Yvette St. Clair Snodgrass - Attorney
Yvette’s interest in the law began while a student at the University of Illinois when she was selected as a Ronald E. McNair Research Scholar.
Education:- Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Jurisdoctorate, May 2001
- University of Illinois-Urbana, Bachelors of Arts in Sociology, May 1998
- State Bar of Georgia, 2004
- United States Northern District of Georgia
- Gate City Bar Association
- American Bar Association
When Scott Monge decided to launch a new Social Security Disability practice in early 2011, he chose Yvette St. Clair Snodgrass as the lawyer he wanted to spearhead the new venture.
Yvette had handled hundreds of Social Security cases for a company where she had worked for five years prior to joining the Monge firm, and she had developed a thorough understanding of the administrative processes involving Social Security Disability and the keys to success in navigating them.
For instance, Yvette says she’s found that properly written briefs summarizing a client’s condition are invaluable at hearings—especially when they are tailored to suit particular judges’ preferences for style and length.
Another necessary component of zealous advocacy for a client seeking Social Security benefits, Yvette says, is to gain a thorough understanding of the person’s medical condition through client conversation and review of medical records. Oftentimes, she says, the Social Security Administration’s written denials of claims are inaccurate, leaving room for appeal as long as a client’s full medical situation is known.
“They might say, ‘You said you can’t work because you have rheumatoid arthritis; however we believe your limitations aren’t that severe,’ but they don’t mention all the person’s health conditions,” she says.
These inaccuracies oftentimes result from “consultative exams” by doctors contracted by SSA to do a thorough exam of the client but who may only review the client’s existing medical records or lack thereof. “What I’ve learned is that people go to their treating doctor, who walks in and says, ‘How are you doing today, Mr. Johnson?’ ‘Oh, I’m fine.’ And the doctor will put on the charts: ‘No complaints.’”
The tough part about practicing Social Security Disability law, Yvette says, is that her clients are oftentimes in dire straits and the wait for SSA to make a determination can take up to two years.
“The difficult part is knowing that people are extremely ill and there is rarely anything that we can do to get their case expedited,” she says. “Some people don’t have health insurance, some people’s houses are foreclosed and there are few effective remedies available to them.”
On the other hand, Yvette says that she’s found one action that clients can take themselves and which she encourages them to do: Write their congressman and explain their situation.
“I’d say about 70 percent of congressmen will send some kind of inquiry letter to the hearing office asking that the person’s case be expedited and I’d say about 50 percent of the time it works (to actually get the expedited hearing).”
And when Yvette’s claimants get a hearing, they have more than a fighting chance—she estimates her success rate at achieving favorable awards a hearing to be roughly 90 percent.
When that happens, she says, “it’s very fulfilling, especially for the people who have severe illnesses.”
She says that’s why she loves her work.
“I really enjoy helping people. The part I enjoy the most is helping people understand the process. If I can provide people with the tools they need to get through the process and understand it, if they have a family member or friend who’s going through what they’re going through, they can at least tell them what we’ve shared about how the process works.”
Yvette’s commitment to helping others isn’t just a characteristic of her professional life. In her spare time, she’s active in a youth-mentoring program in her church.
She’s also a member of the Gate City Bar Association and National Organization of Social Security Representatives.
