U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Workshop, Panel Discussion & Reception

Chief Judge Margaret Bartley was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims by President Barack Obama on June 22, 2011, confirmed by the United States Senate on May 24, 2012, appointed by the President on June 25, 2012, and took the judicial oath on June 28, 2012, for a term of fifteen years. She became Chief Judge of the Veterans Court on December 4, 2019.

For over 17 years prior to her appointment, Chief Judge Bartley served as a veterans advocate, working as staff attorney and then senior staff attorney for National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP), a veterans service organization. In that capacity, she advised and trained staff and service officers for The American Legion, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, and other veterans service organizations and State departments of veterans affairs, on issues related to veterans benefits and veterans preference in Federal employment. She also represented veterans and survivors of veterans in their pursuit of VA benefits before the USCAVC and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. From 2004 to 2012, Chief Judge Bartley served as editor of the NVLSP veterans' law quarterly, The Veterans Advocate. She also testified before Congress concerning federal agency failure to apply veterans preference laws and appeared on behalf of amici curiae in several significant veterans preference cases. From 2005 until her appointment to the bench, Chief Judge Bartley also served as Director of Outreach and Education for the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program. In that capacity, she organized nationwide training classes for lawyers interested in providing pro bono representation to veterans and their survivors before the USCAVC. Prior to her career as a veterans advocate, Chief Judge Bartley served as a judicial law clerk to the late Judge Jonathan R. Steinberg of the USCAVC. Chief Judge Bartley earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Pennsylvania State University in 1981 and a juris doctor degree, cum laude, from the American University Washington College of Law in 1993.

Aside from her many articles on veterans law published in The Veterans Advocate, Chief Judge Bartley is co-author, co-editor, or contributing author of several other articles and publications, including the Veterans Benefits Manual (LexisNexis) (co-author 1999-2010, co-editor 2011- 2012); American Veterans' and Servicemembers' Survival Guide (Veterans for America, 2008) (contributing author); VA Benefits for Low-Income Veterans (Clearinghouse Review, Sept-Oct 2006) (co-author); VA's Obligations Toward Claimants: Analysis of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (Clearinghouse Review, July-August 2001) (co-author); The Elderlaw Portfolio Series: Veterans Benefits for the Elderly (Little, Brown and Company, 1996) (coauthor); and Consideration of Pain and Other Factors in Rating Disabilities (Clearinghouse Review, July-August 1996) (co-author).

Judge Joseph L. Falvey, Jr., was nominated by President Donald J. Trump, confirmed by the Senate, and appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in May 2018.

Before his judicial appointment, Judge Falvey was the District Counsel, Detroit District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As District Counsel, Judge Falvey supervised the District legal staff and was responsible for resolving issues related to statutory and regulatory compliance, government contracting and fiscal law, labor and employment law, environmental law, claims, real property, standards of conduct/ethics, procurement fraud, and litigation. Previously, Judge Falvey served as an Assistant United States Attorney, in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. As a member of the National Security Unit, he was responsible for investigating and prosecuting matters involving national security including matters involving individuals and organizations that engage in foreign counter - intelligence, espionage, and those who plan, financially support, or carry out international and domestic terrorist activities. Before joining the United States Attorney's Office, Judge Falvey was a Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law from 1999 to 2007 and the University of Detroit School of Law from 1994 to 1998, where he taught evidence, trial advocacy, military law, national security law, and criminal law and procedure.

Judge Falvey is also a retired Marine Corps officer who began his military career as an Armor Officer in 1981 and served as a Tank Platoon Commander, Battalion Adjutant, and Anti-Tank (TOW) Company Executive Officer. From 1984 to 1987, he attended law school through the Marine Corps's Funded Legal Education Program. Certified as a Judge Advocate in 1987, Judge Falvey was initially assigned to Camp Pendleton, California, where he served as a prosecutor or defense counsel in more than 250 courts-martial. He also served as the Senior Judge Advocate for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). In 1990, Judge Falvey attended The Judge Advocate General's School of the Army, and he was subsequently assigned as the Deputy Head, Military Law Branch, Judge Advocate Division, Headquarters Marine Corps.

In 1994, Judge Falvey left active duty and continued to serve in the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve. From 1994 to 1998, Judge Falvey was a Special Courts-Martial Judge and presided over more than 100 courts-martial. In 1998, he was assigned as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate for Operational Law at U.S. Central Command, and he was mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In this capacity, he worked closely with various agencies of the U.S. Government on matters related to the Global War on Terrorism and he deployed to Afghanistan in 2002. Judge Falvey subsequently served as an Appellate Judge for the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals. From 2008 to 2010, Judge Falvey served as the Commanding Officer, Marine Forces Reserve, Legal Services Support Section. Judge Falvey retired in 2011 having attained the rank of Colonel. His decorations include the Legion of Merit (with star), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Judge Falvey was selected as both the ABA Outstanding Young Military Lawyer (1990) and the Judge Advocate Association Outstanding Career Judge Advocate (2011).

Judge Falvey holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Notre Dame, a juris doctor, cum laude, from Notre Dame Law School, and a master of laws, Distinguished Graduate, from The Judge Advocate General's School.

Judge Falvey and his wife, Anne, have nine children and they are licensed foster parents who have opened their home to more than a dozen abused and neglected children.

Judge Scott J. Laurer was nominated by President Donald J. Trump, confirmed by the Senate, and in August 2020 he received his judicial commission, becoming a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

Before his judicial appointment, Judge Laurer served as Deputy Legal Counsel to the National Security Council. There he advised senior White House leaders and the staffs of the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council.

Judge Laurer served in the United States Navy for 30 years, retiring from active duty as a captain in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. He supported combat operations as the senior legal advisor for the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group during its historic 10-month deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Southern Watch, and Iraqi Freedom. As a senior officer, Judge Laurer held various distinguished positions including the following: Special Counsel to the Chief of Naval Operations; Commanding Officer, U.S. Region Legal Service Office Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia; Special Legal Advisor to Commander, International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan; Senior Legal Advisor to Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command; and Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

A Woodbury, New Jersey, native, Judge Laurer graduated from Rutgers University. He earned his juris doctor from Temple University School of Law and his master of laws (international law) from The George Washington University Law School.

Judge Amanda L. Meredith was nominated by the President of the United States in June 2017. She subsequently was confirmed by the United States Senate and appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in August 2017.

For more than 12 years prior to her appointment, Judge Meredith worked for the Republican staff of the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Most recently, she served from 2015 to 2017 as the Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel for Chairman Johnny Isakson. She served as General Counsel from 2008 to 2015 and as Benefits Counsel from 2005 to 2008 under Ranking Member Richard Burr and Chairman/Ranking Member Larry Craig. During this time, she was responsible for legislative and oversight activities regarding a wide range of veterans' issues and assisted Members of Congress in enacting numerous laws to help improve the benefits and services for our nation's veterans.

Prior to joining the staff of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Judge Meredith worked for the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims for more than seven years. While at the Court, she served from 2004 to 2005 as the Director of the Court's Task Force for Backlog Reduction, a team of experienced attorneys dedicated to reducing the inventory of pending appeals. From 2000 to 2004, she was the Executive Attorney to Chief Judge Kenneth Kramer, serving as the principal legal advisor to the Chief Judge regarding all judicial functions; supervising the chambers law clerks; and managing the chambers caseload. She served from 1997 to 2000 as a judicial law clerk to Judge Kramer.

Judge Meredith graduated summa cum laude from the University at Buffalo with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and graduated magna cum laude from the University at Buffalo School of Law, where she was a member of the Buffalo Law Review.