Retired United States District Judge (Chief Judge, Northern District of Alabama), Professor of Law, Practicing Attorney
For more than twenty-six years, Scott Coogler served on both the State and Federal bench. In 1999 he was elected Alabama Circuit Court Judge ultimately serving as the presiding judge of that circuit. Coogler was appointed U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Alabama in 2003 and served as Chief Judge of the District from January 2020 through December of 2023. In October of 2019, Coogler was elected by the judges of the Eleventh Circuit to sit as their District Judge Member on the Judicial Conference of the United States. In October 2019, the Chief Justice appointed him to the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States where he served through September 2024.
Coogler served on many leadership positions with the United States Courts. Some of these include:
Judicial Planning Coordinator for the Judicial Conference of the United States CourtsJanuary 2023 to September 2024
Chairman of the Virtual Judiciary Operations Subgroup of the National COVID-19 Task Force for the Federal Judiciary (VJOS)2020 to 2022
Judicial Conference of the United States Courts Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction, Executive Committee Member LiaisonNovember 2019 to 2022
Judicial Conference of the United States Courts Committee on the Budget, MemberMarch 2018 to October 2019
Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit, MemberJanuary 2020 to January 2024
Executive Committee of the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit, MemberJanuary 2020 to January 2024
Federal Public Defender Committee of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Member2010 to 2024
Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, MemberJanuary 2016 to 2024
Coogler continues to teach at the University of Alabama School of Law where he holds the position of Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Law. Since retiring from the bench in 2025, he has accepted Special Master appointments as well as successfully mediated complex, multi-party and high-stakes matters in both state and federal courts across the country.
Practice Areas
Special MasterCourt-appointed oversight of complex litigation & multi-party case management
MediationComplex, multi-party, and high-stakes civil & multidistrict dispute resolution
ArbitrationBinding & non-binding resolution across commercial and civil matters
Of CounselStrategic legal guidance for firms & businesses on a flexible basis