If you can no longer work and Social Security said no, you are not out of options. These verified Anchorage firms handle SSDI, SSI, and VA disability claims, most on contingency, so you pay nothing unless you win.
Updated May 12, 202612 min readEditorially independent
Losing the ability to work is frightening, and the Social Security system does not make it easier. Most first-time disability claims in Alaska are denied, and the appeal can stretch past a year. A good Anchorage disability lawyer changes those odds: they gather the medical proof, meet every deadline, and stand with you at the hearing where most claims are actually won.
Here is the part that surprises people: a Social Security disability lawyer costs you nothing up front, and the fee is capped by federal law. An attorney can charge no more than 25% of your back pay or $7,200, whichever is less, and only if you win. The money comes out of past-due benefits, so you never write a check from your own pocket. That is the same deal at every honest firm, which means you can choose on experience and responsiveness, not price.
Anchorage has a smaller disability bar than a big Lower-48 city, and several of the firms below reach disability work from the injury and workers' compensation side, which is where many claims begin. That is normal and often an advantage. Two things are distinctly Alaskan here: hearings are frequently held by phone or video, so you usually will not travel, and pulling medical records from remote clinics can take real effort, so a firm that knows the local providers helps. Every firm on this list is confirmed through at least two independent sources, including FindLaw, Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia, the Better Business Bureau, or its own verified Anchorage practice.
How we picked these 8: We cross-referenced legal directories (Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia, FindLaw), the Better Business Bureau, and each firm's own published practice pages. Every entry below appeared in at least two independent sources and has a verifiable Anchorage-area disability practice. Anchorage is a compact market, so this is a list of eight, not ten, and we would rather show you eight real firms than pad it. We take no payment for placement. More on our methodology →
1
Law Offices of Michael J. Jensen
12350 Industry Way, Anchorage(907) 277-8000SSDI & work injury
Practice focus: Social Security Disability (SSDI and SSI), workers' compensation, longshore and maritime injury, and personal injury for Alaskans.
Michael Jensen has built his Anchorage practice around people who can no longer work, and Social Security disability sits right alongside his workers' compensation and injury work. That overlap matters: many disability claims start as a serious on-the-job or off-the-job injury, and a firm that handles both can carry your case through the whole arc. The office at 12350 Industry Way, Suite 208 takes claims statewide and offers a free 30-minute review, and it earned a Distinguished peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Why they made the list: A disability-focused Anchorage practice that also handles the work-injury claims that so often sit underneath an SSDI case, with a Distinguished peer rating.
Fee structure
Contingency on SSDI: by federal law, capped at 25% of back pay or $7,200, whichever is less. You owe nothing unless you win.
401 E. Northern Lights Blvd, AnchorageSince 1970SSA appeals
Practice focus: Workers' compensation and Social Security disability appeals for injured and disabled Alaska workers.
Rehbock & Wilson has represented hurt and disabled Alaskans since 1970, which is about as deep a local track record as this practice area has in Anchorage. Partners Bob Rehbock and Andrew Wilson focus on workers who can no longer earn a living, and the firm handles Social Security disability appeals as part of that work. If your initial claim was denied and you are heading to a hearing, an appeals-tested local firm is exactly what you want.
Why they made the list: More than five decades of Anchorage experience and a focus on the appeals stage, where most disability claims are actually won or lost.
Fee structure
Disability appeals typically taken on the federal SSDI contingency (25% of back pay, capped at $7,200). Confirm at intake.
Practice focus: Social Security disability (SSDI and SSI) claims and appeals for clients across Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley.
Denali Law Group serves Anchorage, Palmer, and the wider Mat-Su Valley, and its Social Security disability help runs from the first application through reconsideration and the hearing. The firm works disability claims on contingency, so you pay only if benefits come through. For someone in Anchorage or out in the Valley who wants a regional firm rather than a national call center, Denali is a practical local option.
Why they made the list: A regional Alaska firm covering both Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, taking SSDI and SSI claims from application through appeal on contingency.
Fee structure
Contingency on disability claims: the federal cap (25% of back pay or $7,200) applies. No fee unless you win.
Practice focus: A disability-only firm representing SSDI and SSI claimants in Anchorage and nationwide, with a focus on the elderly and the disabled.
Heard & Smith does one thing: Social Security disability. The firm represents Anchorage claimants alongside clients across the country, which means a high volume of hearings and a process built specifically for SSDI and SSI. The trade-off is that this is a national practice rather than a downtown Anchorage office, so ask how your case will be staffed and who will appear at your Alaska hearing.
Why they made the list: A dedicated SSDI/SSI practice with deep, single-focus disability experience serving Anchorage claimants.
Fee structure
Contingency only, at the federal SSDI cap (25% of back pay or $7,200). No recovery, no fee.
Practice focus: Personal injury, workers' compensation, and disability-related claims for injured Alaskans, on a contingency basis.
Goldberg & Loren is a contingency injury firm with an Anchorage office and a long record of injury and workers' compensation work since 1994. Disability often grows out of exactly these cases, an accident or a workplace injury that leaves someone unable to return to their job, and the firm handles the benefits side of that picture. Confirm at intake that they will take your Social Security disability claim specifically, since their core practice is injury work.
Why they made the list: An established contingency injury firm whose work-injury and benefits practice frequently overlaps with disability claims.
Fee structure
Contingency. For SSDI specifically, the federal 25% / $7,200 cap applies.
912 W 6th Ave, AnchorageJoe JosephsonVeteran Alaska firm
Practice focus: A long-standing Anchorage general-practice firm that handles Social Security disability matters among its civil work.
Joe Josephson is one of the longest-practicing attorneys in Alaska, and his downtown firm at 912 West 6th Avenue handles Social Security disability among a broad civil practice. For a claimant who values a deeply experienced, locally rooted lawyer and a personal relationship over a high-volume disability mill, this is a different kind of option. Because it is a general practice, ask directly how many disability hearings the firm handles each year.
Why they made the list: A veteran, deeply established Anchorage firm offering a personal, locally rooted approach to disability claims.
Fee structure
Discussed at intake; SSDI representation follows the federal contingency cap.
Practice focus: VA disability benefits and appeals for Anchorage-area veterans, including denied claims and increased-rating requests.
If your disability claim is with the VA rather than Social Security, CCK Law focuses specifically on veterans benefits and serves Anchorage and the rest of Alaska. VA disability runs on its own rules, ratings, deadlines, and appeals, separate from SSDI, so a firm built around veterans law is worth a look when that is your situation. Like other national practices here, ask how an Alaska veteran's case is handled and who you will work with.
Why they made the list: A veterans-only disability practice for Anchorage-area vets, covering the VA system that runs separately from Social Security.
Fee structure
Contingency on VA appeals as allowed by federal law; no upfront fee. Confirm terms at intake.
Practice focus: Alaska's nonprofit protection-and-advocacy agency, providing free legal help on disability rights, discrimination, and access issues.
The Disability Law Center of Alaska is not a fee-charging firm, it is the state's federally designated protection-and-advocacy organization, and its help is free. It does not file routine SSDI applications, but it takes on disability discrimination, access, abuse, and rights cases, and it can point you toward the right resource. If your problem is being denied accommodations, mistreated, or shut out because of a disability, start here before you pay anyone.
Why they made the list: A free, statewide nonprofit for disability-rights, discrimination, and access problems, a different tool than an SSDI claim firm.
Tell us what happened, and we'll connect you with one of these Anchorage disability attorneys for a free, no-obligation consultation.
How to choose between them in Anchorage
Match the firm to your kind of claim. SSDI and SSI go through Social Security; VA disability is a separate system with its own rules. Pick a firm that handles your specific claim, an SSDI practice for Social Security, a veterans firm for the VA. Ask directly at intake.
Favor firms that work the appeal. Most Anchorage claims are denied at first and won at the hearing. A firm that regularly appears before administrative law judges, prepares medical evidence, and cross-examines vocational experts is worth far more than one that only files paperwork.
The fee is fixed, so judge on service. Every SSDI lawyer charges the same federal-capped contingency, 25% of back pay up to $7,200. Since price is identical, choose on experience, communication, and whether they return your calls.
Ask who pulls your medical records. Alaska records can come from remote or rural clinics. A firm that knows local providers and chases down records promptly will move your claim faster than one that waits for you to do it.
Get an honest read early. A candid lawyer will tell you whether your conditions and work history actually support a claim before you invest a year. You want that straight answer, not a sales pitch.
Judge how they treat you. Disability cases are personal and long. Choose a firm that listens, explains each step, and treats you as a person rather than a case number.
What a disability lawyer typically costs in Anchorage
This is the rare area of law where the fee is set by the federal government, not the firm. Here is how the money actually works:
Free consultation: Nearly every disability firm reviews your situation at no charge. Bring your denial letters and a list of your conditions and doctors.
Contingency, capped by law: For SSDI and SSI, the attorney fee is 25% of your past-due benefits or $7,200, whichever is less. Not a penny more, no matter how hard the case.
Paid only if you win: No recovery, no fee. The fee is withheld by Social Security from your back pay and paid to the lawyer directly, so you never send a bill yourself.
Small case costs: You may owe modest out-of-pocket costs, like charges for copies of medical records, usually well under a few hundred dollars. Ask the firm to spell these out in writing.
VA claims differ slightly: Veterans-benefits appeals also run on contingency under federal rules, but the structure is its own thing. Confirm the terms at intake with a veterans firm.
The real cost is delay: Missing the 60-day deadline to appeal a denial can sink an otherwise winnable claim. The risk here is the calendar, not the legal fee.
Be wary of anyone who asks for money up front to handle a Social Security disability claim, or who promises a specific approval. No honest disability lawyer does either.
How long an Alaska disability claim takes
Every case is different, but a typical Anchorage Social Security claim moves through these stages:
Initial application: A few weeks to file, then roughly three to six months for a decision. Most first claims are denied, which is normal, not a verdict on your case.
Reconsideration: If denied, you generally have 60 days to ask for reconsideration. This review takes a few more months and is often denied again.
Hearing request: After a second denial, you request a hearing before an administrative law judge. Because of the backlog, the wait for a hearing can be a year or more.
The hearing: Often held by phone or video for Anchorage claimants, so you usually will not travel. Your lawyer presents medical evidence and questions the vocational expert. This stage is where many claims are won.
Decision: A written decision usually arrives within a few weeks to a couple of months after the hearing.
Back pay: If approved, Social Security pays past-due benefits from your established onset date, and the attorney fee is withheld from that amount.
Red flags to watch for when hiring a disability lawyer in Anchorage
Upfront fees. Social Security disability work is contingency only. If a firm asks for money before you win, walk away.
Guaranteed approvals. No one can promise Social Security will approve you. A guarantee is a sales tactic, not a legal opinion.
The vanishing lawyer. You meet someone at intake, then a name you never hear again handles the file. Ask in writing who will prepare your case and appear at your hearing.
No interest in your records. Your medical evidence is the case. A firm that does not ask detailed questions about your conditions, doctors, and treatment is not doing the work.
Vague answers about deadlines. A good firm knows your appeal deadline cold and protects it. Dodging that question is a warning sign.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most of the firms on this list offer a free initial call. Use it. Bring a written list and write down the answers, then compare across two or three firms before you sign anything.
Who, specifically, will handle my claim and appear at my hearing? Get a name, not just the firm.
How many Social Security disability hearings have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
Is my claim SSDI, SSI, or both, and how does that change my case? A good lawyer can tell you quickly.
What is my appeal deadline, and is it at risk right now? This is the single most important date in your case.
What medical evidence is my claim missing? The honest answer tells you whether they have read your file.
What is the realistic range of outcomes? A good lawyer gives a range; a weak one promises approval.
How long do you expect this to take? An honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
What small costs will I owe, and when? Records and copies add up; ask now.
How often will I hear from you? Set the communication cadence up front.
What can I do to help my own case? The best lawyers will give you homework.
What to bring to your Anchorage consultation
You will get more out of the first call if you arrive organized. For most disability claims, gather:
Your denial letters. Every notice from Social Security, with the dates, because those set your appeal deadline.
A list of your conditions and doctors. Diagnoses, treating providers, and where you have been seen.
Medical records you already have. Bring copies if you can; the firm can request the rest.
Your work history. Recent jobs and the kind of work you did, which shapes the claim.
Your questions. The 10 above are a good place to start.
If you are not sure whether something is relevant, bring it anyway. It is easier for a lawyer to set aside what does not matter than to chase down what you left at home.
Talk to a vetted disability attorney in Anchorage
Tell us about your situation. We'll match you with one of these firms or a similar one. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions about disability lawyers in Anchorage
Is hiring a disability lawyer in Anchorage worth the cost?
For most people, yes. Social Security disability lawyers work on contingency and cannot charge more than 25% of your back pay, capped at $7,200, and you pay nothing if you lose. Represented claimants are statistically more likely to win at a hearing. The fee comes out of past-due benefits, so you never write a check up front.
What is the difference between SSDI and SSI?
SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is for people who worked and paid into Social Security long enough to be insured. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is need-based for people with very limited income and resources, whether or not they have a long work history. Many Anchorage claimants qualify for one, and some for both. A lawyer can tell you which fits your situation.
How much does an SSDI lawyer in Anchorage cost?
By federal law the fee is contingency only: 25% of your back pay or $7,200, whichever is less. There is no hourly bill and no upfront charge. You may owe small case costs, like fees for medical records, but the attorney fee itself comes straight out of your past-due benefits after you win.
How long does an Alaska disability claim take?
Plan for the long haul. An initial decision often takes three to six months. Most first claims are denied, and the appeal to a hearing before an administrative law judge can add a year or more. Start to finish, a contested Alaska claim commonly runs one to two years, which is why filing early and appealing on time matters so much.
Most claims get denied at first. Should I just give up?
No. Denial of the first application is normal, not the end. The hearing stage, in front of an administrative law judge, is where many claims are actually approved, especially with a lawyer who prepares your medical evidence and cross-examines the vocational expert. The biggest mistake is missing the 60-day appeal deadline after a denial.
Do I need to travel for my disability hearing?
Often not. Many Social Security hearings are now held by phone or video, and Anchorage claimants can usually appear without flying anywhere. Gathering medical records from remote Alaska clinics can be the harder part, and a local or experienced firm will know how to chase those down.
Can a lawyer help if I am a veteran with a VA disability claim?
Yes, but it is a different system. VA disability runs on its own ratings, forms, and appeals, separate from Social Security. A few firms serving Anchorage focus specifically on veterans benefits. If your claim is with the VA, look for a veterans-disability practice rather than a general SSDI firm.
What should I bring to my first disability consultation?
A list of your medical conditions and treating doctors, any denial letters from Social Security with their dates, your work history, and copies of medical records if you have them. The denial dates matter most, because they set your appeal deadline. The more complete your record, the faster a lawyer can size up your claim.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many disability hearings have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team
LawFirmSquare is a directory. We do not represent clients or refer cases for a fee.
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