Don Munford Certified as Legal Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law

RALEIGH, N.C. – R. Donavon Munford, Jr. was recently recognized by the North Carolina State Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. He is one of only two lawyers statewide to have passed the difficult certification exam in this specialty during 2012. Mr. Munford, a partner in Raleigh-based law firm Smith Anderson since 1989, has over 30 years experience advising companies and individuals on legal and tax matters, including in the areas of estate and trust planning and administration, tax and commercial transactions and litigation, and compliance and reporting matters for non-profit and charitable organizations. He is also licensed as a Certified Public Accountant.

The North Carolina State Bar certifies lawyers as specialists in designated practice areas as a service to the public. The program assists members of the public in the selection of legal counsel by identifying lawyers who have demonstrated special knowledge, skill, and proficiency in certain areas of law. The program also gives lawyers a credible way of making their expertise known to the public and other lawyers.

To be certified as a specialist in a practice area, a lawyer must have been in practice for at least five years, devote a significant part of his or her practice to the specialty area, attend substantial continuing legal education (CLE) seminars in the specialty, be favorably evaluated by other lawyers and judges, and pass a written examination in the specialty practice area. For more information about the North Carolina Legal Specialization program, please visit the Legal Specialization website at www.nclawspecialists.gov, or call the State Bar at (919) 828-4620.