James D. Ridgway

James D. Ridgway serves as a Professorial Lecturer in Law at The George Washington University Law School. Concurrently, he is of counsel at Bergmann & Moore and Director of Programs and Training for the American Legion, where he develops a national training program for service officers assisting veterans with VA benefits claims. His scholarly contributions include the book "Veterans Law: Cases and Theory" and numerous articles, with citations from the Solicitor General to the Supreme Court, Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Congress, and Jon Stewart on the Daily Show.

His educational background includes:

• BS from the College of William & Mary
• JD from the University of Virginia

Ridgway's research centers on Veterans Law, Appellate Advocacy, Argument Theory, and Veterans Benefits History. His work bridges legal theory and veterans' rights advocacy, emphasizing procedural frameworks for VA claims. He has significantly influenced veterans law discourse through practical applications in training programs and legal scholarship.

Professionally, he served as a judge on the Board of Veterans' Appeals (2012-2017), holding leadership roles as Chief of Strategy, Innovation, and Programs (2016-2017) and Chief of Policy and Procedure (2012-2016). Earlier, he clerked for Judges Kenneth Kramer and Alan G. Lance, Sr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and worked as an assistant state's attorney in Chicago while teaching appellate advocacy at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

He maintains active leadership in veterans law organizations:

• President of the CAVC Bar Association
• Co-chair of Federal Circuit Bar Association’s Veterans Appeals Committee
• Editor-in-chief of Veterans Law Journal
• Founder of VeteransLawLibrary.com
• Co-founder of National Veterans Law Moot Court Competition
• Founding member of CAVC Historical Society