New Rep looking for info

AndrewRockafellow · Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Lansing, Michigan

After being admitted to the State Bar of Michigan for two years I became disinterested in receiving a steady pay check and decided to venture out on my own. For the last 7 years I was employed by the DDS in Michigan. Now I am on the other side. I am hoping that the SSA Connect family will be will ing to help assist in my education of the representative side.

I now have 2 clients that have appealed their denials and have retained me. My first question is whether or not there is a form letter for requesting a copy of the applicant's file. If not, is there any specific wording needed to request this information or is a short and sweet "can I have a copy of my file" sufficient?

Thanks for any assistance and I am sure I will have more questions in the future.

Andrew

LoopLaw · Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Missouri

Your first step is to get in touch by phone with the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) for the case. They will give you either a CD version of the file or allow you to photocopy a paper file, but you would be well advised to ask for their preferences. We request discs by faxing lists to some offices, by writing individual letters to other offices, and the very best offices just send us the CD without us even asking. Often, it is the front-desk clerk that creates the discs for attorneys, so be nice!

Olan Barnes · Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 1174 Location: Michigan

I think I know who you are - send me an e-mail if you would like. Also Dave and others offer good books for sale and many of them have good form letters. :Many times you just have to show your 1696 to get your foot in the door.

http://www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-1696.pdf

Keep a cople of orginal copies. The advice was good about being nice.

Guest · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 05:50 pm Post subject:

The advice was good about being nice

I will never ever forget in my early years being in an OHA waiting room once while an attorney was copying files. The copier ran out of paper and he went to one of the front office staff and asked for more copying paper. There was none and she had to go to a supply closet a few feet from the copier and get a box. She asked the attorney if he would help her with the box and he curtly replied "no", that it wasn't his job. I got up from my seat and helped her carry it.

Later, after the attorney left, she thanked me again and when I told her I was kinda shocked at the response she had received by the attorney she smiled and said, "oh don't worry about that. Let's just see whether his requests for an extension of time to submit anything to any of the judges ever gets granted". And I could see that she meant it.

CrescentCity · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 70

I started my legal career many years ago as the law clerk to a state district judge. It was a busy suburban courthouse and, of course, we used paper case files which were frequently getting misplaced. The law clerks and minute clerks generally had an idea as to their location and could usually find them in a few minutes. This was important because no order could be signed unless it was presented to the Judge with the case file.

Most of the lawyers practicing in our court were very pleasant and we could usually find their files. One day, an unfamiliar downtown lawyer came to the court with order to be signed. Of couse, the case file was missing. Instead of asking nicely, he went into a temper tantrum and started making demands. We looked for his file, of course, but, darn, we couldn't find it. That's the only time that happened.

Moral of the story: Judges judge, lawyers lawyer but the clerks run the courthouse. The lawyer that Guest described in not only a jerk but also an idiot.

Phil Robinson · Joined: 12 May 2004 Posts: 725 Location: MA

a bit closer to your questions,
The books you should buy are available from James Publishing. Buy new books because then you get the yearly slips.
I would also suggest you consider joining one or the other of the associations that are designed to help representatives
who handle SS claims.
find them on the internet NADR.org and NOSSCR,org
The Charles Hall law office maintains a blog written by Attorney Hall. You could make a link to that blog and plan on reading the new additions each day http://socsecnews.blogspot.com/

I notice in the prior posts here that you might know Olan Barnes. You might connect with him and ask about the two groups noted above.

Naturally you should keep an active link to CONNECT because of the links available here and the times we actually get to write about Social Security.

advocate · Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Posts: 28 Location: NE PA, NJ

Olan Barnes · Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 1174 Location: Michigan

I know him and talked to him off the Board and I assure you he is "nice" but it never hurts to remind someone to "suck up"

Lawyers are not as god like as surgeons but a little reminder does not hurt.

Surprised