 Social Security Disability Claims
Students represented clients
before the Social Security
Administration, advocating
for their clients’ disability
claims. William McLain,
Gena’ve Ramirez and Karen
Sawyer wrote highly persuasive
briefs in support of the
disability claims of some of
the clinic’s child clients.
John Geddie was a
powerful advocate for his client,
a single father, who had
been told that Social Security
paid his child, a child who has both
HIV and a rare metabolic disorder,
too much in benefit payments. Social
Security was demanding that the father
repay the alleged overpayment.
Mr. Geddie argued that the overpayments
were no fault of the father or
the child and requested
that Social
Security waive these
overpayments. He
repeatedly requested a
hearing on behalf of
his client, arguing the
client’s procedural
due process right to a
hearing and staying
Social Security’s ability
to begin collecting
the overpayment.
Kimberly Fahrenholz
and LaShanda Whaley
amassed supportive
medical evidence and
used this evidence as
the basis for briefs they wrote in support
of their clients’ disability claims.
Their clients prevailed on their claims
and were awarded Social Security
benefits. Now these individuals, who
were unable to work because of their
disabilities, have a small amount of
money to provide for their basic
needs and guaranteed medical coverage.
Students Damien Bernache, Galina
Sergen and Jorge Villavicencio were
so committed to their clients, they
asked to continue
assisting their
clients over the summer months,
even after they had
officially completed
their clinic course obligations. Mr.
Bernache carefully drafted a brief
which contained a detailed and thorough
analysis of his child client’s disability
claim. Ms. Sergen was scheduled
to accompany her client to a
hearing in July. She submitted additional
medical evidence and a very
persuasive brief on behalf of her client and received an
on-the-record decision
for the award of disability benefits,
eliminating the need for the hearing.
Mr. Villavicencio, who said he really established
a bond with his client and
wanted to see that
the client got the
disability benefits
he so deserved,
worked tirelessly
over the summer in support of his client.
 The client received notice in early
August that his disability benefits were
awarded.
Professors Wasserman and Batipps
were grateful for such a committed and
dedicated group of students. Elizabeth
Eckhardt and Leericka Lucas continued
their advocacy over the
summer as interns and represented
clients in all of our
practice areas.
Talk by Dr. Veronica Jenkins, M.D.
At the beginning of the
semester, the students were
privileged to have Veronica
Jenkins, M.D., as a guest
lecturer. Dr. Jenkins is the
medical director of the
Family and Medical Counseling
Service in Southeast
Washington and is an expert
on the care and treatment
of those infected with
HIV. Dr. Jenkins cares for a huge number
of patients in Anacostia, many of
whom are clients of our HIV/AIDS Legal
Clinic. She presented a thorough and
powerful lecture on the medical aspects
of HIV/AIDS, arming the students with
both basic knowledge about the disease
and a better understanding about those
who suffer from this illness.
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