Mike Silver, Esq.

Philadelphia Area Disability Lawyer

team-mike Mike Silver is a 1972 honors graduate of Temple University and 1975 graduate of Rutgers Law School who has practiced disability and negligence law for over 40 years. He served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Michael Patrick King, an Appellate Division Judge in the Superior Court of New Jersey.

Following his association with a labor and negligence law firm in South Jersey, Mr. Silver and his wife founded Silver & Silver in 1981. Mike was one of the first attorneys in the nation to concentrate his practice in disability law. After serving as the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR) Regional Representative for the Third Circuit, as well as National Secretary and Treasurer, in 1990 Mike was elected President of the 4,300-member group. In addition to lecturing on disability law to the medical, legal, and insurance communities, Mike has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Social Security Subcommittee, advocating for ways to make the disability system more equitable. Mr. Silver also founded and chaired the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Disability Law Committee from its inception in 1995 through 2004.

One of Mike’s proudest accomplishments was helping to enact legislation in the PA legislature to provide disabled individuals access to their medical records for a modest cost. Prior to this legislation, record copying costs by medical providers were unregulated, often charging disabled individuals hundreds of dollars for duplication of hospital and physician records necessary to prove their disabling conditions before the Social Security Administration. After a three year battle to get the law passed, it required that all medical providers in PA would be required to release their records for the sum of $18.00 plus postage. In 2021, the cost is less than $30.38, plus the cost of postage. This law has provided disabled individuals access to their records for a price almost all can afford.

After volunteering for the Arthritis Foundation and serving as its first Advocacy Chair, Mr. Silver was elected Chairman of the Arthritis Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania’s Board of Directors (2002 – 2005) and served as its Advocacy Chair, and Chair of the Jingle Bell Run. Mr. Silver is the immediate Past Chair of the Ardmore Initiative, a Business District Authority. He was selected as Main Line Today Magazine’s Person of the Year (2004) and has served as President of the Ardmore Rotary Club.

Mr. Silver was recognized by Philadelphia Magazine as the only Super Lawyer in the disability field in Southeastern Pennsylvania from 2005 – 2020. Mike is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey State as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States. Mike is also admitted to practice disability law throughout the country. Read about why Mike is a disability lawyer.

Education

J.D., Rutgers School of Law, 1975; Recipient – American Jurisprudence Award, Academic Excellence in Family Law, 1975
B.A., Political Science, Temple University, 1972; Cum Laude
Northeast High School, 1968, Member, Wall of Fame, 2007

Judicial Clerkship

The Honorable Michael Patrick King Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division, 1975-76

Work Experience

1981 – present, Senior Partner, Silver & Silver
1976-1980 – Associate, Tomar, Parks, Seliger, Simonoff and Adourian, Haddonfield, NJ

Areas of Practice

Social Security Disability, Private, Short, and Long Term Disability, and Negligence Law

Memberships

National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR)
- Chair, Council of Past Presidents, 2014 – 2015
- Member, Council of Past Presidents 1991- Present
- President 1990-91
- Secretary 1989-90
- Treasurer, 1988-89
- Region Three Representative, 1987 – 1990
Pennsylvania Bar Association, 1976 – present
Philadelphia Bar Association:
- Social Security Disability Committee Founding Chairman, 1995 – 2005
- Medical/Legal Committee, 1987 – 1990
Montgomery County Bar Association
- Co-Chair Speakers Committee 1996-1997
Ardmore Rotary Club, 1998- present
- President, 2006 – 2007
Ardmore Business Association, 1995 – present
Main Line Chamber of Commerce, 1996 – present
- Streetscape Chair, 1997 – 2007
Golden Slipper Club & Charities, 1983 – present
- Program Chair, 1994-95

Board of Directors

Ardmore Business District Authority Foundation Chair 2010 – present
Streetscape Chair, 1997 – 2007
Ardmore Rotary Foundation
- President 2009-2010
Ardmore 2000/Ardmore Initiative 1994 – present
Arthritis Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania 1999-present;
- Board Chair, 2002-2005
- Advocacy Chair, Eastern Pennsylvania 2006 – 2010
- Jingle Bell Run Chair 2008 – 2015
Rotary Club of Ardmore 2001 – present
National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives, 1987-1993
Solomon Schechter Day School, Board Member 1988-1989

Post-Graduate Programs

Barrister, Temple American Inns of the Courts, 1992 – 94
Fellow, Academy of Trial Advocacy, 1988
Philadelphia Leadership, Inc. – Class of 2001

Community Activities

Board Chair, Ardmore Initiative, 2007 – 2009
Board Member, Ardmore Initiative 2010 – present
President, Rotary Club of Ardmore, 2006-2007
Chairman, Ardmore Streetscape and Improvement Committee, 1994 – 2013
Board Vice-Chair, Ardmore 2000, 1994 – 2007
Counsel – Cambodian Relief Association, 1984-86
Task Force Member – ALEC Program (A Lawyer for Every Child), 1998- 2000
Volunteers for the Indigent Program (VIP), 1995 – 2000

Recipient

Arthritis Foundation – National Service Citation – 2014
Go for the Green Environmental Award – Lower Merion Township – 2013
Charles F. Ward Service to Ardmore Award – 2013
Arthritis Foundation of Eastern PA – Public Education and Awareness Award – 2012
Suburban Life – “Awesome Attorney” Recognition – 2012
Go Green Makeover – Main Line Chamber of Commerce – 2011
Arthritis Foundation of Eastern PA – Ambassador for Arthritis Award – 2009
Main Line Times Readers’ Choice Award – Best Attorney – 2008, 2011
Wall of Fame – Northeast High School – 2007
Main Line Life Times/Suburban Life – Best Law Firm – 2005, 2007 – 2012
Arthritis Foundation National Volunteer Service Citation – 2006
Philadelphia Magazine Pennsylvania Super Lawyer 2004 – present
Main Line Magazine First Person of The Year – 2004
Main Line Times Readers’ Choice Award – Best Law Firm, 2001, 2003, 2005 – 2013
National Historic Certification, Bell Telephone Employment Office for Women, 1998
Main Line Chamber of Commerce, Small Business of the Year Finalist 1998, 1999
Main Line Chamber of Commerce, Small Business of the Year Award 2000
Main Line Chamber of Commerce, 1995 Property Improvement Award
Historical Preservation Award, Lower Merion Township, 1995
American Cambodian Relief Association Friendship Award, 1984

Partial List of Public Speaking Engagements

9/11: Arthritis Foundation Health Summit
3/11: Wellness 411 Radio Show
11/10: Jewish Family Service – Eligibility for SSI Benefits
07/10: Main Line Chamber of Commerce – “Fundraising: How to Cultivate The High Dollar Donor Through Interesting Fundraising Ideas”
1/05: Lankenau Hospital – Wynnewood, PA – “How Social Workers Can Assist Disabled Patients”
11/04: NOSSCR Conference – Philadelphia, PA – Disability Based Upon Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis
11/04: Friends Hospital – Philadelphia, PA – Proving Psychiatric Disabilities
11/02: Interstitial Cystitis Support Group – Bethlehem, PA – Proving Disability
6/02: Roxborough Memorial Hospital – Arthritis Program “Know Your Rights: Get the Facts on Disability Issues, Community Resources and More”
3/02: Arthritis Foundation – Action Plan Summit, Philadelphia, Pa
3/02: Arthritis Foundation – Advocacy Summit, Washington, D.C.
11/01: Arthritis Foundation – Joints in Motion “Legal Rights of the Disabled” Philadelphia, PA
10/01: Philaposh/Northeast Philadelphia Chapter “Disability and the Injured Worker”
10/00: Arthritis Foundation Symposium Presenter “Arthritis in the Prime of Life” Fibromyalgia Support Group – Paoli, PA
5/99: PAMPA Legal Seminar “Introduction to Social Security Law”
4/99: NOSSCR Conference – Washington, DC – Legislative Efforts in Reducing Costs of Medical Records in Disability Claims
3/99: Fibromyalgia Support Group – Allentown, PA
3/99: WWDB Guest on Radio Talk Show “Legal Perspective”
9/98: THROSSCR Seminar – House Bill Capping Costs for Medical Records
4/98: NOSSCR Conference – San Diego
3/98: Norristown Cancer Support Group
2/98: Friends Hospital Continuing Medical Education Seminar “Disability Law for the Medical Community”
10/97: Chronic Fatigue Support Group of Pottstown, PA
10/97: NOSSCR* Mid-Year Conference Seminar – Chicago, IL
9/97: Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association – Course Planner for Seminar “Medicine & Social Security: Proving the Disability Case”
6/97: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association – Bethlehem, PA
4/97: Self Help for the Hard of Hearing – Pennsylvania State Convention “Getting Social Security Disability Benefits”
12/96: Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association “Social Security Disability and the Effect on the Third Party Claim- Survival Between Accident and Recovery”
10/96: Paoli Hospital – Fibromyalgia Support Group
1/96: Philadelphia Bar Association – Workers’ Compensation Section “Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation Benefits”
5/95: Doylestown Hospital – Fibromyalgia Support Group
4/95: Graduate Hospital – Interstitial Cystitis Support Group
12/94: Roxborough Hospital – Physicians’ Group “Social Security Disability and the Disabled Patient: An Overview and Guide for the Treating Physician”
10/93: Graduate Hospital – Hard of Hearing Support Group “Disability for the Hearing Impaired”
10/93: NOSSCR* Mid-Year Conference, Orlando, FL “Developing the Disability Practice”
6/92: NOSSCR Mid-Year Conference, Washington, DC “Introduction to Disability Law”
6/91: NOSSCR Mid-Year Conference, Washington, D.C. “Presidential Address”
4/91: U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Social Security Disability Subcommittee Hearing “Improvements in the Disability System”
10/90: NOSSCR Mid-Year Conference – Chicago, IL “Presidential Address”
6/89: NOSSCR Mid-Year Conference – Washington, D.C. “Marketing the Disability Practice”
5/85: NOSSCR Third Circuit Law Mid-Year Conference Washington, DC

Publications

“7 Costly Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Social Security Disability Claim”, 2009
“How Neurologists Can Help Patients Obtain Social Security Disability”, Practical Neurology, March/April 2009
“Documentation for Social Security Disability: A Legal Perspective”, Pennsylvania Neurological Society E-Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 2, July 2008
“A Guide to Social Security for Disabled Children”, Practical Neurology, Vol. 7 No. 8, August 2008
“The Impact of the Doctor-Patient Relationship in Successful Social Security Disability Cases”, Disability Medicine, Volume 5, No. 3-4, July – December 2005
“New Work Incentives Legislation Will Help Disabled”, Volume XXIII, No. 21, Pennsylvania Law Weekly, May 22, 2000
“Disability Update”, The Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) Chronicle, Volume 3, May/June 1999
“Social Security Eliminates Disability Benefits for Drug Addiction, Alcoholism”, The Legal Intelligencer, Volume 215, No. 18, July 26, 1996
“The Dorchester Plan: A Law Curriculum for Secondary Schools”, The Shingle 223, Volume XXXVII, December, 1975
The Silver Formula for Success: How to “Guarantee” Your Disability Claim is Approved, 2020
Disability Handbook

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