Blogs

How to change your name in California, Part One
My immigration clients often end up with documents that have different names on them. They will have a passport with one name and a driver’s

Social Security field offices closed but you may still apply for disability
I drove by the Vallejo field office the other day and saw this sign that the field office is closed. It is closed just like

Giving talk in Benicia on Immigration law
On November 20, 2019 at 7:00 p.m., I will be giving a talk on Immigration Law along with Brett Snider, attorney and director of legal

When our own government tortures
More often that not, I feel like I live in a dystopian novel. Unfortunately the events of today are real. Over the past year I
End of Year Giving Safety
The year of 2015 is drawing to a close. Immigrants and citizens alike receive spam email as well as legitimate email from organizations requesting donations.
Asylum denied to North Korean due to firm resettlement in South Korea
May a citizen of North Korea be granted political asylum despite being firmly resettled in South Korea? The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently said,
Should I agree to amend the onset date?
Yesterday I had a hearing at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review in San Rafael. After my client testified and the vocational expert testified,
Can I receive Social Security Disability benefits and Veterans’ Disability benefits at the same time?
I recently received a call from a soldier formerly stationed at Travis Air Force Base wondering whether he could collect Veterans’ Disability benefits and Social
Report on California Disability Determination Services shows failure to properly adjudicate
On May 25, 2011, the Social Security Office of Inspector General published a report entitled., “Failure to Cooperate Denials and Initial claims Backlog at the
Can I receive Social Security benefits if I have been deported?
Recently one of my colleagues asked whether his client who had been deported (now called “removal”) could receive Social Security benefits. I thought this was
Four misconceptions about the Social Security Disability “system”
I would like to share some questions posed to me over time that highlight some misconceptions we all share about how the “system” works when
How much can I earn and keep my SSI?
At lesat once a week I receive an inquiry from someone wondering if they will lose their SSI if their SSI if they work a

