Marc Whitehead & Associates

Valerie L. Norwood

ERISA & Long Term Disability · Social Security Disability · SSI Disability · Veterans Court of Appeals Attorney
 

Valerie’s experience with disability law started in 2002 when she began writing Social Security motions and appeals. Since joining the firm in 2009, Valerie has represented many clients before Administrative Law Judges in Social Security Hearings and successfully appealed adverse decisions to the Appeals Council in Baltimore and in federal district court. A large component of her work consists of writing ERISA and non-ERISA long term disability insurance administrative appeals and representing clients who have been denied disability benefits in state and federal court. Valerie is a member of the HBA, HTLA, TTLA, AAJ, NOSSCR and NOVA and is an accredited Veterans Administration and Veterans Court of Appeals attorney.

Valerie is the daughter of a retired USAF jet pilot and a Southern Belle from Georgia. Her childhood was spent on Air Force Bases across the U.S. and Asia. The family moved to Texas when her father completed his education at Texas A&M, and from that point, Valerie adopted Texas as her home state.

Valerie originally planned to go to law school after completing her degree in Radio-TV-Film at the University of Texas at Austin to pursue work as an entertainment attorney, but instead embarked on a career as a line producer for films, music videos and commercials in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston, which included working as a second assistant director on “Die Hard.” After a year as project manager for the audio tour program at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, she returned to Houston and entered law school shortly thereafter.

Professional Experience

• Marc Whitehead & Associates LLP, Associate Attorney
  Insurance & ERISA litigation, Social Security Disability law, Veterans Disability, Personal injury litigation
   
• McNabb & Associates, P.C., Houston, Texas
  Federal criminal appeals
  Associate Attorney, 5/2008-7/2008
  Law Clerk, 9/2006-4/2008
   
• Sufian & Passamano, L.L.P., Houston, Texas
  Paralegal, 5/2002- 2/2006

Education

• J.D., South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, December 2007
• Top Ten Brief: 2007 Spurgeon E. Bell Intramural Moot Court Tournament
• Quarterfinalist: 2006 Spring Intramural Mock Trial Competition
• Finalist: 2006 T. Gerald Treece Summer Mock Trial Academy Tournament
• B. S., cum laude, University of Texas at Austin, Radio, Television and Film, 1977.

Admitted to Practice

• State Bar of Texas, 2008
• Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
• United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

Professional Activities and Associations

Member:

• Houston Bar Association
• Houston Trial Lawyers Association
• Texas Trial Lawyers Association
• American Association of Justice
• National Organization of Social Security Claims Representatives
• National Organization of Veterans' Advocates

About Our Firm

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