About Gerard Anthony
Gerard Anthony Palma earned his Juris Doctor from Western New England University School of Law in 1984. He completed his legal studies during a period of change in the profession. The degree set the stage for a career spent practicing in Massachusetts.
He was admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1987 and has practiced in the state since then. Over the years he has handled matters that reflect an interest in benefits and trial work. His career spans several decades of courtroom and administrative hearings experience.
Palma maintains active memberships in professional groups that align with those practice areas. He is a sustaining member of NOSSCR, an organization for attorneys who represent claimants before the Social Security Administration. He also holds membership in MATA and has been a member of the Massachusetts State Bar since 1987. Those affiliations bring him into contact with peers who handle both trial litigation and administrative claims.
Colleagues describe him as steady in hearing rooms and methodical in preparatory work. He favors careful record-building and direct examination that keeps testimony clear. He approaches cases by assembling medical and vocational records, crafting questions that test credibility, and preparing witnesses to deliver short, factual testimony. He keeps pace with evolving rules and rulings that affect benefit determinations.
Clients find the process of seeking benefits unfamiliar and often stressful. Palma guides claimants through filing, appeals, and hearings. He explains steps plainly and sets expectations about timelines. He also works on case strategy, balancing the need for thorough documentation against the practicalities of administrative schedules.
Outside of court, Palma participates in continuing legal education programs and professional meetings tied to the groups he belongs to. He attends seminars that cover changes in disability policy and evidence standards. Those activities help him stay current on precedents that affect administrative decisions.
After more than three decades in practice, Palma continues to handle Social Security disability and related benefits matters in Massachusetts. He concentrates his practice in Social Security disability and related benefits in Massachusetts.
