Paulette F. Balin - Attorney and Counselor at Law. Social Security Disability Claims Lawyer - Ohio
Paulette F. Balin - Attorney and Counselor at Law. Social Security Disability Claims Lawyer - Ohio

About Us

Paulette F. Balin has been practicing law for almost 31 years. She was raised in Timberlake and went to Laurel School in Shaker Heights. In 1975 she graduated magna cum laude from Case Western Reserve University and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
She received her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1978, and passed the Ohio Bar in 1978 and Florida Bar in 1980.

Paulette clerked for the Senior Presiding Administrative Judge of the 11th District Court of Appeals based in Warren which covers 5 counties in Northeast Ohio (Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, Portage, and Trumbull). Paulette traveled the circuit with the judges for all oral arguments in the respective county seats and she got to know the people and the terrain of all Northeast Ohio. She learned her craft by researching and writing extensively and obtained insight on the judges' perspectives. Paulette studied attorneys' best deliveries in oral argument and reviewed errors in trial transcripts, which helped hone her skills in the fine art of appellate practice.

Paulette first opened her practice in Cleveland in 1980. She has been in private practice for 29 years and has broad experience and success in handling Social Security Disability and SSI cases, as well as Long-Term Disability claims. Her legal experience covers cases addressing a large spectrum of physical and mental impairments from low back pain, depression, fibromyalgia, obesity, and migraine headaches to the more exotic diseases such as Lyme disease, hemophilia, necrotizing fascitis, and pressure induced urticaria.

She has practiced at all administrative and Federal Court levels. She has argued cases successfully in Federal Court, and in the Federal 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, helping to create good legal precedents for the disabled.

Paulette is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ohio and Florida Supreme Courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio.

She is a member of many bar associations including the Cleveland Metropolitan, Lake County, Ohio State and Florida bar associations, and is a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives.

Paulette is a frequent speaker on disability law on the radio and at Multiple Sclerosis groups and conferences, especially the MSAA and has spoken before numerous mental health forums and HIV support groups

On a personal note, Paulette’s late father, Marc Balin, M.D., a physician who practiced medicine for 50 years, was shot by a robber in 1973, which caused him permanent right side paralysis and 33 years of severe limitation in ambulating. Marc Balin overcame the horrors of the Holocaust and his being shot. He served as an inspiration to Paulette and thousands whose lives were enriched by him. The physically and mentally impaired claimants who have been turned down by the Social Security Administration need a fighter like Paulette who is committed to ensuring they obtain the benefits that they deserve. This practice is dedicated to Marc Balin, M.D. and all the good in the world that he respresents.

Chad Delesk earned a BA degree in Justice Studies from Kent State University in 2001. He studied law at the University of Akron, graduating in the top of his class in 2005. Throughout law school, Chad clerked at a disability firm in Canton, doing extensive research and writing memoranda on disability related legal issues.

Chad joined this practice as Paulette’s first associate in 2005, handling hundreds of challenging disability cases. He has racked up an impressive record of favorable decisions, won both at hearings and before the Appeals Council and in Federal Court.

Chad is admitted to practice before the Ohio Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. He is a member of the Ohio State and Akron bar associations, and a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives.

Anthony Touschner graduated Cum Laude and first in his class from Borromeo Seminary with a BA in History and Philosophy. He received his law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1973 and has been licensed in Ohio for 34 years. Anthony opened and managed the Youngstown office (in Austintown) of the UAW Legal Services Plan from 1983 - 1985 for the autoworkers at Lordstown. From 1986 - 1990, he supervised the UAW Legal Services Plan trial work for all Ohio offices, including Youngstown. He is a former resident of Poland, Ohio.

Anthony Touschner has also served as an Attorney for the Special Litigation and Support Unit of ABLE (Advocates for Basic Legal Equality). He had been in private practice for about seven years in Akron and New Philadelphia bringing us years of great legal experience and scholarship. Anthony is admitted to practice before the Ohio and U.S. Supreme Courts, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio. He is a member of the Ohio State and New Philadelphia bar associations and is a sustaining member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives.

Since 2003, Mira Chopra has been associated with our office and writing numerous briefs at the Federal Court level and representing clients at Administrative Hearings on a variety of issues. She has represented claimants throughout Ohio and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She was very instrumental in succeeding in a case at the Federal Appellate level and we recently received a second Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals favorable decision on the issue of fibromyalgia.

Mira Chopra has been practicing law since 1992 and has handled Social Security matters even during law school. She attended John Carroll University, graduating in 1989, then studied law at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She graduated from Temple Law School in 1992, and was licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio later that same year.

During her summers between law school years, she practiced Social Security Disability law at the Department of Health & Human Services. During Mira’s 3rd year of law school, she actively participated in the Elderly Law Clinic and represented disability claimants pursing benefits.

Debjani Roy joined the practice as an Associate in October 2008. She is licensed to practice law in Ohio since 2008. She graduated from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in May 2005. While at Cleveland-Marshall, she was the Executive Editor and Editorial Board Member of the Cleveland State Law Review. Her published law review note In Search of the Golden Years: How Compulsory Licensing Can Lower the Cost of Prescription Drugs to Millions of Senior Citizens in the United States was awarded the Sidney A. Levine Award Best Paper in a Legal Writing Course in 2004. In 2005, she was awarded the Chief Justice Samuel H. Silbert Award for Outstanding Editor of the Year. Debjani was also chapter president of the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association and was an enthusiastically active co-organizer of “Taste of the World” at Cleveland-Marshall with the Black Law Student Association, Hispanic Law Student Association, and other law student organizations.

After graduating from law school, she worked in the area of international affairs and advocacy at the Canadian Embassy’s Washington Advocacy Secretariat, in Washington, D.C., making Hill call visits with the Minister of Advocacy and organizing various conferences that relate to the interests of U.S.-Canadian relations at the federal/state/provincial/territorial levels of government, the War on Terror, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and importation of prescription drugs.

Debjani has a Master of Arts in French Literature from Case Western Reserve University, where she was the Mary Dickey Research Fellow from 1999 to 2001. She graduated with honors from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Arts in French and Political Science/Pre-Foreign Service in 1997. She studied at l’Institut de Touraine, Tours, France, where she focused her studies on advanced understanding of French language, literature, culture, history, and socioeconomics. Born and raised for the first half of her life in Canada, Debjani is a fluent speaker of French. She has taught the French language and relevant culture and politics to U.S. diplomats that were being posted to Francophone countries, including Canada and Western Africa.

Debjani can speak French, Bengali, Hindi, and Spanish. She is a member of the Cleveland-Metropolitan Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She has volunteered as a Public Education Initiative tutor with the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and Cleveland Reads.

Linda S. Pettit graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Sociology from Central College in Pella, IA. She graduated with honors from the University Of Iowa School Of Law and was licensed to practice in Iowa and Illinois in 1977. She obtained her license to practice law in Missouri in 1993 and in Ohio in 2009.

Linda began practicing Social Security Disability Law in 1978 as an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Polk County in Des Moines, IA, where she successfully handled hundreds of cases before the Social Security Administration, before the Federal District Court and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. After leaving Legal Aid, Linda continued to represent disabled clients in their pursuit of Social Security Disability and SSI benefits while in private practice, while working at a long term disability insurance company, and while employed at a firm that specialized in handling social security claims for the clients of long term disability insurance companies.

Linda has taught paralegal and criminal justice classes at Brown Mackie College in North Canton and has presented seminars on the handling of social security disability claims to Drake University law students, to small groups of long term disability insurance employees, and at large claims management conferences. She has served as a speaker to pre-law students at Central College and has presented CLE courses to the Young Lawyers Section of the Iowa Bar Association.

Linda became a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives in 1984 and is a member today.

Andrew November joined our firm following his graduation from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in May 2009. Andrew quickly developed a passion for representing our clients at all stages of the Social Security process. Andrew has proven himself very successful while regularly appearing before Administrative Law Judges on behalf of our clients. Andrew also enjoys meeting new clients and establishing the initial relationship with our firm.

While in Law School Andrew was very eager to engage in the practice of law. During his second year, Andrew engaged in civil litigation assisting attorneys with all aspects of the litigation process. Additionally, Andrew was active in the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s 3 R’s program, teaching law for the Ohio Graduation Test at Shaw High School in East Cleveland. Andrew also enjoyed providing free legal advice with The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland’s Brief Advice Clinic.

In his free time, Andrew enjoys running and training for the 2010 New York City Marathon. When not running, you can find Andrew on his motorcycle exploring Northeast Ohio. He plans to marry his fiancée Jennifer, whom he met in Israel while leading a Birthright Israel Trip. Together they reside in the Cleveland area.

The Law offices of Paulette F. Balin and Associates emphasizes courteous, personalized, efficient and effective service for each and every client. We have branch offices throughout Northeast Ohio, so help is never too far away.

Severe transportation problems? Our Caremobile can provide at home service.

During business hours, your call will never be answered by a machine. That said, we use the newest technology and computerized case management systems to handle your case with efficiency and accuracy. All claims are handled directly - none are farmed out to other firms.

We take pride in offering:

Our mission is to serve the disabled and win them their much needed and deserved disability benefits

Call us now toll free at 1-866-49 BALIN or email us at contact@balinlaw.com. Also you can spend a few moments and fill out a case profile form on our contact page. Our courteous and caring staff will give you personal attention.

Sustaining Member, National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives

Paulette F. Balin - Attorney and Counselor at Law. Social Security Disability Claims Lawyer - Northeast Ohio (Mentor, Cleveland, Ashtabula, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Toledo and Sandusky; also Austintown, Hubbard, New Philadelphia) and Erie, PA

Toll Free: (866) 492-2546
Local: (440)257-0096 - (216)566-1662 - (440)992-2546 - (330)354-4155