Katie Ellen Brinkmeyer

My drive to assist persons with disabilities began with my close personal experiences with both friends and family members suffering from debilitating impairments. Seeing their issues upfront helped me better understand their numerous obstacles and internalize their struggles getting the care they deserved.

Upon graduating from law school, I began working for a small personal injury firm in Carmel, Indiana, and I grew their Social Security Disability and Workers Compensation departments. After a few years of representing Social Security claimants, I left the private sector to serve as an attorney advisor for the Social Security Administration's Office of Hearing Operations. As an attorney advisory, I worked closely with the Administrative Law Judges ("ALJs") to write timely and legally defensible draft decisions pursuant ALJ instructions covering a wide range of issues, procedural and substantive, in the determination of disability for Title II and Title XVI claims, including cases remanded by the Seventh Circuit and Federal District Courts. This tremendous experience bestowed me with immense knowledge of the Social Security Disability Regulations and Rulings, as well as an in-depth understanding of the clockwork behind each step in the disability evaluation process.

One of the major issues I observed in Social Security was that many disabled claimants with complex issues are not able to find the specialized level of representation that their case necessitated and knew that I could help.

I joined the Law Office of Annette Rutkowski LLC in July 2021, so that I could pursue my passion on a more personal level and work directly with disabled individuals in need of Social Security Disability Benefits. In 2023, Attorney Annette Rutkowski made me a law partner, and we formed KBAR Legal Services LLP. I care deeply about my clients and strive to provide the answers and direction you seek with your disability claim questions.

Please feel free to contact our offices for a complimentary consultation if you have questions about whether you or your loved one should be filing for disability, or if you have a claim in process, at any stage of adjudication, and have questions. I have a strong drive to provide legal advocacy and accuracy when pursuing my clients' cases beyond the hearing level and when decisions are fraught with legal error.

I have a family with two children and love hiking and spending time outdoors. I grew up figure skating and teach skating as part of Learn-to-Skate USA, which also has an adaptive program for individuals with disabilities on the weekends. I will work tirelessly with my experience to make sure you receive the benefits you deserve the same way I would fight for my family.