Katherine Audrianna Roe

At the Law Office of Katherine Roe, Ms. Roe provides individualized and outstanding legal counsel and advocacy to disabled persons and their families navigating the Social Security Disability benefits process.

Katherine 'Katie' Roe is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul Minnesota with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and minor in Criminal Justice. She earned her Master in Public Administration from University of Notre Dame de Namur, Belmont, CA. Katie graduated from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento where she received the Witkin Award for Health Law and Elder Law Clinic.

By maintaining a select case load Ms. Roe is able to work one on one with her clients to collect the evidence and develop the legal theory needed to put forth a strong supported argument for disability before the Social Security Administration. Her practice is limited to cases in the jurisdiction of the Sacramento and Stockton Social Security Offices of Adjudication and Review.
Our Story

Ms. Roe began representing disabled persons before the Social Security Administration as a certified law student at the Pacific McGeorge Elder and Health Law Clinic in 2011. She continued to represent individuals in Social Security Disability benefit appeals while at the law firm of Fraulob-Brown where she also represented injured workers in Workers' Compensation cases. In 2017 Ms. Roe opened her solo practice focusing on Social Security Disability.

University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law

J.D. (2012)

2009 - 2012

Notre Dame de Namur University

MBA (2009) | Master of Public Administration, Public Affairs

2007 - 2009

University of Saint Thomas

B.A. (2006) | Sociology, Criminal Justice

2002 - 2006

Associate Attorney

Fraulob Brown

2015 - 2017

Social Security Disability Appeals Workers' Compensation

Associate Attorney

Haworth Bradshaw

2013 - 2015

Workers' Compensation Defense

Clinical Fellow/Attorney

Pacific McGeorge Elder and Health Law Clinic

2012 - 2013

Cohn Sister's Award for Patient Advocacy

NAELA Foundation

2013

Cohn Sister's Scholarship for Patient Advocacy Each year, the NAELA Foundation proudly awards several Cohn Sisters’ Scholarships for Patient Advocacy. Scholarships provide attorneys the opportunity to attend the NAELA Annual Conference. The Cohn Sisters' Scholarship is available to elder law and special needs planning attorneys who are unable to afford to attend the NAELA Annual Conference and who will use the training to advocate for people with disabilities. Your donations to the Foundation help provide tuition and room at the conference. Scholarship History The Cohn Sisters' Scholarship was established through the NAELA Memorial Fund in memory of Vivian Cohn Smith and Lorrie Cohn. Vivian and Lorrie, sisters of NAELA Fellow Helen Cohn Needham, were tireless patient advocates who dedicated themselves to patients and people with disabilities. Vivian worked for the disabled in the state of North Carolina. She used her personal experiences as a patient with illness to defend people with special needs. Sadly, after a 10-year battle with breast cancer, Vivian passed in November 1997. In kind, Lorrie was a patient advocate and worked as an intensive care and triage nurse for Kaiser Permanente. She believed that patient advocacy is integral to caregiving and strove to make it an essential part of her career. We lost Lorrie in November 2005.

State Bar of California  # 285190

Member

Current

Women Lawyers of Sacramento

Member

Current

Sacramento County Bar Association

Member

Current

Sacramento Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives

Secretary

Current

California

Since 2012

• Free Consultation
• Contingent Fees
  I don't get paid unless we win! Social Security regulates representative fees, which are 25% of your back pay with a cap of $9,200.00 through the Administrative Law Judge hearing level.

Q. If I was denied SS a few years back, should I appeal or start over since it's been so long?

March 18, 2018

A: If you received a denial a few years ago you will need to reapply for Social Security Disability benefits. The deadline to appeal a decision is 60 days (plus 5 for mailing) from the date on your denial letter. In certain circumstances you can re-open a prior claim, but most often it must be done within 12 months of the prior denial. There are limited circumstances when you can reopen a claim that is more than a year old. This is difficult.

To reopen your prior claim, you still have to file a new application for disability. You tell Social Security that you would like reopen your old claim and that your onset date (the date which you became disabled) is within the same time frame covered by your first application. (If you are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) then, this must be within 17 months of the initial application.

Re-opening a prior claim can be challenging. I recommend consulting with a Social Security Disability attorney local to you if this is the route you choose to go. ... Read More

Q. Would My Spouse Be Qualified For Ssi For Being An Alcoholic At The Age 30?

March 15, 2018

A: If your husband is unable to work due to his mental conditions (depression and anxiety) he should apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Social Security considers you to be disabled if 1) You cannot do work that you did before; 2) You cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition(s) - meaning you can't do any other jobs even if it's not a job you have done in the past; and 3) Your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death. He will need to apply for SSI in person at his local Social Security field office.

SSI is also needs based and if he is found to be disabled he will need to also financially qualify for benefits. The resource limit for couples is $3,000.00. If you are working, part of your income may also be considered "deemed" to him.

Know that it is not uncommon for applicants to be denied benefits at the first two levels: Initial Application and Reconsideration. It is important that he continue to appeal the denials if he receives them and consult with a Social Security Disability attorney. ... Read More

Q. My son is a retired Marine who sustained injury in Iraq been denied three time for Social Security disability benefit

March 15, 2018

A: Your son should continue to appeal the denial. It's very common for claimants, including disabled veterans to be denied at the initial application and reconsideration levels. Your son's best chance for approval will likely be at the Administrative Hearing Level. I recommend that he contact a Social Security Disability attorney local to his area. A good attorney will help him gather the relevant medical documents and obtain statements from his doctors to submit to Social Security. An attorney will also represent him at the hearing and develop a strong legal theory under Social Security law as to why he should be found disabled.