Nora C. Staum

I would give Nora three stars only because I know that my situation was a difficult one because she represented me after most attorneys turned me away. I was poisoned by my own government and I have fought in so many ways only to watch my life crumble away and listen to people make false accusations... about my mental health when they hide the fact that you can actually see I have a physical illness all the while suffering I find writing this difficult. I am a total picture of medical neglect, legal manipulation, and government corruption. So I knew walking into this situation was probably not going to get me anywhere but further into the ground. Nora was impressive with her assistant who met me when Nora cancelled out, they assured me that she would help through anything or questions I had. I did have to originally do some paperwork myself, but I will say that her office did handle most of what legal representative usually do. I did get frustrated when I felt totally confused and in the dark, but after losing it and I did unfortunately which I didn't know how else to get a response and she did a few time thereafter meet with me reluctantly. I was confused to as whether she felt compassion or not cause at times she's say things that I felt were showing me that and other times not so much. I do know these cases do take time to resolve for SOME of us. I need to explain that there are certain illness that aren't recognized by the medical community as being severe even though they are and do disable thousands of people every year so with this being considered I can't say much because the whole system is failing these individuals. I feel grateful that I got as far as I did, but why I gave her a one is because she did not fight hard enough for me as a situation of false information landed in the judges hands even though I could prove this and I was lied to about what I originally was suppose to receive. Due to doctor's neglect I was not able to collect for the years of disability I had suffered because I was not able to file without diagnoses, I also had to borrow money to obtain medical help to satisfy disability and what I received doesn't come close to what I am in debt with in order to qualify. The amount I was left with won't even cover a third of poverty status living expenses and funny part is before I got sick, I was just starting to get off the ground of living pay check to pay check and now I make a forth of that so I am probably looking at a card board box on the street soon unless I can find someone else who will help me in the situation I am in. Because she did not care to understand what I had been through or why I had to file in desperation and I had to sit in tremendous pain while her and my judge talked casually while I sat like a ghost in the room which I found totally strange to do to a sick person I can't really give her more than the one star. However, considering difficulties of my situation I do give her office credit for getting the peanuts they feel I should live on. I suppose if you can survive on that and you don't mind living in a box on the streets by all means hire her.

My wife developed Dementia in 12/11 after losing her job on 7/11. We applied for disability SS and was turned down twice. We applied for a hearing date with a judge. However, we had no clue what to do to obtain evidence to support our case. We found Nora in the yellow pages and called the same day. W...e liked what she told us so we hired her. Nora and her legal asst. Rhonda were wonderful to work with. We did everything they asked us to do without hesitation and trusted Nora 100%. In june, 2015 Nora was able to get an "on the record" favorable decision from the judge and because of that we didn't have to wait for a hearing that would have happened at the end of this year. We got a lump sum for back disability SS and my wife's monthly SS went up almost $500. We went through 4 years of hell financially & emotionally and now, thanks to Nora & Rhonda we have a new lease on life. We highly recommend Nora for any disability case you need help with. She did everything she promised and won our case through all her saavy experience & knowledge of Disability SS. As far as we're concerned there is no rating high enough to give Nora! She was super. We are so grateful that we found this wonderful, caring Attorney & her assistant Rhonda. Thak you for everything. Sue & Dan

Nora and her office were very difficult to speak and meet with, except for the first meeting to get me to sign a contract. After that, her office is entirely difficult to work with, they don't return calls or answer emails. I was promised a face to face sit-down with her to prep me for the hearing. A... month out I started trying to arrange that, it never took place, she was always "out" and unavailable and the one appointment that was made for me, was canceled the day before. She sent me in blind, I had no idea what to expect. At the hearing, she introduced me to the ALL and that was pretty much it, she asked one question of a "employment Expert" that the system brings in, other than that, Nora never said another word in my defense. Then after interviewing two other Attorneys it was plain to me that Nora has no passion or fight in her. I ended up having to write my own appeal because she never got around to it, even after delaying my case by requesting an extension in order to get an appeal submitted. After trying to reason this with her, letting her know I needed her to get aggressive, she dropped me, but... put in a request for payment of her fees if I win in the future with my new attorney. Other than her sitting silently next to me for about an hour while before the judge, I doubt that her and her staff spent 2--24 hrs total on my case, including gathering docs, phone calls and emails. I heard that many years ago she was Great, however I don't think her heart is in this anymore, her business is run like a mill, and she just herds a mass number of clients through the system. Very disappointing!

I hired Nora Staum to represent me in a Social Security disability case. We met me in one of those small offices that can be rented by the hour or the day shared by other "professionals". When she finally called me in I was allowed to say very little while she rushed through her pitch and gave me v...arious photocopied papers to read on my own time. I expected this lady would help me file and, if necessary, litigate my disability case, however after we signed an agreement granting her a percentage of my award she disappeared. DO NOT HIRE THIS WOMAN. She did not do anything for me. She did not respond to emails or call back requests. I had to do all my own research and get all my own medical records and complete and file all my own applications with Social Security. The one thing her office did was send Social Security a letter advising them of our agreement to ensure she would get a percentage of my award. That was it! She has an AOL email address and a phone number you can call. The emails are NEVER answered, and an assistant sometimes answers her phone but all she'll tell you is that Nora is in court all day or that Nora is out or on the phone. I never ever spoke with Nora again after our brief initial office contact. After I became insistent on speaking to my lawyer, her assistant started disappearing too, and I was only allowed to speak with a totally inept warm body who would take a message that was never returned by Nora, her assistant or anyone. I want people know about my experience because this woman was paid a percentage of my award, which I consider totally unfair because they did not do a thing to earn it. I won my case on a first time application through my own efforts. I did all the work myself and had zero help from this woman. I hope my experience will help someone make a better decision when hiring a disability lawyer. That's all!

I feel she did nothing to fight my case other than collect Doctors reports which anyone could do on their own. She did not submit documents within set timelines. Now holding about 8-10 documents that she was supposed to submit to the review board and never did, she wants $85 dollars for MY Documents!... Definitely speak with at least one other Attorney before signing on with this woman, I feel you will see a difference!