Biography - Elizabeth Stakenborg
Elizabeth Stakenborg and Dorothy Sims manage the Social Security department for Sims & Stakenborg, P.A.
Liz grew up in Lexington, Illinois a small farming town in central Illinois. As a teenager she worked as a lifeguard and also "detassled corn." She attended undergraduate school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Liz graduated, met her husband, and moved to Canada where she lived for 10 years.
While in Canada, Liz became aware of socialized medicine and realized how many Americans were without adequate health care. She decided she wanted to become a lawyer and represent the disabled in the United States.
Her family was offered the opportunity to move to Florida and Liz immediately applied to the University of Florida. She graduated with honors in 1994.
After graduating, Liz was hired by Dorothy Sims. Dorothy took Liz under her wing where Liz initially practiced in the area of workers' compensation law. She represented workers' compensation claimants in worker's compensation litigation.
While doing worker's compensation law, Liz also began practicing social security disability law and decided to change her focus.
She and Dorothy Sims now manage the department and she has enjoyed representing hundreds of claimants in their Social Security hearings. An example of a written memoranda to the social security administration is available on the home page.
The firm has access to software which permits a deep background search on doctors hired by the Administration whom Liz suspects may not be appropriately scientific in their conclusions. The firm also maintains a data bank of hundreds of articles and references on many conditions to assist in all cases.
Liz is a member of the Florida Bar Assosciation, the American Bar Association, the Florida Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the National Organization of Veterans Advocates, and of the National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives (NOSSR). She is licensed in the US District Court - Northern District of Florida, US District Court - Middle District of Florida and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
