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After Mariam Sanu’s* application for Social Security disability benefits was denied twice, she found herself grappling with a feeling of hopelessness. Just as she was about to accept that she wouldn’t win the fight for her benefits, she found a legal team ready to advocate for her.

“When they made the decision to deny my application, that’s when I reached out to Legal Aid DC to see how they could assist,” Ms. Sanu said. “I did give up in the beginning of the process, because it was just so hard. Funny thing is the next day, that’s when Legal Aid called and said I had an attorney.”  

Ms. Sanu applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), an earned benefit for people with disabilities who have worked and paid into the Social Security system, and SSI, a need-based program for people who are disabled, blind, or elderly and have limited income and resources, regardless of work history.

Her application was denied. She then requested a reconsideration, which was also denied in May 2023. Her next step was to file an appeal and request a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge. That’s when Legal Aid DC connected Ms. Sanu with pro bono attorneys from the law firm Vinson & Elkins.

“I don’t want to say it was magical, but after that I definitely felt more confident,” she said.

Even with legal help, Ms. Sanu faced long odds: The chances of success on appeal are just 14 percent. But being matched with attorneys at Vinson & Elkins, she said, was like a “battery put back into my battery pack.”

Vinson & Elkins attorneys Monique Watson, Victoria Godfrey, and Karina Pereira were eager to jump into Ms. Sanu’s case, knowing how critical it was for her to receive SSI and SSDI benefits.  

“Our team at Vinson & Elkins was drawn to Ms. Sanu’s case because of the severity and complexity of her health conditions and her determination to overcome them,” Karina said. “We were inspired by her resilience and commitment to her health and recovery, and wanted to help ensure that she received benefits she was entitled to so that she could focus on her wellbeing rather than worrying about financial insecurity.”  

Ms. Sanu, 34, has several serious physical and mental health conditions that make it impossible for her to maintain steady employment, and she has been experiencing homelessness for nearly eight years. She is currently living in a shelter, where it is extremely challenging to manage her health situation or focus on self-care.  

“That’s why I was advised to reach out to Social Security so they could help with providing benefits,” she said.  

But almost immediately, Ms. Sanu faced obstacles in the process.

“The case manager who was handling my case in the very beginning called me and said, ‘I don’t believe you’re disabled, you’re too young to be disabled.’ He said I was too young to have these conditions, and that’s just not true.”  

The Vinson & Elkins team requested thousands of pages of medical documentation from Ms. Sanu’s medical team, recognizing that the initial denial and the denial on reconsideration did not fully reflect the severity of her conditions.  

Ms. Sanu and her legal team’s persistence paid off when, in August 2024, the judge issued a favorable decision, awarding both SSDI and SSI benefits for Ms. Sanu, along with back pay spanning two years.  

Ms. Sanu said that it would have been impossible to navigate the process and win her appeal without legal assistance.  

“I definitely would not have been able to receive my benefits without legal help. I think, when I had an attorney, I noticed the attitude change in how Social Security was responding to me,” she said.   

Ms. Sanu said having attorneys by her side helped her to keep pushing forward even when the process tested her patience and her self-confidence.  

“Patience is your best friend, and make sure that you have an attorney that you feel comfortable with,” she said as a word of advice to others facing a similar situation. “Make sure that you don’t allow these legal problems or challenges to take away from your self worth, because a lot of people will try to make you feel less than because you have to ask for help. It’s sad we have to fight for it, because it can be demoralizing.”

Ms. Sanu’s resilience and the work of her legal team ultimately led to her being approved for benefits that are already reshaping her future.  

“Pro bono work with Legal Aid is important because it allows for the chance to provide high-quality legal services to individuals who might otherwise have no access to them,” Monique said.  

“Legal Aid plays a vital role in ensuring that those in need, particularly vulnerable populations like Ms. Sanu, can fight for their rights and receive the benefits and services they deserve,” Victoria added.

Ms. Sanu said that with a steady income of SSI and SSDI benefits, plus the back benefits she received, she has finally been able to take real steps toward having stable housing and is planning to move into her own apartment this summer.

“When I got the benefits, I was very happy, because a lot of things could change now,” she said. “Now I can make the transition out of living the way that I’m living ... It’s a huge sigh of relief.”  

*A pseudonym has been used in this story to protect the client’s privacy