UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS

Misc. No. 11-10

IN THE MATTER OF THE RETIREMENT OF NORMAN Y. HERRING

Before KASOLD, Chief Judge, and GREENE, HAGEL, MOORMAN, 

LANCE, DAVIS, and SCHOELEN, Judges.

O R D E R

Mr. Norman Y. Herring has served as the Clerk of the Court/Executive Officer of the United States

Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims from December 11, 2000, until his retirement on August 31, 2010. 

During this time, he played a key role in shepherding the Court through a period of tremendous growth and

change with significant and countless contributions to both the Court and the veterans law community.

During Mr. Herring's tenure at the Court, the number of appeals filed annually more than doubled, from

approximately 2,300 appeals filed in 2001 to over 4,700 in 2009. Through his resourcefulness, energy, and

dedication, he not only oversaw numerous innovations that ensured that the Court operated smoothly and

efficiently during this growth spurt, but he also developed appellate court "best practices" to improve the way

business was conducted at the Court. With great initiative Mr. Herring paved the Court's path into the

electronic age. He executed the adoption of a Case Management/Electronic Case Filing system, the creation

of the Court's first electronic Chambers' Case Management System, a restructured and more user-friendly

Website, and the inception of the Court's Intranet. Additionally, he was influential in bringing about

extensive changes to the Court's pre-briefing conference process conducted by the Court's Central Legal

Staff, resulting in disposition of many cases before briefing and submission on the merits. His insightful

planning for renovations to the Court's physical space allowed us to comfortably and professionally

accommodate a growing staff. 

Mr. Herring's close and responsive coordination with members of Congressional staff was instrumental

in ensuring that the Court's needs were fully understood by Congress, which effort helped develop and

maintain support for the Court's annual appropriations and several Court legislative initiatives, including the

efforts to secure a permanent courthouse. Further, he often served as the public face and voice of the Court

at outreach programs and training seminars conducted throughout the country. 

Mr. Herring's competence and willingness to take on and carry out any worthwhile task earned him the

reputation of a trusted and insightful advisor. He is a man of many talents who has shared his wisdom,

loyalty, and dedication not only with his Court family, but with his community as well. He has been

recognized, primarily for his work through Rotary International, for spearheading and bringing to fruition

humanitarian projects both locally and throughout the world. Although he will be missed at the Court, Mr.

Herrings's great attention to detail and keen organizational skills have made the paths of transition smooth

ones for all who follow in his footsteps. 

Upon consideration of the foregoing, it is

ORDERED that upon retirement, Mr. Norman Y. Herring will take with him our gratitude for the many

contributions he has made to the Court, our admiration for his dedicated public service, the warmth of our

continued friendship, and our best wishes for all of his future endeavors.

DATED: August 31, 2010 PER CURIAM.