The American Board of Vocational Experts (ABVE) is a professional credentialing body with over 400 members. Its Diplomates and Fellows have academic preparation in several disciplines (rehabilitation, psychology, economics and various aligned disciplines) and in assessment, counseling and consulting. Prior to completion of the certification process, professionals may be Associate or Student members of ABVE. The American Board of Vocational Experts, representing both the private and the public sectors, was founded in 1980 to preserve the integrity, standards, ethics, and uniqueness of vocational experts. As litigation continues to proliferate, the need for qualified vocational experts becomes greater every day. ABVE Members practice areas include: Workers' Compensation, Personal Injury Litigation, Martial Dissolution, Civil Rights, Social Security and Wrongful Dealth. The certified vocational expert is expected to keep abreast of the effects of personal injury on earning capacity, labor market changes, hiring practices, and knowledge of occupational requirements, as well as the growth and decline patterns in local labor markets. The American Board of Vocational Experts, through professional educational seminars and publications, keeps the certified vocational expert current in the field of changing and developing issues.