The Roundtable of All Roundtables: What You Should Be Appealing to Federal Court and How to Develop It – NOSSCR 2026 Fall National Conference – Track I (Presented by National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives)
Kevin S. Kerr has practiced Social Security Disability law since 2009.
Sara has been a managing partner at Kerr Robichaux & Carroll since 2018.
1 hour CLE
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Program Summary
This Roundtable Isn't About Existing Precedent — It's About Making New Law
The Circuit Roundtables often focus on the issues people are already litigating in the circuit and the useful existing precedential cases. This one starts where those leave off: bringing a novel issue and making new law in your circuit.
The session works from what is actually winning. It surveys the issues that are winning in various circuits, then turns to Federal Court — specifically what wins on vocational issues and job number issues. From there it moves to development: the ways you can build a novel issue for appeal, so the opening you spot becomes a case you can win — for example, the first case on reasoning level in your circuit.
You walk out with a map of the winning issues across the circuits, what prevails in Federal Court on vocational and job number issues, and concrete ways to develop a novel issue for appeal in your own circuit.
Eligible for up to 1 CLE Credit Hour
This session was originally submitted for CLE as a live, in-person presentation and a live webcast for the 2026 Fall National Conference and may be eligible for self-study credit. Each state handles self-study credit differently; for questions, please consult your State Bar Association.
Recorded Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
Key topics to be discussed:
- Beyond Existing Precedent
Moving past the issues already being litigated and the useful existing precedential cases toward new law. - Bringing a Novel Issue
What it takes to make new law in your circuit with an issue no one has won yet. - What's Winning Where
The issues that are winning in various circuits — and where the openings are. - Developing Issues for Appeal
The ways to develop a novel issue so it is positioned to win on appeal. - Vocational and Job Number Wins
What wins in Federal Court on vocational issues and job number issues. - Being First
Positioning yourself to win, for example, the first case on reasoning level in your circuit.
This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.
Date / Time: October 14, 2026
- 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm Eastern
- 11:15 am – 12:15 pm Central
- 10:15 am – 11:15 am Mountain
- 9:15 am – 10:15 am Pacific
Closed-captioning available
Speakers
Kevin S. Kerr, Senior Partner | Kerr Robichaux & Carroll
Kevin S. Kerr has practiced Social Security Disability law since 2009.
- Education & Credentials
He earned his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School and is a member of the Oregon State Bar.
- Recognition & Leadership
He is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs to represent veterans on claims for compensation and pension benefits and is a member of the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates.
- Professional Involvement
He has presented at NOSSCR national conferences, including sessions on overcoming res judicata, Step Four practice, and Appeals Council strategy.
- Experience
He is a circuit representative for NOSSCR and has appeared in over 3,000 Social Security Administrative Law Judge hearings and has handled hundreds of Federal Court appeals in Oregon, Washington, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Sara Rose Carroll, Managing Partner | Kerr Robichaux & Carroll
Sara has been a managing partner at Kerr Robichaux & Carroll since 2018.
- Education & Credentials
She earned her B.A. in English and Professional Writing from Appalachian State University in 2006 and her Juris Doctor from the Charleston School of Law in 2011 and was admitted to the Oregon State Bar in 2014. She is a member of the Multnomah County Bar Association and Oregon Women Lawyers.
- Recognition & Leadership
She holds accreditation from the Department of Veterans Affairs to represent veterans on claims for compensation and pension benefits.
- Professional Involvement
She’s enjoyed presenting at many NOSSCR presentations over the last several years. She hopes you will gather a lot of practical information from this session that you can incorporate into your everyday practice.
- Experience
She represents disability claimants at Social Security hearings, where she questions the agency’s vocational and medical experts and holds their testimony to her clients’ documented medical histories.
Agenda
SESSION 1 – The Roundtable of All Roundtables: What You Should Be Appealing to Federal Court and How to Develop It | 12:15pm – 1:15pm
In the Circuit Roundtables, we often focus on the issues that people are litigating in the circuit and the useful existing precedential cases, but what if you want to make new law in your circuit and bring a novel issue? We will focus on the issues that are winning in various circuits and the ways you can develop the issues for appeal so that you can be the attorney to win, for example, the first case on reasoning level in your circuit. We will also examine what wins in Federal Court on vocational issues and job number issues.
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