San Francisco · CA · Vetted Directory

Top Social Security Disability Lawyers in San Francisco

You stopped working because your back, your heart, your lungs, or your mental health stopped letting you do the job. You filed for SSDI or SSI on your own and the California Disability Determination Services denied you — the way it denies roughly 65-70% of first applications. Now you're staring at a hearing notice and a stack of medical records. The good news: a Social Security Disability lawyer in San Francisco costs nothing up front, the fee is federally capped at 25% of back pay or $7,200 (whichever is less), and represented claimants win at roughly twice the rate of unrepresented ones at the ALJ stage. Below: 5 vetted Bay Area firms that handle SSDI, SSI, hearings, and federal appeals.

5
Vetted Firms
25% / $7,200
Federal Fee Cap
$0
Cost Unless You Win
18-30mo
Total Timeline

When you need a San Francisco disability lawyer

SSDI and SSI are technically self-service programs. You can fill out the application, submit your medical records, and let California DDS make a decision without paying anyone. Many Bay Area applicants start that way. Most of them end up calling a lawyer after the first denial letter arrives.

You should call a San Francisco disability lawyer at the start — not after a denial — if:

  • You have multiple conditions that combine to keep you from working (chronic back pain plus depression, for example).
  • You're under 50, because younger claimants get less benefit from the SSA vocational grids.
  • You have a California workers' compensation claim that interacts with your SSDI offset.
  • You were already denied once.
  • Your treating doctor at UCSF, CPMC, Kaiser, SF General, or another Bay Area hospital is reluctant to complete a residual functional capacity (RFC) form.
  • You receive long-term disability through a private insurer that will demand reimbursement out of any SSDI back pay.
  • You have gaps in your work history, undocumented earnings, or self-employment income that complicate your earnings record.

The federal fee cap is the key to why representation makes economic sense even for small back-pay amounts. Your lawyer cannot charge anything if you lose, cannot charge more than 25% of the back pay you receive, and cannot charge more than $7,200 total regardless of how big the back pay grows. Fees are paid directly from the back-pay check by SSA, not by you. There are no monthly bills.

What this typically costs in San Francisco

25%
Of back pay (federal cap)
$7,200
Hard ceiling (federal)
$0
Up front
$0
If you lose

Costs outside the federal fee schedule that you may see: copies of medical records (most Bay Area providers charge $0.25-$1.50 per page; many firms front this), an independent medical evaluation if your lawyer believes SSA's consultative examiner missed something ($500-$2,500), and federal court filing fees if the case continues past the Appeals Council to the Northern District of California ($405 filing fee, usually paid by the firm). Federal court appeals are governed separately under the Equal Access to Justice Act — frequently the government pays your lawyer when you win, not you.

How long an SF disability case takes

  • Initial application: 5-8 months for California DDS to decide. Roughly 30-35% approval rate.
  • Reconsideration: 4-7 months. Approval rate 10-15%.
  • ALJ hearing: 9-15 months wait for a hearing date once requested. Hearing itself runs 60-90 minutes. The San Francisco hearing office has historically approved 40-50% of cases.
  • Appeals Council review: 12-24 months.
  • Federal court (N.D. Cal.): 12-18 months for remand or decision.

Most SF cases that ultimately win do so at the ALJ hearing stage. Plan for an 18-30 month total timeline from initial application to first benefit check if the case goes the distance, with back pay (lump sum for the months in between) covering the wait.

San Francisco firms that handle Social Security Disability

1

Sackett & Associates Law Offices

★★★★★ Highly rated (Avvo + Super Lawyers) Contingency (federal cap)

A Bay Area private practice focused on Social Security Disability applications and appeals. Works with a network of medical consultants who review impairments and provide testimony, and gathers evidence directly from treating physicians at UCSF, Kaiser, CPMC, and other SF systems. Good fit when the medical record is the heart of the case and you want a firm that knows the local consultative-examiner pool.

Free Consultation SSDI + SSI Medical Evidence Focus 📍 San Francisco, CA
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2

Kelly Disability Law

★★★★★ Highly rated (Justia + Avvo) Contingency (federal cap)

East Bay-based SSD-only practice serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda County. Handles SSDI and SSI applications, reconsiderations, ALJ hearings, and Appeals Council briefs. Good fit if you live in the East Bay and your hearing is at the Oakland office or you need a firm comfortable with both SF and Oakland hearing-office practice.

Free Consultation SSDI Only Practice Bay Area-wide 📍 Alameda, CA
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3

Law Offices of Geri N. Kahn

★★★★★ Highly rated (Avvo + Super Lawyers) Contingency (federal cap)

San Francisco solo practice with 35+ years of disability and immigration work. Geri Kahn handles the rare overlap between Social Security Disability and immigration status — useful when your case involves work-history complications tied to authorization, or when the claimant is a non-citizen who has earned a credit history through lawful employment. Bilingual practice covering English and Spanish.

Free Consultation 35+ Years English + Spanish 📍 San Francisco, CA
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4

The Hawkins Center for Disability Rights

★★★★★ Nonprofit (30+ years of service) Sliding-scale / no-fee

A long-running nonprofit serving disabled people across the Bay Area, with a focus on those who have been denied SSDI or SSI benefits. Free or sliding-scale representation for low-income claimants. Strong fit if cost is the obstacle to representation and your situation otherwise looks straightforward to a private firm. Income eligibility applies.

Nonprofit Legal Services Low-Income Eligible SSDI + SSI 📍 Richmond, CA (serves SF)
Request Free Consult
5

Law Office of Nancy K. McCombs

★★★★★ Highly rated (Avvo + Justia) Contingency (federal cap)

San Francisco solo SSD practitioner with 10+ years exclusively in Social Security Disability. Handles initial applications, reconsiderations, ALJ hearings at 575 Market Street, and Appeals Council work. Good fit when you want one attorney handling every step rather than passing your file between intake staff.

Free Consultation SSD Only One-Lawyer Practice 📍 San Francisco, CA
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Talk to a San Francisco disability lawyer — free.

Tell us briefly about your conditions, work history, and where you are in the SSDI/SSI process. We route a confidential request to the best-fit Bay Area firm in this directory.

Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Disability in San Francisco — FAQ

How much does a Social Security Disability lawyer cost in San Francisco?
Federal law caps fees at 25% of back pay or $7,200, whichever is less. Nothing up front. Nothing if you lose. Fees come out of the back-pay check directly from SSA.
How long does an SSDI claim take in SF?
Initial decision 5-8 months. Reconsideration 4-7 months. ALJ hearing 9-15 months wait. Total for a contested case that wins at hearing: 18-30 months.
Where is the SF Social Security hearing office?
575 Market Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco. The Oakland hearing office (1301 Clay Street) handles East Bay overflow. Most hearings are by video or phone since 2020.
SSDI vs. SSI — what's the difference?
SSDI requires FICA-insured work history. SSI is needs-based for disabled people with very low income/assets. California adds a State Supplementary Payment to SSI — roughly $204/month for a single individual. Many SF applicants file for both.
What conditions qualify?
SSA's Blue Book covers cancer, heart disease, COPD, kidney failure, severe back disorders, traumatic brain injury, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, MS, Parkinson's, ALS, and more. You can also qualify via a medical-vocational allowance.
Do I need a lawyer for the application?
No, but represented claimants win at roughly 2x the rate at the ALJ hearing stage. Lawyers also catch the application mistakes that get cases denied at the initial stage.
What if my California claim was denied?
Appeal, don't reapply. You have 60 days from denial to request reconsideration, and another 60 days from the reconsideration denial to request an ALJ hearing.
Can I work while applying in SF?
Up to the Substantial Gainful Activity limit ($1,620/month in 2025; $2,700 if blind). Earning more generally disqualifies you regardless of medical condition.

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