The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) asks other lawyers and a judge about an applicant's work before granting Personal Injury Trial Law certification. The references go directly to TBLS and remain confidential. They are part of the certification review, rather than testimonials collected for the lawyer's website.
Who provides the references?
The specialty reference requirements (Section VI.C) identify four Texas attorneys substantially involved in personal injury trial work and one judge of a court of record in Texas. The applicant must have appeared before that judge as an advocate in a personal injury matter. At least one attorney reference must have tried a personal injury case with or against the applicant.
The general reference standards (Section IV) exclude the applicant's partners and associates. The Attorney Rules, Section III.A, also exclude shareholders and employees in the applicant's current firm or agency. For an initial application, references must have had dealings with the lawyer during the preceding three years. TBLS can ask people beyond the names on the application for information, too.
How the responses reach TBLS
TBLS sends its reference form directly to the person giving the evaluation. That person returns it directly to TBLS. The applicant doesn't edit the response before it is submitted.
For TBLS to count a reference as favorable, the reviewer must meet all four criteria in Section III.B of the Attorney Rules:
- Work in the specialty.
- Be familiar with the applicant's work.
- Give skill and knowledge ratings that average at least 3.0 on a five-point scale.
- Support certification.
Recognizing the applicant's name is not enough. TBLS uses these criteria in its application review; the score is not a star rating published for clients.
Names and responses are separate requirements. The specialty standards call for at least five names; the usual favorable-response minimum is five initially and three at renewal. TBLS may approve fewer favorable responses if it finds the applicant's practice is limited by geography, the nature of the practice or similar reasons.
An attorney who tried a case against the applicant has seen that person at work. The attorney may remember a witness examination or an argument over evidence. The judge has a different view from the bench. TBLS considers the reviewers' experience and their dealings with the applicant when reading the responses.
What if a reference raises a concern?
What was the concern, and can it be verified? TBLS can pursue those questions when a reference raises an issue. A sufficient number of favorable replies does not cancel out credible information about misconduct or a lack of specialty competence. Depending on the information received, an application may be denied.
The details of an individual reference remain confidential. A member of the public generally cannot inspect the comments as if they were online reviews. The useful public question is whether the lawyer currently holds the certification.
Review at renewal
Certification generally lasts five years. A lawyer seeking renewal must supply references again and meet the other recertification requirements. For these references, TBLS looks at dealings with the lawyer since certification or the last renewal. That keeps the review tied to the lawyer's more recent work.
| Reference requirement | Initial certification | Recertification |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant dealings | Preceding three years | Since certification or last renewal |
| Names submitted | At least five | At least five |
| Favorable replies ordinarily needed | Five | Three |
| Reference comments | Confidential | Confidential |
Sources: General Requirements, Section IV; Personal Injury requirements, Section VI.C; and Attorney Rules, Section III.B. The limited exception described above applies to favorable replies.
What this means when choosing a lawyer
Peer review brings in the views of professionals who have seen the lawyer work. It gives you information about the certification process. It cannot answer every question about who should handle your injury claim.
During a consultation, ask about:
- Experience with your kind of injury and dispute.
- Who will handle the case and which tasks they will perform.
- How you will receive updates and reach the team with a question.
- Fees, expenses and the written terms of representation.
- The proposed investigation and approach to litigation.
Certification does not guarantee a result. A confidential judicial reference also does not mean the judge endorses the lawyer for your particular case. You can check certification status without seeing or making assumptions about any private reference.
Common questions
Can an applicant choose only colleagues from the same firm?
No. The general reference rules exclude partners and associates, and TBLS can contact additional lawyers or judges.
Are these client reviews?
No. This process seeks professional evaluations from qualified references. A client's account of communication or service answers a different question.
How many favorable references are needed at renewal?
Ordinarily three. That response count is different from the names the lawyer must submit. The limited exception above remains part of the rule.
Does a judicial reference mean the judge recommends the lawyer to clients?
No. The reference serves TBLS's confidential review. It is not an endorsement for an individual client's case.
Can TBLS contact someone the applicant did not nominate?
Yes. TBLS can seek additional references from other lawyers or judges.
Where can the public verify certification?
Use TBLS's public Find a Certified Lawyer directory to check the individual lawyer. It lets you verify certification without opening the confidential reference file.
Explore the TBLS Personal Injury Knowledge Hub and requirements for Personal Injury Trial Law board certification.
Check the current TBLS standards
The documents reviewed for this explanation carry these revision dates:
- General Requirements, Section IV: January 31, 2025.
- Personal Injury Trial Law requirements, Section VI.C: February 8, 2011.
- Attorney Rules and Regulations, Sections I.C and III: March 14, 2025.
Check the Texas Board of Legal Specialization website for current standards, or use its public attorney directory to check certification. The date of this article does not change the revision date of a source document.
ABOUT THE ATTORNEY
Aaron A. Herbert
Founding Attorney
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law
Aaron founded The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert in 2010 to focus on developing each client's case and seeking its maximum value. For over a decade, he has represented people seriously injured in major accidents and industrial catastrophes, pursuing trial verdicts and settlements while working to reduce the stress of litigation.
Education
- Texas A&M University · B.S., Criminal Justice, 1999
- University of Oklahoma College of Law · J.D., 2002; graduated in the top of his class
Trial experience & approach
Aaron earned numerous jury verdicts at boutique personal injury litigation firms. According to his biography, he spent a year as the top-earning litigation attorney at a firm that frequently appeared in verdict searches as having one of the highest numbers of trial wins in Texas. At another Dallas personal injury firm, he moved from managing pre-litigation attorney to managing litigation attorney over seven years as the firm grew into one of Dallas's largest personal injury firms.
His biography describes a reputation as one of America's most aggressive trial lawyers, with noteworthy recoveries from judges and juries and substantial pretrial settlements. Most of those settlements included confidentiality agreements requested by the defense. Aaron has said the recoveries were justified by the injuries and losses involved, which no amount of money could make someone choose to experience.
His approach combines passion, preparation, persistence and courtroom imagination. He believes a well-supported, engaged and motivated team working cooperatively helps deliver strong representation, with the goal of achieving the best possible result for every client.
Dallas roots, military service & publication
Born and raised in Dallas, Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school and later received an Honorable Discharge. He completed his university and law degrees after his military service and became a lifelong Sooners football fan in law school.
Publication: “Litigating Dog Bite Cases,” Texas Dog Law Seminar, Dallas, 2009.
Professional affiliations & recognition
Professional affiliations and recognition listed in Aaron’s biography:
- State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association for Justice)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Tarrant County Bar Association
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers
Trial experience & approach
Aaron earned numerous jury verdicts at boutique personal injury litigation firms. According to his biography, he spent a year as the top-earning litigation attorney at a firm that frequently appeared in verdict searches as having one of the highest numbers of trial wins in Texas. At another Dallas personal injury firm, he moved from managing pre-litigation attorney to managing litigation attorney over seven years as the firm grew into one of Dallas's largest personal injury firms.
His biography describes a reputation as one of America's most aggressive trial lawyers, with noteworthy recoveries from judges and juries and substantial pretrial settlements. Most of those settlements included confidentiality agreements requested by the defense. Aaron has said the recoveries were justified by the injuries and losses involved, which no amount of money could make someone choose to experience.
His approach combines passion, preparation, persistence and courtroom imagination. He believes a well-supported, engaged and motivated team working cooperatively helps deliver strong representation, with the goal of achieving the best possible result for every client.
Dallas roots, military service & publication
Born and raised in Dallas, Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school and later received an Honorable Discharge. He completed his university and law degrees after his military service and became a lifelong Sooners football fan in law school.
Publication: “Litigating Dog Bite Cases,” Texas Dog Law Seminar, Dallas, 2009.
Professional affiliations & recognition
Professional affiliations and recognition listed in Aaron’s biography:
- State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association for Justice)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Tarrant County Bar Association
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers