When the Appeals Council says no, federal court is the final option. I handle that specific case — precisely, selectively, and with the institutional knowledge of someone who spent twenty-one years inside the SSA.
I do not handle initial applications or ALJ hearings. I represent claimants in federal district court after the Social Security Administration has denied their claim at every administrative level.
Appeals to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). I handle the full proceeding from Complaint through briefing, judgment, and EAJA petition.
I review every ALJ decision I am asked to evaluate. I take the cases I believe in and decline the ones I do not — clearly and promptly, so you have time to pursue other options.
I work with SSD attorneys throughout Northeast Ohio on a co-counsel or referral basis. All arrangements are compliant with Ohio RPC 1.5(e) and properly disclosed to clients.
When we win, I pursue Equal Access to Justice Act fees from the government. I also handle 406(b) court approval of contingent fees when the SSA subsequently awards past-due benefits.
From 2004 to 2025 I served as an Attorney Advisor and then Senior Attorney Advisor with the Social Security Administration. That experience changes how I read ALJ decisions — and what I do with them in federal court.
I know what a properly constructed decision looks like from the inside — which means I can identify precisely when one falls short of the legal standard, not just argue in general terms that it does.
Many ALJ decisions use boilerplate that passes casual review but fails meaningful judicial scrutiny. I recognize template language and know how to frame it as the articulation failure it is.
I understand how the government constructs its responsive brief — and where those briefs make arguments the ALJ never made, which is a Chenery violation I identify and exploit.
I don't cite Blakley and Ealy as general propositions. I use them to identify the specific regulatory failure in the specific decision before me and connect it to a concrete outcome for my client.
Send me the ALJ decision and the Appeals Council denial letter. No fee. No commitment on either side.
Within 48 hours, I tell you clearly whether I see a viable federal argument — and if not, exactly why. No vague answers.
If I take the case, I move immediately. The 60-day filing deadline waits for no one. Day 45 is my firm internal filing date.
From Complaint through briefing, judgment, and EAJA petition. You are informed at every step.
Many SSD practitioners have clients who have exhausted their administrative remedies and are asking about federal court. I am the next step.
I work with referring attorneys throughout Northeast Ohio. Here is how it works in practice:
I take a selective caseload. When I tell you a case has strong federal potential, I mean it — because I have already screened out the ones that don't.
I have been practicing Social Security disability law since 1993. What makes my practice different is not the length of that experience — it is the nature of it.
From 2004 to 2025 I served as an Attorney Advisor and then Senior Attorney Advisor with the Social Security Administration. For twenty-one years I worked inside the agency, reviewing and advising on the kinds of decisions I now challenge in federal court.
That experience is not merely a credential. It is a structural analytical advantage. I know what a properly constructed ALJ decision looks like from the inside, which means I know exactly when one falls below that standard — not in a general sense, but in the specific, articulable way that federal courts can act on.
My federal practice in the Northern District of Ohio is intentionally selective. I take a limited number of cases each year and give each one my full attention. I do not accept marginal cases to fill a docket.
Social Security Disability Law
Since 1993
Attorney Advisor and Senior Attorney Advisor
Social Security Administration, 2004–2025
Ohio Bar No. 0061197
U.S. District Court
Northern District of Ohio
North Olmsted, Ohio
Serving the greater Cleveland area
To request a case review: Call or email with the client's name and the date on the Appeals Council denial letter. I will ask you to send the ALJ decision and the AC denial letter.
I will respond within 48 hours — usually faster. If I cannot take the case, I will tell you immediately so you have time to explore other options before the filing deadline.
The 60-day deadline is absolute. Please do not wait until the last week to reach out. If you are within 20 days of the deadline, say so when you call.
Griswold Legal, LLC is a Social Security disability practice. This website does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.