HEARD AND SMITH - Key Persons
Alan R Babbitt Jr., was born in Stamford CT, and raised in the Northern New Jersey area. After attending High School in Union, NJ, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Kean University in Union, NJ. During this time Alan served in the New Jersey Army National Guard and was Honorably discharged after 4 years. After which Alan obtained his Master's degree in Criminal Justice from American Military University in 2013.
Alan received his Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law, in Jacksonville Florida in 2016. During his time there Alan served as the President of the James Weldon Johnson Chapter of the National Black Law Students. Alan also graduated with Pro-Bono Honors, due to the many hours of Clinic and Public Service completed during his enrollment.
Alan went on to further his legal education by obtaining his Master of Laws degree in 2017, by enrolling in the Insurance Law LLM program at the University of Connecticut School of Law in Hartford CT. During his time here Alan participated in the schools chapter of the National Black Law Students Association, while also competing with the schools National Negotiation and Dispute Resolute team. Before joining Heard and Smith, Alan was employed with the Social Security Administration as an Attorney Advisor/Decision Writer.
Andrew attended Texas Tech University, graduating with Highest Honors and a degree in Honors Arts and Letters with minors in Philosophy and Legal Studies. In 2019, Andrew earned his Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law and passed the Texas Bar Exam before moving back to San Antonio to be closer to family. Andrew is active is several legal organizations including:
State Bar of Texas
San Antonio Bar Association
San Antonio Estate Planning Council
Texas Young Lawyers Association
San Antonio Young Lawyers Association
Guardianship Association
Andrew's practice is limited to inheritance, guardianship and trust matters, and litigation in these fields.
Byron Burkett was born and raised in League City, Texas. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in French with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2011.
After completion of his undergraduate studies, Byron received his J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law in 2014. While studying at St. Mary's, he attended a summer program in Innsbruck, Austria focused on world legal problems. He also served as a Staff Writer for the St. Mary's Law Journal.
Byron was admitted to practice law in 2014. He is a member of the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives.
Dan Oliver was born in California and grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., a stone's throw away from Mount Vernon, Virginia. He graduated cum laude from Georgia Tech in 1988 with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, having participated in the Cooperative program there and working at a major shipyard in Virginia-Tidewater area. He then moved to the Orlando, Florida area where he still lives today.
Dan went to law school at the Barry University College of Law in Orlando, attending classes at night while working nearly full-time as a paralegal. He graduated as a valedictorian from Barry in 2004, and after passing the bar exam, began his legal career in April 2004. He gained extensive experience practicing in family law, bankruptcy, and estate planning before starting his career in Social Security Disability law. He is also a member of the Federal bar for the Middle District of Florida.
Throughout his legal career, Dan's main focus has always been on helping people who are experiencing significant life events and who need to help of a lawyer.
David Tillinger was born in Philadelphia, PA and has also lived in Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas before moving to Los Angeles, CA where he currently resides.
He graduated from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas in 1989 and received his law degree from Western State University School of Law in 1998. While in law school, he served in student government for two years, was a member of the schools ABA accreditation committee and was editor in chief for the Dictum law journal.
Before joining Heard and Smith, David represented social security clients in California and in Federal District Court as well as serving as lead counsel in multiple civil trials. He has also argued successfully before the California Court of Appeals.
Erin Wolfe has always had a passion for helping people. The daughter of two Air Force veterans, Erin Wolfe grew up in New York, South Carolina, and north Florida. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor degree in Social Work from Florida State University in 2005. While earning her undergraduate degree, Erin volunteered for Amnesty International and a shelter for people living with HIV/AIDS in Costa Rica.
After earning her social work degree, Erin worked for two years as a community mental health social worker in Jacksonville, Florida. She saw first-hand what happened when people with psychiatric and physical disabilities were denied benefits and fell through the cracks of the social security system.
In 2007, Erin moved to Seattle to attend law school with the goal of becoming a legal advocate for people with disabilities. While studying law, she interned at Disability Rights Washington and Refugee Immigrant Advocacy Project and was a board member of the Center for Human Rights and Justice and the Disability Law Alliance. In 2010, Erin received her law degree with a concentration in public service law.
Before joining Heard & Smith, Erin worked as an Ombudsman for the Office of Injured Employee Counsel helping injured workers appeal denials of their workers' compensation benefits. Erin is a member of Tarrant County Bar Association. She enjoys bike riding, reading, and spending time with her family.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Puerto Rico Bar
Hector A. Ramirez-Rivera was born and raised in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez in 2001. During his first two summers in college, Hector participated as a young missionary working in rural communities at the Dominican Republic. He was a member of the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society and vice-president of the Microbiology Society.
Due to his interest in helping others in a more proactive fashion, Hector attended the University of Puerto Rico School of Law and completed a Juris Doctor in 2004. While studying law, Hector completed a summer internship as a clerk in the Puerto Rico's First Instance Court, worked as a student attorney in the Environmental Law Clinic, and participated as a student professor in a law school's initiative to increase representation of law students from low-income communities.
Hector is a member of the Puerto Rico Bar, Texas Bar and the National Organization of Social Security Claimant's Representatives.
Mr. Heard is the Past President of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives. He is licensed to practice in Texas Courts, the Federal Courts of the Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States Court of Veterans Appeals. He was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States in 2001. He is a maintaining member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, and is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
John R. Heard received his B.A. with honors from the University of Texas in 1971, and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin Law School with honors in 1975. In law school, Mr. Heard was on the Law Review, and also served as a Teaching Quizmaster. After serving as law clerk for a United States District Court Judge, he began his own law practice in San Antonio in 1976. Mr. Heard is a frequent lecturer at legal seminars addressing social security issues. He has successfully represented Social Security claimants for over 30 years.
Mr. Heard is the Past President of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is licensed to practice in all Texas Courts, the Federal Courts of the Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States Court of Veterans Appeals. He was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States in 2001. He is a maintaining member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, and is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Mark Stanton Smith is a long-time resident of San Antonio. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Government in 1983. Upon returning to San Antonio, Mr. Smith graduated from St. Mary's University School of Law in 1985 and shortly thereafter began his practice with Partner John R. Heard. Probate and guardianship are particular areas of interest for Mr. Smith and he has written, lectured and taught in these areas. Mr. Smith has served two terms as President of the National Guardianship Association and is a nationally recognized expert in guardianship law. In 1996, Mr. Smith was elected to the Texas Guardianship Advisory Board by the probate judges of Texas. Mr. Smith has been involved in hundreds of cases and estates, including contested guardianship and wills and has litigated cases throughout the federal and state court systems. Recently, Mr. Smith received an appointment to the Advisory Council of the Center for American History, a division of the University of Texas at Austin.
Education
University of Texas at Austin, B.A. (1982)
St. Mary's University School of Law, J.D. (1985)