Yetter Coleman LLP is proud to announce that senior counsel Christian J. Ward has earned board certification for civil appellate law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS).
Securing this distinction requires undertaking a rigorous process that involves demonstrating a high level of practice proficiency, submitting multiple professional reviews and references, and passing a challenging technical exam. Of the roughly 120,000 attorneys licensed to practice in the state of Texas, only 409 are TBLS board certified in civil appellate law.
“Chris’s board certification reflects the high-caliber legal work and unwavering dedication he consistently delivers,” said Connie Pfeiffer, chair of Yetter Coleman’s appellate practice. “This honor affirms his standing among the top appellate practitioners in our state, and we are proud of him for this outstanding accomplishment.”
Chris is the firm’s fourth board certified appellate lawyer, alongside colleagues Connie Pfeiffer, Dori Goldman, and Reagan Simpson.
Ward’s practice focuses on complex appellate work. He represents leading companies in various industries, including energy, insurance and financial services, as well as governmental entities and private parties. Ward handles matters in federal and state appellate courts throughout the country and before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Recently, Ward was a critical part of a team that briefed and successfully argued an appeal before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to revive an oil company’s tort claims against a pipeline operator arising from a 2015 California oil spill. During the trial on remand, Ward served on the Yetter Coleman team that secured a $100 million settlement for the client. He also secured an opinion from the Fifth Circuit upholding a $160 million award of treble damages in a group boycott case under the per se rule of liability.
About TBLX Board Certification
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) was established in 1974 by the Supreme Court of Texas. TBLS certifies lawyers and paralegals who have substantial, relevant experience in select areas of law, completed continuing legal education hours in the specialty area, and passed a rigorous exam.
Out of 120,000 lawyers licensed to practice in Texas, only 6,950 are board certified across 28 specialty practice areas. These lawyers have voluntarily applied for board certification, have a minimum of 5 years of practice experience (with at least three years in specific legal areas), completed at least 60 hours of continuing legal education hours, and passed a rigorous exam. Once certified, these lawyers meet additional criteria to continue their education and involvement in their specialty area and reapply for board certification every 5 years.