At my law firm, I schedule a pre-hearing conference with all of my Social Security disability clients prior to their hearings. Generally I schedule these meetings two to four weeks prior to the hearing and I prefer to conduct them in person.
I schedule these meetings to help my clients prepare for questions they will be asked. Equally important, I get the opportunity to evaluate how my client answers questions and to assist them in improving how they testify.
In cases involving impairments that result in physical limitations, I present to my clients a series of questions that they will definitely hear at their hearings. Often I find that in this practice session my clients do not answer these questions clearly and we have to practice several times to tighten up their presentations.
Often, our pre-hearing conferences run close to 2 hours – which is about twice as long as the actual hearing will last but I feel that this time investment is worthwhile so that my client can become comfortable with how I ask questions and my client can practice in a less stressful environment. [Read more…] about Hearing Preparation Tip: Prepare for Questions About Your Physical Capabilities