Standards and Certification

Jennifer Rebholz: Board-Certified
Personal Injury & Wrongful Death

A few credentials in Arizona law can’t be bought or earned through marketing. They are conferred by the profession itself, by judges and lawyers who have seen an attorney’s work and are asked to evaluate it. Board certification and ABOTA membership are two of them.

Each is described below, along with what it asks of the attorneys who hold it.

Board Certified Specialist - State Bar of Arizona

State Bar of Arizona

Board-Certified Specialist in Personal Injury & Wrongful Death

Board of Legal Specialization

What Certification Requires

  • Defined trial and contested matter experience
  • Peer review from judges and attorneys familiar with the applicant's work
  • Successful completion of a written examination
  • Ongoing continuing legal education
  • Periodic recertification

Board certification is a credential administered by the State Bar of Arizona's Board of Legal Specialization. Certification is not automatic. Attorneys must demonstrate substantial involvement in the specialty area, complete a written examination, and undergo independent peer review from both judges and opposing counsel.

“Certified specialist” and “board-certified specialist” are the same State Bar of Arizona credential under two names. Certification by a private national organization is a separate credential.

As of the most recent certification cycle, 93 Arizona lawyers are certified in Personal Injury & Wrongful Death, per the State Bar of Arizona.

Jennifer Rebholz has been certified as a Specialist in Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Law since 2020 and maintains certification through renewal every five years.

She chaired the State Bar Task Force appointed in 2024 to modernize the Board of Legal Specialization program, the certification framework governing all ten Arizona legal specializations, and currently chairs the Working Group that succeeded it in 2025.

Jennifer Rebholz beside the State Bar of Arizona Certified Specialist banner at the program's education kiosk, Rule of Law Day, February 2026
Jennifer Rebholz at the State Bar of Arizona’s certified specialist education kiosk, Rule of Law Day, February 2026.

State Bar of Arizona, on the program’s purpose

“The purpose of the legal specialization program is to identify to the public those lawyers who have demonstrated superior knowledge, skill, integrity, professionalism and a high degree of competence in a specific field of law.” Certifications are valid for five years and require re-application to maintain.

Learn more from the State Bar of Arizona ↗
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

American Board of Trial Advocates

ABOTA Member, Phoenix Chapter

Invitation-Only Membership

What ABOTA Membership Requires

  • Demonstrated jury trial experience
  • Nomination by current ABOTA members
  • Peer review for professionalism and civility
  • Approval by the organization's national board

The American Board of Trial Advocates is a national, invitation-only organization of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to preserving the civil jury trial and promoting professionalism.

You cannot apply. Membership comes by nomination from current members, followed by national board approval.

Jennifer Rebholz has been a member of ABOTA since 2017 and serves on the Phoenix Chapter Executive Board.

ABOTA, on membership and mission

Founded in 1958, ABOTA includes both plaintiff and defense lawyers. Attorneys cannot apply; they must be nominated and approved by the national board.

Learn more about ABOTA ↗

Professional Standing

Additional Recognition & Service

Leadership roles and professional recognition awarded by the Arizona legal community and its institutions.

State Bar of Arizona
President, State Bar of Arizona
2021–2022
The State Bar of Arizona Board of Governors oversees the policy making and operations of the organization. Its 16 attorney members are elected by fellow Bar members in their district; the president leads the organization for a one-year term. Jennifer Rebholz served as president in 2021–22. During her year of service she traveled to affiliate and county bars statewide, testified before the Arizona House Judiciary Committee on bar admissions, and contributed a monthly column to Arizona Attorney Magazine on mentorship, civility, and access to justice.
Arizona Supreme Court
Ethics Advisory Committee
Appointed 2026, present
Created under Arizona Supreme Court Rule 42.1, the Ethics Advisory Committee issues opinions on lawyer ethics, professionalism, and the unauthorized practice of law. Members are appointed by the Chief Justice and selected from a variety of practice areas, settings, and geographic locations across the state. Jennifer Rebholz serves as an Attorney Member.
From the Bar
Reviews
AV Preeminent rated. What colleagues who have litigated with and against her say.
From the Bar
Arizona Specialist Index
Every board-certified specialist in Arizona across all ten practice areas, from public State Bar data.
Practice
Catastrophic Injury & Wrongful Death
Where those credentials are applied: personal injury and wrongful death cases across Arizona.
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