Accreditation is valid for two years after which all specialists must apply for reaccreditation.

Being accredited allows you to be recognised as possessing the necessary experience and knowledge associated with an expert in your practice area of accreditation. As such, you must maintain your accreditation by fulfilling the criteria as stated in the Information for Specialists guide for your practice area of accreditation. Broadly speaking, to be reaccredited, you must, during the two years as a specialist:

• continue to hold a validly current practising certificate
• have NOT been subject to any professional disciplinary proceedings or charged and convicted of a serious crime
• maintain your substantial involvement in the practice area of accreditation
• accumulate the required CPD points

You are advised to keep a record of your substantial involvement and CPD activities in the practice area of accreditation performed during the two years. You may avail yourself of the Practice and CPD logs for assistance.
 

The reaccreditation assessment process may vary from one practice area to another but the general format is:

Assessment of reaccreditation applications

Panel Interview if required

Reaccreditation

 

For information on the criteria and process, please download the guides under To be Reaccredited as a Specialist and the renewal form Application for Reaccreditation.

Leave of Absence

If you intend to embark on a leave of absence that will affect your substantial involvement and CPD fulfillment in your practice area of accreditation, you are required to inform the SAL for a leave of absence from your accreditation for up to 2 years. Complete the Leave of Absence application form and send it by email to [email protected].

During your leave of absence, you are not to hold yourself out as a specialist.

You will still be required to fulfil the CPD requirements during your leave of absence unless you are physically unable to do so due to illness or accident, in which case you may be given an extension of time to accumulate the requisite number of CPD points to be reaccredited.

Marketing Your Accreditation

Being accredited is a significant achievement and promoting it is one way for accredited specialists to be recognised by the legal profession and the general public for their enhanced skills and knowledge.

The information guide Marketing Your Accreditation provides guidelines to specialists on the correct use of the post-nominal in various marketing channels and collateral.

Do remember:

• Your accreditation is an individual attainment. It should not be used to promote your firm or organisation.
• If your accreditation is suspended, revoked or cancelled, you cannot hold yourself out as an accredited specialist.