John Pennington,
Alabama Disability Lawyer

In a Hard Time, Here’s Someone Who Understands

As an Alabama disability lawyer since the 1990s, John Pennington has helped thousands of people collect the Social Security Disability and long-term disability insurance benefits they need to lead steady lives after setbacks to their health.

Before he was a lawyer, John was a nurse. That gives him a background especially suited to helping people apply for disability benefits.

Disability law is about caring for people and their well-being. And every disability claim involves severe health problems.

John understands the medical records you’ll need to qualify for benefits and how to work with your doctors and other health care providers as you build your case.

He was a licensed a licensed registered nurse in Alabama, California and Colorado before he went to law school.

After law school, he worked as trial lawyer in workplace injury and personal injury cases—including car accidents, medical malpractice and hazardous products—which also put his medical knowledge to work.

He learned from the pioneering Alabama personal injury lawyer Frank Tipler in Andalusia, Ala.

In 1990 he began practicing law in Birmingham and soon added Social Security Disability claims for government benefits and long-term disability claims under private insurance policies to his services.

He formed his own law firm, Pennington Law Firm, in 2003, focusing on disability law. In 2024, he joined with Alabama disability attorney Abbey Clarkson to form Clarkson Pennington Law.

John has extensive experience with appeals of Social Security Disability denials, from hearings with Social Security administrative law judges to lawsuits in federal court.

His reputation as a disability lawyer is so strong that other attorneys and health care professionals often refer cases to him. He has helped people get Social Security Disability benefits in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Get in touch with John and the Clarkson Pennington disability legal team for help moving forward with your life in Birmingham, Gadsden, North Alabama, Montgomery, the Black Belt, Mobile and the Gulf Coast. If you’re in Chattanooga, anywhere in Tennessee—and actually the entire Southeastern United States—we can help you.

We’re not here to get you a handout. We’re here to give you a hand up.