Amanda J. Bonnesen

Attorney Amanda J. Bonnesen graduated from the Linsly School in 1999.  She then attended the University of South Carolina where she earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.  She was also named to the Criminal Justice Honor Society and was a participant in the National Student Exchange at the University of Wyoming.  Being an independent thinker and wanting to further her own ideas, Ms. Bonnesen went on to earn her Juris Doctor in 2006 from the University of Dayton School of Law.  During law school, she participated in the Pro Bono Appellate Project and served in the University’s Law Clinic where she offered free legal assistance to those in need.  She also clerked for Judge Walter Rice in Federal District Court of the Sixth circuit and Judge Jennifer Sargus in Belmont County, Ohio.  Ms. Bonnesen began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Allegheny County, where she gained extensive courtroom experience.

Attorney Bonnesen is a managing partner at Berger and Green, P. C., where she represents individuals in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia in Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) cases.  What she enjoys most about being an attorney with Berger and Green, is the interaction she has with her clients on a daily basis.

Each of Ms. Bonnesen’s cases are important and memorable to her.  She understands what these benefits mean to her clients.  This gives her the drive and compassion to fight for them.  She wants anyone who is perusing disability benefits to understand that this is a long process but to never give up.  She urges her clients to stay in necessary medical treatment and comply with any requests from the Social Security Administration. Ms. Bonnesen hopes that once the Social Security disability process has come to an end, her clients can finally be at ease and focus on their health.

Attorney Bonnesen is a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) and the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) where she sits on the Allegheny County Bar Association Social Security Practitioners Committee. From 2017-2021, Attorney Bonnesen was named as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star. These lawyers represent the top five percent of all lawyers in Pennsylvania in peer recognition and professional achievement. She is licensed to practice in all Pennsylvania State and Federal Courts and in all Social Security Courts throughout the United States.

Outside of the courtroom Ms. Bonnesen enjoys horseback riding and training for marathons, pushing herself to reach new goals.   She shares her home with her husband Billy and her two pets.

Attorney Bonnesen is a determined, kind and empathetic attorney who is dedicated to advocating for individuals who can no longer work due to their disabilities

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit

Education

• University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, Ohio
  • J.D. – 2006
• University of South Carolina
  • B.A.
  • Honors: Criminal Justice Honor Society
  • Major: Criminal Justice

Honors and Awards

• Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Star 2017-2020

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Allegheny County Bar Association, Member
• National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR), Member
• Allegheny County Bar Association, Member, Social Security Practitioners Committee

Past Employment Positions

• Judge Walter Rice in Federal District Court of the Sixth Circuit, Law Clerk
• Judge Jennifer Sargus in Belmont County, Ohio, Law Clerk
• Allegheny County, Assistant Public Defender