On Behalf of Janus Law
Quick Summary
In California, a Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law is an attorney who has passed a rigorous state bar examination, demonstrated substantial bankruptcy experience, and completed ongoing education requirements. Fewer than 200 attorneys in California hold this credential. This article explains what the certification means, how to verify it, and why it changes the quality of representation you receive when the stakes are high.
What Sets a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist Apart?
If you search for bankruptcy attorneys in California, you will find dozens of results quickly. Most firms list bankruptcy as a service. Many attorneys include it as a practice area on their website.
But there is a credential that only a small fraction of California bankruptcy attorneys hold, and most people looking for legal help have no idea it exists.
It is the Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law designation issued by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
What the Certification Actually Is
The State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization allows attorneys to seek certification in specific practice areas. Bankruptcy law is one of them.
To earn the Certified Specialist designation in bankruptcy law, an attorney must:
- Pass a written examination specifically covering bankruptcy law, administered by the California State Bar
- Demonstrate substantial involvement in bankruptcy matters over a minimum qualifying period
- Obtain favorable references from other attorneys and judges who can speak to their competence in the field
- Complete ongoing continuing legal education in bankruptcy on a recurring basis
- Be re-certified periodically to maintain the designation
This is not a membership fee. It is not a self-reported credential. It is a certification issued by the California State Bar after an attorney demonstrates, through examination and experience, that they have earned it.
How Many California Attorneys Hold This Credential?
Fewer than 200 attorneys in California currently hold the Certified Specialist designation in bankruptcy law.
California has more than 200,000 licensed attorneys. The certified bankruptcy specialists represent a fraction of one percent of the state bar.
That does not mean a non-specialist attorney cannot competently handle a routine bankruptcy case. But when a case involves:
- Significant assets that need protecting through California’s exemption system
- Business debt alongside personal debt
- Prior bankruptcy filings that affect eligibility or the automatic stay
- Adversary proceedings, fraud allegations, or creditor challenges
- Chapter eligibility questions that require careful means test analysis
…the depth of knowledge that comes with genuine specialization changes the quality of the analysis and the advice you receive.
Why Credentials Matter for Your Specific Case
Here is the practical difference.
Every bankruptcy case involves choices. Which chapter to file. What to exempt. Whether to reaffirm a secured debt or let it go. How to structure a Chapter 13 plan. When to file in relation to income history or prior filings.
Each of those choices has consequences. Filing the wrong chapter can result in your case being dismissed. Failing to properly exempt an asset can result in losing it. A poorly structured Chapter 13 plan can fail to confirm, wasting months and money.
An attorney with the Certified Specialist credential in bankruptcy law has demonstrated through examination and experience that they understand the full landscape of those decisions. That matters most when your case has any complexity, and most cases have more complexity than they appear to have at the start.
For clients asking which chapter fits their situation, the Chapter 7 bankruptcy vs. Chapter 13 analysis is an area where specialist-level knowledge produces meaningfully better guidance.
The Panel Trustee Dimension
Larry D. Simons holds the Certified Specialist credential and also serves on the private panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the Central District of California, Riverside Division.
Being a Panel Trustee means Larry has reviewed bankruptcy petitions from the other side. He has examined debtors, questioned the completeness of schedules, raised objections, and identified problems that came back to cost filers money or delay their discharge.
That experience, applied to client representation, means he already knows what the trustee is going to scrutinize in your case. He knows what documentation needs to be complete, what assets will draw attention, and what common preparation mistakes create problems later.
No amount of general legal experience substitutes for having actually done that job. And in the Riverside Division specifically, that is the court that handles bankruptcy cases for residents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
How to Verify a California Attorney’s Bankruptcy Certification
The California State Bar maintains a public directory of certified specialists. You can verify any attorney’s specialty certification at the State Bar of California’s website.
When you search Larry D. Simons, the Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law credential appears in his State Bar record. That is verification, not marketing copy.
This is worth checking with any attorney who claims a specialty designation. The certification is verifiable. A lot of advertising language is not.
What This Means When You Are Choosing an Attorney
If you are evaluating bankruptcy attorneys and trying to understand why one might produce meaningfully better results than another, the Certified Specialist credential is the most reliable quality indicator the California State Bar has created.
It does not guarantee a particular outcome. Nothing does, and any attorney who implies otherwise should raise concern.
What it does represent is that the attorney has been tested, evaluated, and recognized by the State Bar for demonstrated depth in this area of law.
In a field where quality of representation varies significantly and the consequences of poor preparation are real, that distinction matters.
Janus Law was founded in 1995. Larry D. Simons has held the Certified Specialist designation since 2004. The firm has represented clients through multiple economic cycles, changes in bankruptcy law, and shifts in local court practice in both the San Fernando Valley and the Inland Empire.
Every client at Janus Law speaks directly with a licensed attorney. No paralegals handle intake or manage files independently.
Questions to Ask Any Bankruptcy Attorney Before Hiring Them
If you are evaluating attorneys and want to go beyond marketing language, here are questions worth asking directly:
- Are you a Certified Specialist in Bankruptcy Law, as designated by the California State Bar?
- How many years have you practiced bankruptcy law specifically, and in which chapters?
- Do you have any experience serving as a panel trustee?
- Will I be working directly with you throughout the case, or will a paralegal or associate manage my file?
- Have you appeared in front of the trustee assigned to my case before?
The answers to those questions will give you a clearer picture than any website biography.
The Credential Is the Starting Point, Not the End Point
A Certified Bankruptcy Specialist credential tells you the attorney met a meaningful standard. What it does not tell you is how they treat clients, how thoroughly they explain options, and whether they will give you an honest answer when the numbers do not support what you hope to do.
Those qualities show up in the first conversation.
At Janus Law, the combination of a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist designation, a Panel Trustee appointment in the Riverside Division, and nearly three decades of California bankruptcy practice gives clients something specific: an attorney who has seen these cases from every angle and can tell you the truth about yours.
If you want to work with a Certified Bankruptcy Specialist who also serves as a Panel Trustee in the Central District of California, Janus Law can help. The firm serves the San Fernando Valley and Inland Empire from offices in Mission Hills and Riverside. Call (818) 672-1778 or schedule a consultation now.
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