ALJ Slots in Alabama or Atlanta?

[EagleJAG]

Anyone have a clue about anticipated SSA slots in any of the Alabama or either of the two Atlanta offices? Thanks for any insight you can provide.

[Legal Beagle]

I was told 9 - but I am not sure if that is Atlanta only, or the Region. Atl is supposedly ready to open a new office, so it may be 9 there.

[morgullord]

It may be that the new Atlanta metro office will have 9 judges when it opens its doors, but as of this writing the physical site has not yet been selected, let alone built. As between the other two offices in Atlanta, there may be one, possibly two, vacancies anticipated but nothing to bet the farm on.

[bartleby]

Word is out that Atlanta Downtown is losing one of their new ALJ's who will be going to Denver to be the HOCALJ, so I think that may open up a slot..

[alj]

Mar 12, 2009 19:58:28 GMT -5 Legal Beagle said:

I was told 9 - but I am not sure if that is Atlanta only, or the Region. Atl is supposedly ready to open a new office, so it may be 9 there.

There will be a whole lot more than 9 judges going to the Atlanta region. That region is the largest in the country and will get its share of the new ALJs.

[happy]

Yes, an Atlanta DT judge is going to Denver as HOCALJ.

A site HAS been selected for the new Atlanta area office, but it's not technically Atlanta. It's Covington, GA. The site is nowhere near ready to be staffed with anyone, much less ALJs.

[privateatty]

Mar 13, 2009 18:11:39 GMT -5 happy said:

Yes, an Atlanta DT judge is going to Denver as HOCALJ.

A site HAS been selected for the new Atlanta area office, but it's not technically Atlanta. It's Covington, GA. The site is nowhere near ready to be staffed with anyone, much less ALJs.

Good to see you back, happy. Great info.

[flannery]

ALJ, thanks for this useful information about the Atlanta Region--I always look forward to reading your posts because I know I will learn something....

[masondixon]

I hear that the Montgomery office has two or more vacant ALJ offices. You have to assume that SSA will hire for that office, especially if they have a big workload like most other southern offices.

[alj]

Mar 14, 2009 17:53:04 GMT -5 masondixon said:

I hear that the Montgomery office has two or more vacant ALJ offices. You have to assume that SSA will hire for that office, especially if they have a big workload like most other southern offices.

Montgomery has a good HOCALJ, a good HOD, good staff, and is a great office to work in. If you should find yourself there, you are fortunate indeed.

They moved to new offices nine years ago, and have already outgrown that building. Within the next few months they will move again to an even larger facility. May have already moved for all I know.

I can't remember if anyone went there in the 2008 classes, but if there are two empty offices, I would think there will be two new judges there by the end of summer. Montgomery has a heavy caseload.

[nothingventured]

I believe 5 new ALJs went to Montgomery in the last class of 2008.

[EagleJAG]

Mar 15, 2009 11:00:53 GMT -5 nothingventured said:

I believe 5 new ALJs went to Montgomery in the last class of 2008.

The FY2008 OCALJ Selection Listing only had one specific ALJ of the 136 going there. Not sure where the other four you may've heard about came from.

[ssaer]

I believe that, in FY08, one new ALJ was assigned to the Montgomery, Alabama office on or before July 6, 2008 and five new ALJs were assigned to that office after that date.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the great info! Montgomery is defintely on my list.

Does anyone have similar information on open offices in Louisiana or Mississippi?

Here's to holding our breath...!

[alj]

Mar 16, 2009 11:19:04 GMT -5 robg said:

Thanks for the great info! Montgomery is defintely on my list.

Does anyone have similar information on open offices in Louisiana or Mississippi?

Here's to holding our breath...!

Robg, you are going about it backwards. Rather than trying to determine which offices will have an opening, assume that all offices will have at least one opening. Then make the determination if you could spend ten years in that location. As Pixie said, talk it over with your spouse and make sure both of you are on the same sheet of music. It is better to be inclusive rather than exclusive in your selection process. The more locations on your list, the better your chances.

Remember, the one office you eliminate from consideration may be the one office where you would have received an appointment.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the good, solid advice, Alj. At this point, for me, it is not so much about eliminating locations as it is searching for useful information. My location list was chosen last year and I have decided not to eliminate any cities. And, we would be willing to live in any of those places for the duration. But, it would be awfully nice to be able to throw a good bit of gossip towards my long-suffering spouse. For instance: "I heard today that there's an open office in the town where your mother lives." Or, "I hear that the office in the town where your brother lives will hire at least 2 aljs this year."

Our spouses put up with a lot during this process, and uncertainty (if he gets the job where will we be living in six months?) is tough on mommies.

So, any semi-reliable shred of data is a life-line at this point. Hopefully the waiting will be over soon.

Thanks,

[lawandorder]

The good thing is that in a two-month period we should all know where we are heading to professionally. Two things can happen: either you are or you are not.