To the Appeals Council and Beyond: Practical Advice After an ALJ Denial – 2026 Spring National Conference – Track I (Presented by National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives)

Joseph Ira Frydman, Esq., Founder

Joseph is the founder of his own Social Security law firm, established in 2023 following more than 13 years of service at the Social Security Administration’s Appeals Council. During his tenure at the Appeals Council, Joseph spent the majority of his career analyzing cases involved in federal court litigation — a specialized caseload that provided him with a panoramic view of the entire SSA appeals system and a granular understanding of the substantive reasons cases are remanded. Since launching his firm, he has applied that insider expertise to help clients obtain remands from the Appeals Council and the U.S. District Courts.

• Education & Credentials

Joseph is a licensed attorney with deep specialization in Social Security appellate practice. His professional credentials are defined by over 13 years at the SSA Appeals Council, where he developed expertise in federal court litigation, appellate review, and the substantive legal standards that drive remand decisions across the SSA adjudication system. He also facilitated and developed training programs for Administrative Appeals Judges, managers, senior attorneys, and new attorneys at the agency. (Specific academic credentials are not included in the provided biography.)

• Recognition & Leadership

Joseph received numerous awards for his work and training contributions during his tenure at the Social Security Administration. His recognition reflects both the quality of his analytical work on federal court litigation cases and his effectiveness as a trainer and educator within the agency. His role in facilitating and developing training for Administrative Appeals Judges, managers, and attorneys at multiple career levels placed him among the Appeals Council’s most trusted institutional resources — a distinction that now informs the expertise he brings to his private practice clients.

• Professional Involvement

During his time at the Appeals Council, Joseph was extensively involved in the training and development of SSA legal staff, facilitating and designing programs for new Administrative Appeals Judges, senior attorneys, managers, and incoming attorneys. This work established him as an educator and institutional leader within the agency well before he transitioned to private practice. Since founding his firm in 2023, he has remained engaged with the broader Social Security disability bar, sharing his unique perspective on the appellate process with practitioners seeking to understand how cases are viewed from the Appeals Council’s vantage point.

• Experience

Joseph spent more than 13 years at the SSA Appeals Council, where he primarily analyzed cases involved in federal court litigation. This specialized focus gave him an unusually complete understanding of the SSA appeals process — from how cases are reviewed internally to the specific substantive grounds on which courts remand decisions back to the agency. In 2023, he founded his own law firm to bring that expertise directly to claimants, focusing on securing remands from the Appeals Council and U.S. District Courts. His background on the agency side equips him with insights into the appellate review process that few claimants’ attorneys possess, making him a distinctive and highly effective advocate at the most advanced stages of Social Security litigation.

I. To the Appeals Council and Beyond: Practical Advice After an ALJ Denial | 3:15pm – 4:30pm

An ALJ denial is not the end of a Social Security disability case. This program examines the critical appeal options available after an unfavorable decision, including review by the Appeals Council and litigation in federal court. Attorneys will learn how the Appeals Council evaluates cases, the most common grounds for remand, and how to identify appealable errors in ALJ decisions. The session also provides practical strategies and sample arguments for effective appeals. Participants will leave with a structured approach to evaluating and advancing post-hearing appeals.