Squirrel & Garden

8 years.

The Specialization exam is a mini-bar exam exclusively focused on the area of law in which one seeks to specialize. Over 8 weeks, I studied - intensely - the nuances of pre and post-marital agreements; community property law including real property issues, rights of reimbursement, commingled property, and characterization questions; the full rubric of spousal support (which is the most prolific component of published case law in California Family Law); all of the ins and outs of child custody, particularly with relocation issues; and enforcement issues for those times when people don't honor the terms of their divorce judgments.

Once Specialized, the study does not end. In fact, it becomes more intense. I consider myself a member of an elite group of lawyers. Only the best and brightest qualify as a Certified Family Law Specialist.