Attorney Joe Bowman is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law

Attorney Joe Bowman is among the few North Carolina lawyers certified as Specialists in Workers’ Compensation Law by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Among the roughly 28,000 attorneys identified on the website of the North Carolina State Bar, only approximately four (4) percent are certified specialists in any area of law. Roughly 150 North Carolina lawyers are identified as specialists in the area of Workers’ Compensation Law.

In order to become an NC State Bar Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law, a lawyer must meet several, minimum requirements, identified by the Board of Legal Specialization as follows:

SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT IN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION LAW

During the five years preceding application:

Average of at least 500 hours a year.

Minimum of 400 hours for any one year.

Full time commissioner or deputy commissioner on the Industrial Commission may substitute each year of service for one year of practice.

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

During the five years preceding application:

At least 60 hours of accredited CLE in workers’ compensation law and related areas.

No less than six hours in workers’ compensation law in any one year.

At least 30 hours in workers’ compensation law.

The remaining 30 hours may be earned in workers’ compensation or related fields: civil trial practice and procedure; evidence; insurance, mediation; medical injuries, medicine, or anatomy; labor and employment law; Social Security disability law; and the law relating to long-term disability or Medicaid/Medicare claims.

PEER REVIEW

Must provide the names of six lawyers, commissioners or deputy commissioners of the North Carolina Industrial Commission, or judges who are familiar with the competence and qualification of the applicant in workers’ compensation law.

All references must be licensed and in good standing to practice law in North Carolina and must have significant legal or judicial experience in workers’ compensation.

A reference may not be related by blood or marriage to the applicant nor may the reference be a colleague at the applicant’s place of employment at the time of the application.

https://www.nclawspecialists.gov/for-lawyers/for-certified-specialists/recertification-standards/workers-compensation-law/