Smithfield attorney Lamar Armstrong, III was recently recognized as a Board Certified Specialist in Appellate Practice by the North Carolina State Bar. Mr. Armstrong, of the Armstrong Law Firm, concentrates his practice in the area of appeals to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the UNC Kenan Flagler School of Business in 2008 and his JD degree from Wake Forest University in 2011.
The North Carolina State Bar, an agency of the State of North Carolina, 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.
Only 3.9% of all attorneys in North Carolina are board certified specialists. In Mr. Armstrong’s specialty, only 44 attorneys are certified as appellate practice specialists (out of approximately 30,000 attorneys licensed in North Carolina). Of those 44 attorneys, Mr. Armstrong is one of 4 appellate practice specialists east of Wake County with the other 3 located in Wilmington.
Mr. Armstrong is one of the only appellate specialists that does not practice in one of the State’s major metropolitan areas (Wake, Mecklenburg, Guilford, Forsyth, New Hanover). Mr. Armstrong prides himself on staying true to his eastern North Carolina roots.
To be a Board Certified Specialist in Appellate Practice, a lawyer must meet certain high standards and benchmarks, including substantial involvement in handling appeals over an extensive period of time, favorable evaluation by other lawyers and judges, and pass a challenging examination.
For more information about the North Carolina Legal Specialization program, and to view a list of board certified specialists by practice area, please visit the Legal Specialization website at nclawspecialists.gov, or call the State Bar at 919.828.4620.
