Judge Druck

Jacqueline S. Drucker

OF COUNSEL

Administrative Law Judge (retired)

I recently joined Medlegal Disability in 2011 in order to provide my expertise using the knowledge I have gained as an Administrative Law Judge for Social Security and my decades of experience as a staff attorney for Social Security.

I was a full time Administrative Law Judge with Social Security from May 1994 to October, 2004 when I retired after 23 years of federal service.  My ALJ number is #1840.  Subsequently, I was re-employed as a part-time (senior) ALJ, from May 2005 until August 2006.

As a Social Security ALJ, I heard and decided cases arising under the Social Security Act.  These cases involved disability, overpayments, family status, and Medicare.  I dealt with appellants, attorney and non-attorney representatives, and witnesses including medical experts, vocational experts, and lay witnesses. I have heard and decided cases of all levels of difficulty.  I also mentored several newly hired ALJ’s as they were assigned to the office where I worked.

In May 1990, I was selected as a California State administrative law judge, (ALJ), first, for a year with Cal OSHA, then, after another year of private practice, as an ALJ with the Unemployment Appeals Board and then the Department of Social Services, Medi-Cal division, a job I left in May 1994.

From 1982 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1990, I held supervisory attorney advisor positions in two Offices of Hearings and Appeals.  In the interim, I worked, briefly, for the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration Naturalization Service, as a trial attorney (GS-14), and was in the private practice of law, representing claimants for Social Security and SSI disability benefits, at all levels of appeals including the Federal Court.

I was an attorney advisor (GS 9-12) with the Social Security Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals from 1976 until 1982.  I analyzed cases, prepared pre-hearing summaries of the cases, and drafted decisions following the directions of the ALJ’s. I also served as trainer for attorney advisors hired in Region IX from 1977 to 1986

Education:

I graduated from Wayne State University, in 1954, with a B.A. in education.  I graduated from Western State University law school, in 1975 with a J.D.  I was admitted to the California Bar in 1975.  I have maintained active Bar membership since that time.  My Bar number is 066444.

Honors, Awards and Publications:

In law school, I was Book Review Editor of the Law Review. I was on the initial West Social Security Law Reporter Editorial Advisory Committee.  As an ALJ with CalOSHA, I co-wrote the program handbook, Handling the Social Security Case for Continuing Legal Education (CEB) for the California State Bar; and served as a panel member in four continuing legal education classes.

I addressed NOSSCR, the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives, four times. I twice led the Los Angeles County Bar Association continuing legal education sessions on Social Security law.  I taught administrative law at the University of LaVerne College of Law, and the University of California, Riverside, in the evening paralegal programs at various times.