Florida Bar Board Certified Attorneys
What Does It Mean to Be Board Certified by the Florida Bar?
Florida Bar Board Certification is a formal credential, not a marketing designation. The Florida Bar awards it only to attorneys who demonstrate special knowledge, skill, and proficiency in a specific area of law, then verify that competence through a rigorous evaluation process. An attorney must have practiced law for at least five years, with substantial involvement in the certified area. Peer review, judicial evaluation, completion of continuing legal education beyond the standard requirement, and a written examination are all part of the process. Certification must be renewed every five years.
Who Are the Board Certified Attorneys at Ginsberg Shulman?
David Shulman is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Wills, Trusts and Estates. Jill Ginsberg is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Elder Law. Fewer than one percent of all Florida Bar members hold even one board certification. Having two board-certified attorneys under one roof—each in a complementary specialty—is uncommon for a firm of any size, and it is especially rare in a two-attorney practice.
What Is the Florida Bar’s Wills, Trusts and Estates Certification?
The Wills, Trusts and Estates certification covers the full range of estate planning and trust and estate administration. It requires demonstrated competence in areas including revocable and irrevocable trusts, tax planning for estates and gifts, probate administration, fiduciary litigation, guardianship, and elder law as it intersects with estate planning. The written examination tests both substantive law and practical application. Florida Bar members who hold this certification have met the Bar’s highest standard of expertise in one of the most complex areas of civil practice.
What Is the Florida Bar’s Elder Law Certification?
The Elder Law certification covers the legal needs of older adults and people with disabilities, including Medicaid planning and eligibility, Medicare, Social Security, guardianship, advance directives, long-term care planning, and the rights of persons in assisted living and nursing facilities. The certification requires the attorney to demonstrate proficiency across the full scope of elder law, not just one or two subtopics. Florida Bar members who hold this certification have been independently evaluated for competence in an area of law that affects some of the most consequential decisions a family will face.
Why Does It Matter That Both Certifications Are in One Firm?
Estate planning and elder law are not separate disciplines in practice. A revocable trust drafted without regard for Medicaid exposure can cost a family hundreds of thousands of dollars. A Medicaid plan assembled without considering the estate plan can undo years of careful structuring. At Ginsberg Shulman, both board-certified perspectives are present in every engagement. The result is integrated planning—not a referral to another office.
How Does Board Certification Affect the Work Product?
It sets a minimum floor on technical competence that the Florida Bar has independently verified. Clients of Ginsberg Shulman are not relying on self-reported experience or marketing claims. Both attorneys have submitted to peer review, passed a rigorous written examination, and met ongoing education and re-certification requirements. Board certification does not guarantee a particular outcome, but it does mean the attorneys handling the matter have met the highest standard of professional evaluation the Florida Bar offers.