Attorney Dan Parmele establishes his own firm

Dan Parmele, formerly of the law office of Reynolds, Parmele and Gold, opened his own office at 3333 S. National, Ste. 304, on May 1.

Parmele, a Social Security disability attorney, left his partners, Ken Reynolds and Jon Gold, because he wanted "to spend more time practicing law than doing administrative tasks," Parmele said. A lot of his time had been spent in marketing the company.

Gold said Parmele's move was made by mutual agreement.

"It was better that we go different directions," Gold said. "I'm still friends with Dan and always will be."

Gold added that a new attorney, Lisa D'Alesio, has joined the firm since Parmele moved out on his own.

Parmele sent his clients a letter informing them of the move, and "moving has been a monumental task, getting computers hooked up and things like that," he said. "I chose this location because it's easy for my clients to find."

So far, he said, he is enjoying being on his own. Parmele continues to focus on clients who are physically or mentally disabled and can't maintain competitive employment.

"I have a good reputation with my clients, those in the disabled community," he said.

Disability law, he said, is a challenging area of practice. "It's more difficult to win these cases," Parmele said. "Most cases go to a hearing. They continue on to the United States District Court if we don't win the hearing. More and more of my cases are going to the district court. If you lose a case, you don't get paid. That's the way the government set things up. So, it's a risky type of practice."

Parmele added, "There seems to be a misconception in the general public that an applicant for disability is trying to milk the system. Most of my clients are honorable people who have worked hard and would prefer to work. But they can't due to an unforeseen illness or accident.

"When they request the benefits they paid into the Social Security Administration Trust Fund, they are told they are not credible and are consequently denied by the Social Security Administration, he said.

Parmele added, "During this time, they are fighting their condition, losing their standard of living and personal assets, and are often forced to undergo a process that can be humiliating and unsympathetic."

Parmele, who has offices in Joplin, Mountain Grove and West Plains, said he has hired two attorneys, three paralegals and three secretaries to help him with his caseload in the Spring-field office.

The offices in Mountain Grove and West Plains were a part of Reynolds, Parmele and Gold.

When Parmele started his new Springfield office, he brought the staff from the Mountain Grove and West Plains locations with him.

He chose to practice in Joplin and West Plains because that's where the Social Security Administration holds administrative hearings, he said.

Parmele is in the Joplin office one day a week, in the Moun-tain Grove office one or two days a week and in the West Plains office one day a week.

Prior to starting Parmele and Gold in 1995, Parmele worked for the Social Security Admin-istration for four years where he rose to senior staff attorney.

He met Gold when they clerked together for the Mis-souri Court of Appeals, South-ern Division, on John Q. Hammons Parkway, which was Parmele's first job after completing law school.

Parmele has a bachelor's degree from Wichita State University in finance and economics and attended law school at St. Louis University.