27 NCAC 01D .1719         Specialty Committees

(a)  The board shall establish a separate specialty committee for each specialty in which specialists are to be certified.  Each specialty committee shall be composed of seven members appointed by the board, one of whom shall be designated annually by the chairperson of the board as chairperson of the specialty committee.  Members of each specialty committee shall be lawyers licensed and currently in good standing to practice law in this state who, in the judgment of the board, are competent in the field of law to be covered by the specialty.  Members shall hold office for three years, except those members initially appointed who shall serve as hereinafter designated.  Members shall be appointed by the board to staggered terms of office and the initial appointees shall serve as follows:  two shall serve for one year after appointment; two shall serve for two years after appointment; and three shall serve for three years after appointment.  Appointment by the board to a vacancy shall be for the remaining term of the member leaving the specialty committee.  All members shall be eligible for reappointment to not more than one additional three-year term after having served one full three-year term, provided, however, that the board may reappoint the chairperson of a committee to a third three-year term if the board determines that the reappointment is in the best interest of the specialization program.  Meetings of the specialty committee shall be held at regular intervals at such times, places and upon such notices as the specialty committee may from time to time prescribe or upon direction of the board.

(b)  Each specialty committee shall advise and assist the board in carrying out the board's objectives and in the implementation and regulation of this plan in that specialty.  Each specialty committee shall advise and make recommendations to the board as to standards for the specialty and the certification of individual specialists in that specialty.  Each specialty committee shall be charged with actively administering the plan in its specialty and with respect to that specialty shall

(1)           recommend to the board reasonable and nondiscriminatory standards applicable to that specialty;

(2)           make recommendations to the board for certification, continued certification, denial, suspension, or revocation of certification of specialists and for procedures with respect thereto;

(3)           administer procedures established by the board for applications for certification and continued certification as a specialist and for denial, suspension, or revocation of such certification;

(4)           administer examinations and other testing procedures, if applicable, investigate references of applicants and, if deemed advisable, seek additional information regarding applicants for certification or continued certification as specialists;

(5)           make recommendations to the board concerning the approval of and credit to be allowed for continuing legal education courses, or educational alternatives, in the specialty;

(6)           perform such other duties and make such other recommendations as may be delegated to or requested of the specialty committee by the board.

(c)  The board may appoint advisory members to a specialty committee to assist with the development, administration, and grading of the examination, the drafting of standards for a subspecialty, and any other activity set forth in Paragraph (b) of this Rule.  Advisory members shall be non-voting except as to any specific activity delegated to the advisory members by the board or by the chair of the specialty committee, including the evaluation of applications for certification.  No more than five advisory members may be appointed to a specialty committee.  Advisory members shall be lawyers licensed and currently in good standing to practice law in this state who, in the judgment of the board, are competent in the field of law to be covered by the specialty.  Advisory members shall hold office for an initial term of three years and shall thereafter serve at the discretion of the board for not more than two additional three-year terms.  Appointment by the board to a vacancy shall be for the remaining term, if any, of the advisory member being replaced.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 84-23;

Readopted Eff. December 8, 1994;

Amended Eff. March 10, 2011; November 7, 1996.