Chuck,
I agree with your point that noone ultimately cares where you graduated. They want a problem solved. However, when it comes to "specialization certification, " particularly in the area of residential real estate there are non-legal professionals involved, banks, mortgage brokers, real estate agents. It is very competitive to get on banks' short list of approved attorneys to represent the lender. As a marketing tool, certification would be a very attractive selling feature for banks to promote to their customers. It would be attractive to large real estate companies, too.
In addition, in most of Connecticut the buyer is not required to have legal representation. So that leaves a lender's lawyer for every closing and some buyers lawyers. The opportunities are diminished. That makes the market very tight, especially in our current economic climate.
Certification, in this instance, plays a very different role then, say, certification in bankruptcy or divorce because other people can control the opportunity for you to make a living in your chosen practice area.
I always say, "follow the money" and you will know what the real motivation is. This is a wolf in sheep's clothing
