Judge Scott J. Laurer
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.
