CRITERIA FOR EXPERIENCE PANELS
HLRS operates 37 different legal panels. Of these, 21 are considered experienced panel areas and require an additional application showing expertise in the area of law along with an additional membership fee of $25. For all experienced panels, if not Board Certified in that subject area, the applicant must have been licensed in Texas for at least 5 years* and have completed 15 hours of CLE related to the practice area within the last thirty-six months. In addition to these requirements, each experienced panel has practice requirements specific to the area of legal specialization. Those requirements are listed below.
ADMR, MEDMAL, PROD
Applicant must have handled to resolution by settlement or verdict, within thirty-six months preceding application at least five matters of the type for which application is being made.
BNKRP
Applicant must have commenced and taken to completion at least five bankruptcies or Chapter 13 proceedings within thirty-six months preceding application.
CIVAPP
Applicant must have had substantial involvement in preparing and filling five briefs in civil appeal or mandamus action and must have argued two cases before the Court of Appeals within thirty-six months preceding application.
COMLIT
Applicant must have handled five or more commercial transactions, three of which were settlements/verdicts in trial court or three arbitrations to settlement/award, in the thirty-six months preceding application.
CRIMAPP
Applicant must have had substantial involvement in preparing and filling five criminal appeals or mandamus actions, three litigated to conclusion, within the thirty-six months preceding the application. However, if the applicant has been a briefing attorney for one of the Appellate Courts, he or she may present to the Board a written recommendation from the Judge for whom the applicant briefed for consideration.
CRIMFED
Applicant must have handled five criminal matters in Federal Court, including two felony jury trials to judgment.
CRIMST
Applicant must have handled five or more felony trials through to completion.
DWI
Applicant must have completed three DWI trials.
FAM contested
Applicant must have handled 10 or more contested family law matters in the last 36 months; have handled 5 or more contested hearings or trials on family law matters in the last 36 months and have completed 30 hours of family law CLE courses within the past 36 months.
IMM
Applicant must have handled at least five types of immigration matters through to conclusion within the past twenty-four months AND applicant must also demonstrate ready access to qualified interpreters and translators and to the Federal Courts
INTL
Applicant must have handled the registration of two American business entities in a foreign country or the registration of two foreign entities in the United States AND the negotiation of two contracts involving international parties
LEGMAL, WRNG
Applicant must have handled to resolution by settlement or verdict, within thirty-six months preceding application at least three matters of the type for which application is being made.
PAT/COPY/TRADEMARKS
If applying for the Patent panel, the applicant must be admitted to practice before the United States Patent Office AND must have prepared through execution or prosecuted through issuance at least five matters in the following areas: license agreements; electrical inventions; chemical inventions; mechanical inventions; or computer hardware or software. If applying for the Copyrights/Trademarks panel, the applicant must have completed at least five copyright/trademark matters within thirty-six months preceding the application
PROB/WILLS contested/complex
If the applicant is applying for the contested/complex Probate panel, the applicant must have completed and/or processed five probate matters within the twenty-four months preceding application. If applying for the Will drafting for complex estates section, the applicant must have personally drafted twenty wills, ten of which involved tax provisions or other advanced estate planning instruments within the thirty-six months preceding application. If applying for the Will Contests section, the applicant must have represented five parties on contested matters in Probate Court within sixty months preceding application. If applying to the Trusts/Estate Planning & Living Trusts section, the applicant must have personally drafted five trusts and/or living trusts involving estate planning within thirty-six months preceding application. If applying to handle Contested Guardianship – Person/Estate matters, the applicant must have represented parties in at least five contested guardianship matters within twenty-four months preceding the application.
SSI
Applicant must have participated in at least five Social Security hearings before an administrative judge within sixty months preceding the application.
STOCK
Applicant must have handled five Securities matters through to completion, and assisted in the preparation, filing or prosecution of at least three client matters in the following areas: registration of public offerings of securities; preparation of periodic reports for public companies; preparation of disclosure documents in private placements; representation of brokers and dealers in securities matters; or litigation involving issues under the federal or state securities law OR had full-time employment with a government agency with responsibility for securities law enforcement. The Securities Litigation/Arbitration and the Corporate Securities panels will be considered independently, i.e. if you are only interested in receiving Corporate Securities referrals, only complete that area of the application
TAX*
Applicant must have: (1) an LLM degree in Taxation; Or (2) a Certified Public Accountant’s Certificate; Or be licensed and practicing in Texas for five years prior to application. Applicant must also have: (1) rendered a written opinion on a significant tax question in at least three tax cases; Or (2) obtained at least two tax rulings from the National Office of the Internal Revenue Service; Or (3) completed two tax proceedings before the Appellate Divisions of the Internal Revenue Service
WORK
Applicant must have represented at least six workers at benefit review conferences and at least three clients at a contested case hearing within thirty-six months preceding the application.
If not Board Certified in the specialty area, to remain on an Experience Panel(s) member shall maintain all the practice requirements above and half the required CLE 7.5 hours in the subject matter for the initial application.
*Denotes panel with an exception to the 5-year licensed in Texas rule.