Desiree A. Costa (she/her) is a staff Attorney at SCCLS’ New Bedford Office. She practices disability benefits, primarily focusing on representing clients with pending appeals of Social Security Disability benefits denials at the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing stage, as well as terminations and overpayment matters related to their Social Security Disability Benefits. Prior to this role, she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer with South Coastal Counties Legal Services for one year, representing clients in eviction defense, shelter benefits, unemployment benefits, and consumer protection matters. She grew up in the South Coast and is dedicated to giving back to her community. She received her B.S. in Legal Studies with a dual major in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and attended the University of Massachusetts School of Law as a Public Interest Law Fellow.