Rule 3 - Powers and Duties of the BoardThe board itself will not certify lawyers as specialists, but, subject to the supervision of the Board of Bar Commissioners, the board has the following powers and duties regarding certification of specialists:
3.01. To designate areas of legal practice subject to specialty designation. The board may make a specialty designation either on its own motion or on a petition of an interested party, which shall be based on criteria established by the board. 3.02. To approve and regulate agencies qualified to certify lawyers as specialists in a particular field of law as certifying agencies, and to adopt standards that certifying agencies must meet. 3.03. To adopt standards for certifying lawyers as specialists. 3.04. To review and evaluate the programs of certifying agencies to assure compliance with this specialization program. 3.05. To deny, suspend, or revoke the approval of a certifying agency that has failed to comply with these rules or the regulations and standards of the board. 3.06. To keep appropriate records of lawyers certified as specialists by certifying agencies approved under these rules and to report to the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar any attorney who may violate these rules or the board's regulations or standards. 3.07. To cooperate with other organizations, boards and agencies engaged in the field of lawyer specialization. 3.08. To enlist the assistance of committees to advise the board. 3.09. To adopt such regulations, policies, and standards as are reasonably necessary to implement these rules and that are not inconsistent with these rules.