Program Description

Practical Tips and Real-Life Scenarios to Keep You on the Cutting Edge of Social Security Practice

From the first application through the final ruling (and beyond), Social Security Disability practice requires knowledge of the latest SSA rules and procedures, solid evidence tactics, and through understanding of the nature of the impairments your client faces. Let our expert faculty clear up the more confusing and treacherous aspects of the practice and help you handle more cases faster and better. Register today!

  • Hear the latest update on how the Grids are applied to determine benefits.
  • Power up your ALJ hearing presentation techniques with tips from the pros.
  • Get the skills you’ll need to succeed at the administrative appeal level.
  • Prepare for a Federal Court appeal with an introduction to court rules and a review of a sample Federal complaint and brief.
  • Protect your professional reputation with practical guidance on handling harmful evidence and protecting confidentiality.
  • Understand the coordination with unemployment, workers’ compensation and VA benefits.

Who Should Attend

This intermediate level seminar is designed for:

  • Attorneys
  • Paralegals
  • Social Security Disability representatives
  • Social workers

Course Content

  1. SSDI Claim Procedure and Rules Update
  2. Evidence and Brief: Creating a 360° View of Claimant’s Impairment
  3. At the ALJ Hearing
  4. Administrative Appeals
  5. Appeals in Federal District Court
  6. Legal Ethics Compliance
  7. DIB Offsets

Continuing Education Credit

Certification of Disability Management Specialists – CDMS: 6.00

Certified Rehabilitation Counselor – CRCC: 6.00

Continuing Legal Education – CLE: 6.00 *

International Association for Continuing Education Training – IACET: 0.60

Professional Achievement in Continuing Education – PACE: 7.00 *

* denotes specialty credits

Agenda / Content Covered

  1. SSDI Claim Procedure and Rules Update
    9:00 – 9:45, Diane M. Sauer

    1. 5-Step Evaluation Procedure
    2. The Grids and Residual Functional Capacity
    3. Case Development Checklists
    4. Recent Social Security Rulings (SSRs): Issued and Rescinded
  2. Evidence and Brief: Creating a 360° View of Claimant’s Impairment
    9:45 – 10:45, Diane M. Sauer

    1. Reviewing and Understanding the Record
    2. Developing the Record
    3. Determining and Amending the Onset Date to Fit the Evidence
    4. Last Insured Date
    5. Finding and Citing SSRs, POMs, Hallex and Impairment Listings to Support the Claim
    6. Using SSA’s Electronic Records Express (ERE) to Submit Records and Track Progress
    7. Sample Brief – What to Include and How to Organize it
  3. At the ALJ Hearing
    11:00 – 12:00, Ivan M. Katz

    1. Illustrating Functional Limitations
    2. Using Lay Witnesses and Statements
    3. Using Medical Expert Evidence
    4. How to Question a Vocational Expert
    5. Direct Examination of the Claimant
    6. ALJ Judicial Discretion
    7. Building a Record for Appeal, Requesting On-the-Record Decisions
  4. Administrative Appeals
    1:00 – 1:45, Betty G. Levy

    1. Common Reasons for Unfavorable Decisions
    2. SSA Level
      1. Initial Denial Appeal: Timelines and Forms Submittals
      2. Reconsideration Denial: Timelines and Forms Submittals
    3. SSA Appeals Council
      1. Appeal or New Claim?
      2. SSR 11-1P Effect
      3. Obtaining a Hearing Transcript
      4. To Brief or Not to Brief?
      5. What to Do with New Evidence
      6. “Exceptions” Cases – Different Deadlines Apply
  5. Appeals in Federal District Court
    1:45 – 2:30, Ivan M. Katz

    1. Jurisdiction and Local Rules
      1. Pro Hac Vice
      2. Costs and Waivers
      3. ECF/PACER Requirements
      4. Briefing Rules
      5. Can the Case Be Presented by a Different Attorney?
      6. Federal Court Filing Procedure
    2. Common Arguments
      1. ALJ Boilerplate
      2. Previously Unrepresented Claimants
      3. Drug/Alcohol Abuse Analysis Error
      4. Vocational Expert Error
    3. Sample Federal Complaint and Brief
    4. Common Defenses by U.S. Attorneys
    5. EAJA Attorney Fees
  6. Legal Ethics Compliance
    2:45 – 3:45, Ivan M. Katz

    1. Attorney Fees when Multiple Lawyers Work on a Case
    2. Mental Capacity of Your Client
    3. Protecting Confidentiality in Electronic Communications
    4. Client Misconduct
    5. Handling Unfavorable Evidence
  7. DIB Offsets
    3:45 – 4:30, Winona W. Zimberlin

    1. Unemployment Benefits and SSDI
    2. Coordination with Workers’ Comp Benefits
    3. Coordination with VA Benefits
    4. Coordination with Long Term Disability Insurance Plan

IVAN M. KATZ is a sole practitioner in New Haven, Connecticut, where he practices Social Security disability law at the Hearings Office and U.S. District Court levels. Mr. Katz has previously lectured for National Business Institute on Social Security issues and he has spoken at several NOSSCR Disability Law conferences, most recently at the Fall 2012 NOSSCR Conference in Seattle, Washington, where he spoke on telephone testimony by medical and vocational witnesses and on the Social Security rulings. He is a member of the Connecticut and New Haven County bar associations. Mr. Katz is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Disability Law Section. He earned his B.A. and J.D. degrees from Georgetown University.

BETTY G. LEVY is a sole practitioner in New Haven who focuses on Social Security disability claims, and has been representing children and adults with disabilities claiming SSI and Social Security benefits for 29 years. Ms. Levy has spoken on Social Security issues before the New Haven County Bar Association. She earned her B.A. degree from Brooklyn College, her M.A. degree from the University of New York and her J.D. degree from the University of Connecticut. Ms. Levy serves on the Disability Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Board of Directors of the New Haven Legal Assistance and the Board of Directors for the APT Foundation; and is a James W. Cooper fellow. She has spoken for the New Haven County Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association and private organizations.

DIANE M. SAUER is a sole practitioner in Manchester, Connecticut, where she practices in the area of Social Security. In the 1980s, Ms. Sauer was the health and welfare task force coordinator for Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance, where she was responsible for training and supervising new attorneys and paralegals. She later worked as the managing attorney at Connecticut Legal Services and then with Sheldon Mossberg, until she opened her own practice in 2006. Ms. Sauer is a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Representatives (NOSSCR). She earned her B.S.W. degree from the University of Illinois and her J.D. degree from the University of Iowa.

WINONA W. ZIMBERLIN is a sole practitioner in Hartford, Connecticut, where she practices in the areas of education law, higher education law, special education, Social Security disability, long term disability and veterans’ disability. Ms. Zimberlin is a frequent lecturer on education and disability topics. She is a former adjunct professor at Western New England School of Law. Ms. Zimberlin is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association (chair, Education Law Committee; member, Disability Law Committee; member and treasurer, Administrative Law Section), the Hartford County Bar Association (former chair, Education Law Committee), the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives and the National Organization of Veterans Advocates. She serves as a small claims magistrate for the state of Connecticut. Ms. Zimberlin earned her B.A. degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and her J.D. degree, summa cum laude, from Western New England College School of Law.

Please refer to Continuing Education Credit FAQ for general information about seeking credit for your participation in one of our continuing education programs.

Additionally, our team of credit specialists are here to answer your specific credit-related questions weekdays 7am – 5pm Central:

Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com
Accreditation Details

Certification of Disability Management Specialists

 

N CDMS: 6.00
This program has been approved by the Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission for 6.0 clock hours of continuing education credit.


Certified Rehabilitation Counselor

 

N CRC: 6.00
This program has been approved by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification for 6.0 clock hours of continuing education credit.


Continuing Legal Education

 

CT CLE: 6.00 Including – Ethics: 1.00
This seminar is approved for 6.0 credit hours, including 1.0 hour of legal ethics, toward admission to the CBA Academy of Continuing Professional Development.


International Association for Continuing Education Training

 

N IACET: 0.60
NBI, Inc. has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500, McLean, VA 22102. In obtaining the approval, NBI, Inc. has demonstrated that it complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard which is widely recognized as the Standard of good practice internationally. As a result of the Authorized Provider accreditation status, NBI, Inc. is authorized to offer IACET CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standard. As an IACET Authorized Provider, NBI, Inc. offers CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standard. NBI, Inc. is authorized by IACET to offer 0.6 CEUs for this program. (Provider #4558)Upon completion of this course, attendee will be able to: 1. List the 5 steps of sequential evaluation procedure. 2. Describe the procedure and common reasons for amending the onset date. 3. List 3 sample questions used in vocational expert examination. 4. Describe the SSDI administrative appeal process. 5. List 2 common defenses to an SSDI appeal in U.S. Federal court. 6. Distinguish between ethical and unethical practices. 7. Explain how workers compensation affects SSDI benefits.


Professional Achievement in Continuing Education

 

N PACE: 7.00 Including – Registered Health Underwriter: 7.00
This seminar qualifies for 7.0 PACE (Professional Achievement in Continuing Education) credit hours for RHU.
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