American Bar Association Appoints Phil Cardinale to Standing Committee on Specialization

Smith Anderson partner Phil Cardinale, leader of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice group, has been appointed by American Bar Association (ABA) President-Elect Barbara J. Howard to serve on the ABA’s Standing Committee on Specialization. His three-year term begins August 1, 2026.

An appointment by the ABA President-Elect is a significant professional distinction. Phil’s selection reflects his reputation as a leader in the legal profession and places him among a small group of lawyers chosen to help guide the ABA's work in lawyer specialization and certification.

The committee’s nine members are responsible for administering the ABA’s accreditation process for private national organizations that certify lawyers as specialists in their areas of practice, working with state-sponsored certification plans that accredit ABA-approved programs, and informing the public of the benefits of seeking lawyers with board-certified specialist designations across legal disciplines.

The ABA is one of the world’s largest voluntary professional organizations, with approximately 400,000 members, and also accredits U.S. law school Juris Doctor degree programs.