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How to Think Like a Judge – 2026 Spring National Conference – Track I (Presented by National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives)

2026-04-21 14:00:00

1 hours

2026-04-21 14:00:00

1 Credits

Master judicial reasoning in Social Security disability hearings, learn how ALJs evaluate evidence, structure decisions, and align your advocacy with the frameworks that determine case outcomes.

2026-04-21 14:00:00

1 hours

Master judicial reasoning in Social Security disability hearings, learn how ALJs evaluate evidence, structure decisions, and align your advocacy with the frameworks that determine case outcomes.

2026-04-21 14:00:00

1 hours

1000+

Live stream programs

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Access to live webinars & recordings

70,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

1000+

Live stream programs

24/7

Access to live webinars & recordings

70,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

1000+

Live stream programs

24/7

Access to live webinars & recordings

70,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

1000+

Live stream programs

24/7

Access to live webinars & recordings

70,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

Key topics that will be covered

What will you learn

Attorneys will examine how ALJs review disability claims, apply evidentiary standards, interpret claimant credibility, and draft decisions based on the administrative record.

What will you gain

Attorneys will gain ability to structure case files, arguments, and evidence aligned with judicial workflow to improve presentation and client advocacy.

ALJ process
Trace how judges move from reviewing evidence to drafting decisions.
Medical evidence
Understand how ALJs weigh physician opinions, consultative exams, and records.
Credibility analysis
Learn how judges assess claimant testimony against vocational evidence.
Decision patterns
Identify factors frequently leading to approvals or denials in hearings.
Evidence organization
Apply techniques structuring case materials for efficient judicial review.
Red flags
Recognize factors causing judges to scrutinize disability claims more closely.

What will you learn

Attorneys will examine how ALJs review disability claims, apply evidentiary standards, interpret claimant credibility, and draft decisions based on the administrative record.

What will you gain

Attorneys will gain ability to structure case files, arguments, and evidence aligned with judicial workflow to improve presentation and client advocacy.

Agenda

SESSION 1

How to Think Like a Judge

clock 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST

How to Think Like a Judge

Regina Carpenter

Social Security Administration

Understanding how ALJs evaluate disability claims improves advocacy outcomes. This segment examines how hearing offices operate, how judges review case files, and how representatives can align case preparation with judicial decision-making processes.

Eligible for up to 1 CLE Credit Hour

This session was originally submitted for CLE as a live, in-person presentation and a live webcast for the 2026 Spring National Conference and may be eligible for self-study credit. Each state handles self-study credit differently; for questions, please consult your State Bar Association.

Recorded Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

Regina Carpenter

Social Security Administration

01 01
Prev
Next

speakers

Joe Ervin

The Law Firm for Truck Safety, LLP
A Partner at The Law Firm for Truck Safety. He focuses exclusively on cases involving commercial motor vehicle crashes and wrongful death. Joe also holds a valid class “A” commercial driver’s license with endorsements for double/triple trailers and tankers.

Education & Credentials

A 2013 graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming, Joe is rated AV Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer rating for exceptional legal ability and ethics. He is among the first nine attorneys nationwide to earn board certification in Truck Accident Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Recognition & Leadership

Joe received the Roadway Safety Award from the American Association for Justice (AAJ) for his commitment to improving highway safety.
 He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA) Safety Committee, advocating for higher safety standards across the trucking industry.

Professional Involvement

Joe serves on the faculty of the AAJ Advanced Trial Advocacy College: Litigating Truck Collision Cases (2015 & 2024).
 He is an active member of AAJ’s Trucking Litigation Group and sits on the Board of Regents for the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys.

Experience

Joe frequently consults and co-counsels on complex commercial truck cases. His proven track record includes numerous successful trials against motor carriers and truck leasing companies — delivering justice for victims of commercial vehicle accidents.

Kevin Foley

Reminger Co
A Partner at The Law Firm for Truck Safety. He focuses exclusively on cases involving commercial motor vehicle crashes and wrongful death. Joe also holds a valid class “A” commercial driver’s license with endorsements for double/triple trailers and tankers.

Education & Credentials

A 2013 graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming, Joe is rated AV Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer rating for exceptional legal ability and ethics. He is among the first nine attorneys nationwide to earn board certification in Truck Accident Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Recognition & Leadership

Joe received the Roadway Safety Award from the American Association for Justice (AAJ) for his commitment to improving highway safety.
 He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA) Safety Committee, advocating for higher safety standards across the trucking industry.

Professional Involvement

Joe serves on the faculty of the AAJ Advanced Trial Advocacy College: Litigating Truck Collision Cases (2015 & 2024).
 He is an active member of AAJ’s Trucking Litigation Group and sits on the Board of Regents for the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys.

Experience

Joe frequently consults and co-counsels on complex commercial truck cases. His proven track record includes numerous successful trials against motor carriers and truck leasing companies — delivering justice for victims of commercial vehicle accidents.

Grant H. Lawson

The Law Firm for Truck Safety, LLP
A Partner at The Law Firm for Truck Safety. He focuses exclusively on cases involving commercial motor vehicle crashes and wrongful death. Joe also holds a valid class “A” commercial driver’s license with endorsements for double/triple trailers and tankers.

Education & Credentials

A 2013 graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming, Joe is rated AV Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer rating for exceptional legal ability and ethics. He is among the first nine attorneys nationwide to earn board certification in Truck Accident Law from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Recognition & Leadership

Joe received the Roadway Safety Award from the American Association for Justice (AAJ) for his commitment to improving highway safety.
 He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA) Safety Committee, advocating for higher safety standards across the trucking industry.

Professional Involvement

Joe serves on the faculty of the AAJ Advanced Trial Advocacy College: Litigating Truck Collision Cases (2015 & 2024).
 He is an active member of AAJ’s Trucking Litigation Group and sits on the Board of Regents for the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys.

Experience

Joe frequently consults and co-counsels on complex commercial truck cases. His proven track record includes numerous successful trials against motor carriers and truck leasing companies — delivering justice for victims of commercial vehicle accidents.

Regina Carpenter

Social Security Administration

Regina Carpenter

Social Security Administration

Regina Carpenter is a retired Administrative Law Judge with more than three decades of experience in Social Security law, spanning roles as a paralegal, claimant’s attorney, attorney advisor, senior attorney advisor, and ALJ. She served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration from 2011 through 2025, and spent the final two years of her career as co-lead of SSA’s national judicial training program. Over the last decade of her tenure, she was heavily involved in formally training and mentoring new ALJs, cementing her legacy as one of the agency’s foremost judicial educators.

Education & Credentials

Regina graduated magna cum laude from Fairmont State University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education. She earned her law degree from West Virginia College of Law in 2001, graduating Order of the Coif, a distinction reserved for the top academic performers in her graduating class. Her academic honors reflect the same rigor and commitment to excellence that defined her subsequent career in Social Security law and judicial service.

Recognition & Leadership

Regina's career culminated in a leadership role that few ALJs achieve: co-lead of the Social Security Administration's national judicial training program, a position she held for the final two years before her retirement in 2025. In this capacity, she helped shape how ALJs across the country are prepared to adjudicate Social Security disability claims, a contribution with lasting institutional impact. Her decadelong involvement in mentoring and formally training new ALJs reflects the trust and recognition she earned from the agency over the course of her distinguished service.

Professional Involvement

Throughout her career, Regina maintained deep involvement in the Social Security disability community from multiple vantage points. As a claimant's attorney in private practice, she was a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR). As an ALJ, she dedicated significant time and energy to the formal training and mentoring of new judges, ultimately co-leading SSA's national judicial training program. Her trajectory, from paralegal to claimant's rep to SSA attorney advisor to ALJ to national trainer, gives her a uniquely comprehensive perspective on every stage of the Social Security adjudication process.

Experience

Regina's involvement in Social Security law spans over three decades, beginning in 1992 as a paralegal managing a disability practice at a small law firm. After earning her law degree in 2001, she practiced as a claimant's attorney in private practice and was a member of NOSSCR. In 2009, she joined the Social Security Administration as an attorney advisor, quickly advancing to senior attorney advisor before being appointed as an ALJ in 2011, a role she held until her retirement in 2025. During the last ten years of her judicial career, she was extensively involved in training and mentoring new ALJs and served as co-lead of SSA's national judicial training program for two years prior to her retirement. Her career represents one of the most complete trajectories in Social Security law, having served claimants, the agency, and the judiciary with distinction.

Regina Carpenter

Social Security Administration

Regina Carpenter is a retired Administrative Law Judge with more than three decades of experience in Social Security law, spanning roles as a paralegal, claimant’s attorney, attorney advisor, senior attorney advisor, and ALJ. She served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration from 2011 through 2025, and spent the final two years of her career as co-lead of SSA’s national judicial training program. Over the last decade of her tenure, she was heavily involved in formally training and mentoring new ALJs, cementing her legacy as one of the agency’s foremost judicial educators.

Education & Credentials

Regina graduated magna cum laude from Fairmont State University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education. She earned her law degree from West Virginia College of Law in 2001, graduating Order of the Coif, a distinction reserved for the top academic performers in her graduating class. Her academic honors reflect the same rigor and commitment to excellence that defined her subsequent career in Social Security law and judicial service.

Recognition & Leadership

Regina's career culminated in a leadership role that few ALJs achieve: co-lead of the Social Security Administration's national judicial training program, a position she held for the final two years before her retirement in 2025. In this capacity, she helped shape how ALJs across the country are prepared to adjudicate Social Security disability claims, a contribution with lasting institutional impact. Her decadelong involvement in mentoring and formally training new ALJs reflects the trust and recognition she earned from the agency over the course of her distinguished service.

Professional Involvement

Throughout her career, Regina maintained deep involvement in the Social Security disability community from multiple vantage points. As a claimant's attorney in private practice, she was a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR). As an ALJ, she dedicated significant time and energy to the formal training and mentoring of new judges, ultimately co-leading SSA's national judicial training program. Her trajectory, from paralegal to claimant's rep to SSA attorney advisor to ALJ to national trainer, gives her a uniquely comprehensive perspective on every stage of the Social Security adjudication process.

Experience

Regina's involvement in Social Security law spans over three decades, beginning in 1992 as a paralegal managing a disability practice at a small law firm. After earning her law degree in 2001, she practiced as a claimant's attorney in private practice and was a member of NOSSCR. In 2009, she joined the Social Security Administration as an attorney advisor, quickly advancing to senior attorney advisor before being appointed as an ALJ in 2011, a role she held until her retirement in 2025. During the last ten years of her judicial career, she was extensively involved in training and mentoring new ALJs and served as co-lead of SSA's national judicial training program for two years prior to her retirement. Her career represents one of the most complete trajectories in Social Security law, having served claimants, the agency, and the judiciary with distinction.

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Ability to Ask Questions During
the Presentation via a Chat Box
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Exclusive Partner Webinars & Events
Special credits (Ethics, Elimination
of Bias, etc.)
Instant Certificates After Completion
Personalized CLE Platform
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Why Attend

Why this 
program matters

Attorneys who understand how Administrative Law Judges think, organize records, and assess evidence are fundamentally better positioned to advocate effectively and achieve favorable outcomes for disability claimants.
1.1 M+
Disability claims were pending across the Social Security hearing and appeals system in 2025. Heavy caseloads require judges to review large files quickly, making clear and well-organized advocacy essential.
1,500+
Average number of cases handled annually by many Social Security Administrative Law Judges, according to SSA workload data. High volume means judges rely on efficient file review methods that attorneys must understand.
40%
Typical approval rate range at the ALJ hearing level nationally in recent SSA data. Outcomes can hinge on how effectively attorneys present evidence within the framework judges use to evaluate cases.
1k+
Pages with many disability case files include extensive medical and vocational records submitted through ERE systems. Judges must synthesize large records quickly, making strategic organization and argument framing critical.

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