Are you confident with your knowledge of social security regulations? Are you confident in your ability to handle every challenge and legal risk before and during the hearing process? Order these materials and acquire better pre-trial hearing planning and preparation, improved performance at administrative law judge hearings and increased ability to tackle special issues with greater skill and confidence. Order today!

1. Social Security Disability: Get the Basics Down
2. Prepare and Analyze Information Before the Hearing
3. Succeed at the Administrative Law Judge Hearing
4. Resolve Ethical Issues in Your Practice
5. Post Hearing Conduct

Continuing Education Credits:   

* denotes specialty credits

1. SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: GET THE BASICS DOWN
   9:00 - 10:15, James P. O'Brien
   1. Examine Significant Rulings That Affect Your Success
   2. Determine the Different Types of Disability Cases
   3. Grasp Important Definitions of Abbreviations and Acronyms
   4. Sort Through Medical and Vocational Issues (including use of the “GRID”)
   5. The Listings
   6. Tap Into All the Resources Available to You
   7. Troubleshooting Non-Disability Issues Arising from Disability Claims
2. PREPARE AND ANALYZE INFORMATION BEFORE THE HEARING
   10:30 - 11:45, Michael A. Bliven
   1. How to Decide Whether to Accept or Decline Representation of the Client
   2. Medical and Other Essential Evidence You Must Gather
   3. Obtain Necessary Reports and Interrogatories
   4. Analyze Social Security File Documentation
   5. How to File a Claim
   6. Prepare Clients to Effectively Testify
   7. Tips for Establishing the Claim
   8. Avoid Mistakes with Ready-to-Use Forms and Letters
3. SUCCEED AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE HEARING
   12:45 - 2:00, Michael A. Bliven
   1. Great Advice for Working With the Local Hearing Office
   2. A Practical Hearing Checklist You'll Use Over and Over
   3. How to Handle Expert Witnesses – Yours and Your Opponents
   4. Follow the Rules for Submitting Evidence to the Letter
   5. Documenting and Presenting Medical and Vocational Evidence
   6. Difficulties to Expect and How to Handle Them
   7. Proven Tactics That Can Lead to a Favorable Ruling
   8. Guard Against Costly Errors When Calculating Benefits
   9. How Benefits Received Impact Other Recoveries
   10. Breakthrough Misconceptions About the Appeals Process
4. RESOLVE ETHICAL ISSUES IN YOUR PRACTICE
   2:15 - 3:15, James P. O'Brien and John E. Seidlitz Jr.
   1. Be on the Lookout for Conflicts of Interest
   2. Useful Tips for Setting Attorneys' Fees
   3. What to Do to Ensure Confidentiality
   4. Forge a Solid Attorney/Client Relationship
5. POST HEARING CONDUCT
   3:15 - 4:30, James P. O'Brien and John E. Seidlitz Jr.
   1. How to Resurrect Your Case After the Hearing
   2. The District Court Appeal
   3. Ninth Circuit Appeals

MICHAEL A. BLIVEN is a partner at Anderson & Bliven PC, in Kalispell, Montana, where he has been a shareholder since 2002. Mr. Bliven graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana in 1990, and received his J.D. degree from Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon in 1994. He was admitted to practice in Oregon in 1994 and Montana in 2002. Mr. Bliven has been doing Social Security disability hearings and appeals since 1995 and federal court appeals since 2002. He has done more than 1000 Social Security hearings in at least eight states, mostly in western Montana and usually in Kalispell. Mr. Bliven's practice emphasizes plaintiff's personal injury and disability claims.

JAMES P. O'BRIEN is a sole practitioner at O'Brien Law Office P.C., in Missoula, Montana. Mr. O'Brien practices in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, consumer protection and Social Security disability law. He earned his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Montana and was admitted to practice in Montana in 1981. Mr. O'Brien is a member of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice. He has previously lectured for National Business Institute on personal injury.

JOHN E. SEIDLITZ JR. is a sole practitioner in Great Falls, where he focuses his practice in civil trial work, including social security disability law. He received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Montana and has 30 years of experience practicing law. Mr. Seidlitz is a member of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association and NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives).

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

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Phone: 866-240-1890

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