Certified Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law Specialist

The Legal Specialization Program is completely self-funded by fees collected from applicants, specialists, education providers and accredited organizations.

Certification Generally:
To be eligible for certification, an attorney must have been engaged in the practice of law in the area in which certification is sought for a minimum of 25% of the time the attorney has spent in occupational endeavors during the previous five years and be an active member of the State Bar of California.  In addition, an attorney must pass a written exam, demonstrate a high level of experience in the specialty field by meeting specific task and experience requirements, complete at least 45 hours of continuing education in the specialty field and be favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with the attorney's work.

Specialists must re-certify every five years by continuing to meet education and task and experience requirements but are not required to take the exam again unless they choose to do so in lieu of completing the educational requirement.

Steven Frederick Klamm has been certified as a Estate Planning, Trust & Probate specialist by the State Bar of California since June, 2012.  There are approximately 1000 Certified Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Specialists in the state of California and less than 50 in Contra Costa County.  The estate planning, trust and probate specialist requirements as established by the State Bar of California's Board of Legal Specialization are as follows: