Currently not accepting new volunteers.
AppalReD Legal Aid

Represent Indigent Eastern Kentucky Attorney Fraud Victims in Social Security Disability Hearings

Representation will protect life-sustaining benefits for disabled individuals in Appalachia

Posted August 9, 2022

Background & Context

Thousands of indigent eastern Kentucky residents are victims of fraud perpetrated by former attorney Eric C. Conn (now convicted and incarcerated) in their Social Security Disability cases, resulting in potential loss of benefits—often their family's only source of income.

More information about Conn's massive fraud scheme and its impact on these victims is available in a recent AppleTV+ documentary miniseries, The Big Conn, as well as coverage in the Wall Street Journal and many other media outlets.

Immediate Problem

AppalReD Legal Aid is directly representing many of these clients but the need far exceeds AppalReD's resources. We need to secure representation for hundreds, or even thousands, of additional clients facing SSD/SSI redetermination hearings. Clients need lawyers to help them navigate the process and present their evidence effectively. In AppalReD's experience, simply having a lawyer makes a major difference in these cases, and clients who proceed without a lawyer are almost certain to lose their benefits, regardless of the merits of their claims.

Work & Deliverables

Lawyers will review and analyze medical records, meet remotely with clients, apply Social Security disability rules and regulations in preparation of the case, and represent claimants virtually at redetermination hearings before Administrative Law Judges.

Because hearings can be conducted virtually, lawyers living in any state and licensed in any state can have a major impact for these communities. Although experience with Social Security, workers' compensation, ERISA, or other benefits law are helpful, lawyers without this experience can provide extremely valuable representation. Lawyers will have access to training and to advice from Social Security experts as they prepare for hearings.

Malpractice insurance coverage is also available for this project.

Project Plan

Preparation Phase

  • Clients will produce relevant medical records.

Collaboration Phase

  • Review evidence
  • Meet with client
  • Prepare case, with help of experts on listserv
  • Represent client virtually at hearing

Wrap Up

  • Report outcome to volunteer coordinator, advise client on appeal process if needed.
Currently not accepting new volunteers.

Additional Information

  • Time Commitment: 11-20 hours
  • Training Provided: Yes
  • Additional Training Details: On-line and in-person training will be available and there is an active listserv with Social Security experts where general strategy and case specific questions can be discussed
  • Site-Preference: Remote
  • Open to Law Students: No
  • Bar License(s) required: Any Bar License
  • Required Languages: None
  • Required Legal Expertise: Administrative Law
  • Mentoring Provided: Yes
  • Supervision Provided: Yes
AppalReD Legal Aid

AppalReD Legal Aid’s mission is to promote equal access to justice, to encourage self-sufficiency, to empower and to improve the lives of low-income and other vulnerable people and families in Eastern and South Central Kentucky by providing them high quality legal assistance. AppalReD Legal Aid is a private non-profit law firm which provides free legal assistance in civil matters to low-income and vulnerable persons in 37 counties in Eastern and South Central Kentucky. AppalReD Legal Aid focuses on helping to ensure that clients have access to the basic necessities of life—food, housing, income, safety, and security. AppalReD Legal Aid provides legal assistance in a wide range of poverty law areas including public benefits, housing, consumer, family law, utilities, and expungement.

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