Stephen Sloan, Outgoing NextGen Co-Chair

Just wrapped up an incredible few days in Charlotte for the NOSSCR NextGen Retreat!

We kicked things off Thursday evening with dinner and drinks at Graham St. Pub & Patio, courtesy of Trajector Disability, where we enjoyed the warm Charlotte weather and plenty of great conversation. It was the perfect way to meet new faces and reconnect with colleagues before diving into two full days of learning, sharing, and collaboration.

Friday morning began with breakfast and our first session where Kara Neaton of Legal Aid of North Carolina led an insightful discussion on age-18 redeterminations — exploring the unique challenges that arise as child claimants transition to adult disability standards, and offering practical strategies for managing these complex cases. Next up, Ashley Sappenfield of Lanier Law Group walked us through common additional medical documentation requests, with useful tips on identifying missing records, coordinating with providers, and strengthening evidentiary support before hearings. After a quick break, Joanna Smykowski of Green and Greenberg Law presented “Breaking into Federal Court from Admin Court,” a fantastic session on recognizing appeal-worthy issues and preserving error at the ALJ level. We wrapped up the morning with Christine Burnside of Deuterman Law Group, who tackled “Work Activity After Onset Date”—breaking down how work attempts, SGA, and nuanced earnings records can impact claims and credibility.

Lunch at The Horseshoe was generously sponsored by Legal Conversion Center and Chad Brown Law. Some were fortunate enough to be able to squeeze in a quick nap (or some email answering and phone calls) before we teamed up for Beat the Bomb, a creative, high-energy team-building event that perfectly captured the collaborative spirit of the retreat. The evening continued with happy hour at Gilde Brewery sponsored by Legal Conversion Center, more networking, and casual dinners and informal adventures around town with new friends.

Saturday morning kicked off with an engaging session from Vocational Expert Katherine Jett, who shared timely insights about VE testimony, labor market data, and the implementation of SSR 24-3p, helping attendees better understand and challenge vocational evidence in hearings. Next, Dr. John Schwabe’s “Medical Records Demystified” session bridged the gap between law and medicine, explaining how to read complex records, identify inconsistencies, and interpret test results from a clinical perspective. Then Meghan Gallo of GCC Law Firm shared her expertise in Step 5 strategies, walking through the new challenges of the “simple probability method” gaining wider traction among vocational experts in the 24-3p era. The retreat concluded with an interactive “Ask Us Anything” panel featuring NextGen co-chairs Christine Burnside of Deuterman Law and Stephen Sloan of Osterhout Berger Daley where attendees raised thoughtful questions about issues of particular concern to their practice, including advocacy techniques, avoiding embarrassing pitfalls, and how to build lasting careers in this rewarding area of law.

While NOSSCR NextGen emphasizes providing substantive tools for advocates to take back to their practices, The NextGen Retreat is more than just providing CLE; it’s about ensuring that newer practitioners know they have a community of peers and mentors who are eager to support one another. Between the laughter, shared stories, and creative problem-solving, it was a reminder that we’re all in this together.

It’s inspiring to see the next generation of advocates stepping up—bringing new ideas, energy, and commitment to improving the Social Security disability process and standing up for those who need it most.

Ashley and I have loved our opportunity to lead this vibrant community, and we’re excited to pass the torch to Krysti Monaco and Katrina Tomer, next year’s NOSSCR NextGen Co-Chairs. We know they will do a stellar job continuing to grow and foster this special group.

Starting November 4, the NextGen Community will be gathering for virtual monthly coffee/lunch breaks, held the first Tuesday of each month at 12pm Eastern. These gatherings are informal and are a chance to network, ask questions, run hypotheticals, and just check-in with our community. It’s free, but registration is required to get the link—so please register today, mark your calendars, and join us!

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