phrase with no board named after it.
• No area named, so you cannot tell what the credential covers.
• A firm named as the holder, instead of one individual lawyer.
• A team described as certified, without naming each certified lawyer.
• Ranking language that compares one lawyer with others. Ranking describes how a lawyer compares, not a credential you can check.

Certification shows recognized training and standing in one area. It does not show how any case will end. No honest lawyer can promise how a case will end, and that includes a certified one.

Write down the exact wording you found. Bring that note to a first meeting and compare it with what the lawyer tells you.

What should I do next if I am reviewing a lawyer for a serious charge?

Start by writing down the lawyer’s exact statement. Then bring it to a first conversation. Verifying credentials is a reasonable step when a family member faces a serious charge.

This situation is hard. A family member may be in custody, and you may be trying to understand the charge while you make a decision. The firm handles charges including aggravated sexual assault, online sex crimes, aggravated assault, and family violence. Each has a specific legal definition.

Aggravated sexual assault is a felony of the first degree under Texas Penal Code § 22.021. Knowingly soliciting a minor online to meet another person, with the intent that the minor will engage in sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with the actor or another person, is a second-degree felony under Texas Penal Code § 33.021. A defense applies if the actor was married to the minor, or was not more than three years older than the minor and the minor consented. Texas Penal Code § 33.021 reads: “(f) An offense under Subsection (b) is a felony of the third degree, except that the offense is a felony of the second degree if the minor is younger than 14 years of age or is an individual whom the actor believes to be younger than 14 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense.” Texas Penal Code § 33.021(f) reads, in part: “An offense under Subsection (c) is a felony of the second degree.” Family violence is defined in Texas Family Code § 71.004.

Our first consultation is free, confidential, and comes with no obligation to continue. Call (972) 424-1902 or send your case details through our contact page, and confirm the certification in person.

Licensing requirements for criminal defense lawyers in Texas

Attorney responsible for this site: Heather Barbieri, Barbieri Law Firm, Frisco, Texas.