I didn’t work for a “mill”, the ones who advertise throughout the middle of the day. It was a very small part of the practice. Attorneys do profit well from the cases, though. And if a non-attorney handles the process as I did for my husband, they are not entitled to anything other than what the disability recipient decides to pay them. Lawyers always call the shots.
There’s a guy around here who advertises as a “Social Security Representative”, and I’m fairly certain he’s not a lawyer. There must be some alternative certification that allows it. If so, it’s pretty strange. Lawyers generally guard their turf like no other profession.