Firm Profiles

EXPERIENCE MATTERS AT THE LAW FIRM OF ANDERSON LAMB & ASSOCIATES PC

Arthur P. Anderson, Esq. has successfully represented thousands of Social Security claimants since 1979. He is the most successful Social Security claimant's representative in the state of Vermont. His practice is limited to representing disability claimants, both Social Security disability claimants and long term disability (ERISA) claimants. He is a Lawyer of Distinction, recognized excellence in the practice of Law. Lawyers who are member of Lawyers of Distinction have already been vetted and recognized by their peers as being among the “best of the best” in their respective fields.

Because of our great experience and knowledge of the Social Security system and because of the in depth knowledge we obtain about you and your impairments, we are able to ask your doctors the questions that are best suited to give Social Security a full and favorable picture of your disability and why you are entitled to disability benefits.

Federal Court

Mr. Anderson has successfully represented claimants in federal court of Social Security disability claims since 1980. Two of the cases he successfully handled in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals Dousewicz and Veino - not only resulted in substantial benefits to his client, but also created landmark Social Security law. Each case has been cited by other federal court judges in other Social Security cases numerous times.

Social Security Disability- Judge Holding Documents in Burlington, VT

Mr. Anderson practices Social Security law regularly before the federal court in Vermont and has successfully represented a number of Social Security claimants in the federal court in the Northern District of New York.

A partial list of the federal court cases in which Mr. Anderson has successfully represented his Social Security claimants are Second Circuit Cases

Veino v. Barnhart, 312 F.3d 578 (2d Cir 2002)(established standards for termination of disability claims) Cited hundreds of times by federal court judgesDousewicz v. Harris, 646 F.2d 771 (2d Cir 1981)(established validity of treating physician retrospective opinions) Cited hundreds of times by federal court judges District Court Cases;

Reardon v. Astrue, No. 2:11-CV-0011 (D.Vt. Apr 23, 2012)
Betourney-Pavao, 2012 WL 1144032 (D.Vt. Apr 4, 2012)
Osborune v. Astrue, No. 2:11-CV-0027 (D.Vt. Dec 29, 2011)
Deso v. Astrue, 2011 WL 5967181 (D.Vt. Nov 29, 2011)
St. Francis v. Astrue, 2011 WL 5507392 (D.Vt. Nov 10, 2011)
Mott v. Astrue, 2011 WL 4784345 (D.Vt. Oct 6, 2011)

Root v. Astrue, No. 1:07-CV-31 (D.Vt. May 19, 2008)
Duval v. Barnhart, No.1:05-CV-254 (D.Vt. June 23, 2006)
Goyette v. Barnhart, No. 2:05-CV-137 (D.Vt. May 30, 2006)
Lester v. Barnhart, No. 03-CV-810 (N.D.N.Y., December 16, 2005)
Phillips v. Barnhart, No. 1:04-CV-263 (D.Vt. Sept 20, 2005)

Tony Lamb, Esq. has been fighting for the rights of Social Security claimants since 1975.
A navy veteran, Tony studied law at the University of North Carolina School of Law, then clerked for a federal judge. After two years in the foreign service, he entered private practice in 1975 and began what would become a lifelong commitment to the rights of the underprivileged. Tony has argued extensively in federal courts before such leading jurists as current Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. His long experience in the region's highest court provides the expertise and the confidence to win.

Having worked with family and friends with serious health problems, Tony's commitment to the less fortunate is personal. He's built homes for the underprivileged, volunteered for disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina, mentored troubled youth, served as a lay leader in his church, as chairman of the school board, and as town moderator in his hometown of Williston, VT.

On both a professional and personal level, Tony is someone you'll want on your side.

Meriam Hamada, Disability Representative has been representing people with disabilities under the direction of Mr. Anderson and Mr. Lamb since she became a certified disability representative in 2013. Before passing the disability examination, she had been the senior paralegal at Anderson Lamb & Associates for many years vitally assisting in case development and working diligently with clients. Meriam is a proud alum from Champlain College. Meriam is also reading for the Vermont Bar Examination. Her attention to detail is astounding. She has established a great rapport with the Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) and represents clients before ALJs at the administrative hearings. In her free time she enjoys reading, the outdoors and spending quality time with family and friends.

Elizabeth A. Thabault, Disability Representative has been assisting in representing disabled clients since 2020 and is proficient in Social Security Disability law. She received the EDPNA designation granting her the title of Certified Disability Representative. To earn this designation, she was required to pass the Social Security Administration’s rigorous examination on Social Security Disability Law, Rules and Regulations. Elizabeth has since been representing clients successfully at the hearing level in front of Administrative Law Judges. Prior to receiving her certification, she was a paralegal responsible for developing cases through obtaining, analyzing and submitting critical evidence. Elizabeth has a well-rounded background in the legal field, previously working as a Case Specialist for the Executive Office of the Trial Court, and as a Legal Assistant for a Family Law Firm. Being a Vermont native, she enjoys snowboarding and spending time on Lake Champlain in her free time.

For the majority of claimants who are denied for SSD or SSI, the way to win disability benefits will be to pursue their case to the level of a social security hearing that is presided over by an ALJ, or administrative law judge. From the standpoint of the social security administration it does not matter if one's disability representative is a disability attorney or a non-attorney. This is because "social security law" is not law per se at the first four levels of the system (disability application, reconsideration appeal, ALJ hearing, and Appeals Council Review). Therefore, for this reason, one's representative is not required to be an attorney.

Social Security law only becomes law when a case gets to the fifth level of the system which is a federal district court appeal. At this level, one's representative must be an attorney. And at such hearings, the representative may be a non-attorney. Can having a non-attorney be preferable to having an attorney represent a claim? Yes, and this is true when an experienced non-attorney is compared to an attorney who only handles disability cases sporadically or who has a mixed practice that includes traffic or criminal cases. Social Security regulatory procedure is complex enough that a claimant should really choose a specialist to handle their case.

Gracie McCall, Legal Assistant has built a great rapport with our clients through her empathetic and friendly demeanor. She began working as a legal assistant at ALA after having recently graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Vermont. She has since become well-versed in SSA procedure and is a valuable contact person for our clients. Gracie provides exceptional client support and is happy to assist with any questions or concerns one may have when navigating the difficult process of Social Security Disability. Gracie plans to attend law school in the fall of 2024 and aspires to be an advocate for children one day. She grew up in Westerly, RI and enjoys the beach, swimming and doing yoga in her free time.

Celia Kingsbury, Office Assistant has been a part of ALA for over 16 years, working as an office helper who assists in completing clerical tasks. She enjoys the detail work and further supports the team through her encouragement and vibrant energy. Celia empathizes with clients applying for Social Security Disability and is a knowledgeable asset to the team. She is from Montreal, Canada and enjoys international travel. She has a passion for art and culture, and spends her free time attending museums, enjoying the outdoors and live music.