Carol Avard
Top rated Social Security Disability attorney in Cape Coral, Florida
Avard Law Offices, PA
Practice Areas: Social Security Disability, Personal Injury, Appellate; view more
Licensed in Florida since: 1989
Education: University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2023 Details
Attorney Carol Avard is the principal attorney at Avard Law Offices in Cape Coral, Florida. Ms. Avard’s practice areas include motor vehicle accidents, personal injury, social security disability, veteran’s benefits and workers’ compensation. She serves clients in the Fort Myers metropolitan region as well as Fort Lauderdale, Naples, Punta Gorda and Sarasota.
Ms. Avard earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and received her law degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law. She is an accredited veteran’s disability attorney and board certified in social security disability advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Ms. Avard holds an active law license in Florida and Massachusetts. She is also qualified to appear before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
In addition to her practice, Ms. Avard shares her legal knowledge and experience with others through speaking at conferences and events. She has lectured for groups including the American Association for Justice and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives.
Involvement in her legal community is very important to Ms. Avard. She is a member of the American Association for Justice and belongs to the group’s federal torts, medical malpractice, motor vehicle collision and social security sections. She also belongs to the Florida Justice Association’s bad faith law, disability law, employment law, ERISA litigation, insurance law, medical negligence, nursing home, personal injury, professional negligence and Social Security Disability law sections.
Practice areas
Social Security Disability, Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Appellate, Employment & Labor: Employee, Military/Veterans Law, Workers' Compensation: ClaimantFocus areas
Animal Bites, Appeals, Assault, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Dram Shop Laws, Employment Law - Employee, Labor Law, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Sexual Harassment, Slip and Fall, Toxic Mold, Trucking Accidents, Unions, Veteran's Benefits, Whistleblower, Wrongful Death
- 40% Social Security Disability
- 20% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 10% Appellate
- 10% Employment & Labor: Employee
- 10% Military/Veterans Law
- 10% Workers' Compensation: Claimant
First Admitted: 1981, Massachusetts
Professional Webpage: http://avardlaw.com/about/attorneys/carol-avard-esq/
- Distinguished 2016 Peer Review Attorney Rating by Martindale-Hubbell
- Chairperson, NOSSCR Nominations and Elections Committee
- NOSSCR Director, 11th Circuit, 2013-2015
- Harvard University, B.A., 1971
- Accredited Veterans Disability Attorney
- Board Certified Social Security Disability Attorney, National Board Trial Advocacy, 2016
- Attorney Avard was a lecturer for the National Organization of Social Security Disability Claimants' Representatives, September 22-25, 20l0, Chicago, Il, speaking about using Software Tools and Internet Resources with Vocational Experts at hearings before Administrative Law Judges. Attorney Avard also was a participating lecturer for the Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Courses in Tampa and Miami at a seminar on Effective Advocacy Before The Appeals Council and Beyond, 2000. In October 2011, Attorney Avard was the faculty speaker for the National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives conference in San Antonio, Texas, speaking about the Social Security Rulings used in the Sequential Evaluation Process at Hearings before Administrative Law Judges.
- Faculty: American Association for Justice, 2016, Las Vegas, Nevada. Faculty member, cross-examining a vocational expert, at a MOCK HEARING before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ played by Attorney Eric Schnaufer).
- Federal Court Lecture for NOSSCR, “Federal Court Appeals: Step by Step”. NOSSCR, May 14-17, 2014
- Speaker at the American Association for Justice (AAJ’s) Social Security Success! Seminar in Las Vegas, NV on August 19-20, 2010, on the topic of “Using Jobs Software Tools and Internet Resources: O*NET, Job Browser Pro, and PAQ/ERI with Vocational Witnesses Before, During, and After ALJ Hearings”.
- Faculty speaker for the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives (NOSSCR) conference in San Antonio, Texas, in October 2011, speaking about the Social Security Rulings used in the Sequential Evaluation Process at Hearings before Administrative Law Judges. In addition, she presented to NOSSCR “Exit Strategies for Attorneys”.
- Attorney Carol Avard, Sustaining Member and Director, Board of Directors, NOSSCR, lectured at their National Social Security Disability Law Conference in May 14 – 17, 2014. Her presentation concerned managing, questioning and disqualifying vocational expert (V.E.) testimony in Social Security Disability hearings.
- Panelist and speaker at the Worker’s Compensation Institute’s Annual Conference, August 18 – 20, 2014, Orlando, FL, Attorney Avard was part of two social security disability presentations titled “The Experts: How to Make Your Good Case Better Prior to the Administrative Hearing” and “The Experts: The Best Way of Presenting Your Case at the Administrative Hearing”.
- ATTORNEY CAROL AVARD is licensed to practice law in Florida and Massachusetts, and is a member of the American Association for Justice, The Florida Association for Justice and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives. She is also admitted to the Court of Veterans Appeals, is an accredited Veterans Attorney, & admitted to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and for the District of Massachusetts. In addition, Attorney Avard was a participating faculty speaker for the American Association for Justice (AAJ's Social Security Success! Seminar, Las Vegas, NV, August l9-20, 2010, on the topic of "Using Jobs Software Tools and Internet Resources: O*NET, Job Browser Pro, and PAQ/ERI with Vocational Witnesses Before, During, and After ALJ Hearings; and Attorney Avard was a lecturer for the National Organization of Social Security Disability Claimants' Representatives, September 22-25, 20l0, Chicago, Il, speaking about using Software Tools and Internet Resources with Vocational Experts at hearings before Administrative Law Judges. Attorney Avard also was a participating lecturer for the Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Courses in Tampa and Miami at a seminar on Effective Advocacy Before The Appeals Council and Beyond, 2000. In October 2011, Attorney Avard was the faculty speaker for the National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives conference in San Antonio, Texas, speaking about the Social Security Rulings used in the Sequential Evaluation Process at Hearings before Administrative Law Judges She has been a member of the Medical Malpractice, Social Security, Federal Torts, and Motor Vehicle Collision sections of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. She has also been a member of the Bad Faith, Disability Law, Employment Law, ERISA Litigation, Insurance Law, Medical Negligence, Nursing Home, PI/Wrongful Death, Products Liability, Professional Negligence, and Social Security Disability Law sections of The Florida Association for Justice. She was accredited to provide expert opinion evidence to the Florida Bar Grievance Committee on Veterans Disability Law. She also was appointed on the Advisory Board for the Federal Local Rules Committee. She is a Board Certified Social Security Disability Attorney and one of six Board Certified Social Security Disability Attorneys in the state of Florida. The Board certification is provided by the National Board of Legal Specialty, accredited by the American Bar Association. The certification process was an arduous one, requiring an examination, evaluation of writing samples and personal recommendations by other attorneys, Federal Court Judges, and Administrative Law Judges who hear Social Security Disability claims.
- Good Impressions can help you win your case. Carol Avard, Esq., of Avard Law Offices, explains how to prepare for your Social Security Disability hearing. , Prepare for Your Social Security Disability Hearing, 2014
- Community Service:Donating to USOJog for Justice 5KSupporting the Arts in Florida-Symphony, 2016
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2023
