Austin, TX — The Carlson Law Firm is happy to announce two new certifications on our team by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury.
During a ceremony on March 6, The Carlson Law Firm’s Waco Partner Dominic Braus earned his Board Certification in Personal Injury Law. At the same time, the firm’s North Austin paralegal Amanda Lequerique also earned her Paralegal Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law. Texas Supreme Court Justice Jane Bland delivered the keynote address at the Austin ceremony.
Board certification means that an attorney and paralegal have demonstrated special competence in a particular area of law. According to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS), approximately 10% of Texas licensed attorneys are board-certified.
“I thought that the Texas Bar Exam was the last test I’d ever take,” Braus said. “But when I found out about Board Certification, I decided that I would devote my time to becoming a specialist in Personal Injury Trial Law. That meant that I would have to take one more test to see if I was good enough to be recognized by the board. It was all worth it to prove to myself and my clients that I have what it takes to become Board Certified in the area of the law that I love.”
To achieve board certification, Braus is undertaking a lifelong commitment to maintain his board certification. Attorneys must be licensed to practice law for at least five years, handle various matters in their specialty area, devote a required percentage of their practice to their specialty, attend continuing education seminars and be evaluated by fellow attorneys and judges.
Braus has been with The Carlson Law Firm since 2013.
Lequerique joins the ranks of only 380 paralegals in the state who have distinguished themselves with board certification. The paralegal process parallels the attorney certification process. The process includes meeting a minimum of five years of experience as a paralegal, a thorough assessment of the paralegal’s experience under the supervision of an attorney, 30 hours of continuing education courses, and a written examination.
“When the time came that I had enough experience and continuing education courses to be eligible to apply for Board Certification, I decided I would try,” Lequerique said. “It was a difficult process while juggling so many other responsibilities, but I’m so glad that I did it. I hope that this certification will help future clients understand that I’m dedicated to what I do each day and that I’ll be considerate, professional, and respectful of them. In working toward this goal, I was reminded that no matter how much experience or knowledge we have, we should always continue to learn and grow in our careers and in life. I’ve been very lucky to have great role models to help me along the way, and I truly strive to be that type of person for others, whether it be clients, developing paralegals, attorneys, friends, family and my children.”
Lequerique has worked alongside the North Austin attorneys since 2014.
“The Carlson Law Firm is always working toward our goal of being the premier personal injury law firm, not just in Texas, but in the country,” Managing Partner Craig Carlson said. “So when we have people on our team who are working on their individual career goals to be the best of the best and most knowledgeable in their field, we realize how lucky we are to have them. We are proud of both Dominic and Amanda.”
About The Carlson Law Firm
The Carlson Law Firm is a Texas-based national law firm committed to providing exceptional legal services in the areas of personal injury, nursing home abuse and neglect, medical malpractice, dangerous drugs, and defective products, mass torts, bankruptcy, family law, criminal defense, military criminal defense, and consumer protection. The Carlson Law Firm has been successfully representing clients for over 40 years with 13 locations across Texas.
