The predecessor to the Lidar Working Group was the NASA Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS) Science Team which was established in 1989 to oversee the development of the LAWS instrument, a DWL in the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) program. Budgetary pressure on the EOS program was a key factor in the deselection of the LAWS instrument and science team from EOS in early 1994. The Lidar Working Group was subsequently established in 1994.

• February 1-3, 1994, Clearwater, Florida
• July 12-14, 1994, Huntsville, Alabama
• January 31-February 2, 1995, Clearwater, Florida
• July 19-21, 1995, Frisco, Colorado
• February 7-9, 1996, Daytona Beach, Florida
• July 10-12, 1996, Frisco, Colorado
• January 21-23, 1997, Daytona Beach, Florida
• July 15-17, 1997, Northglenn, Colorado
• January 20-22, 1998, Key West, Florida
• July 13-16, 1998, Boulder, Colorado
• January 19-22, 1999, Key West, Florida
• July 6-9, 1999, Mount Hood, Oregon
• January 26-28, 2000, Daytona Beach, Florida
• June 21-23, 2000, Boulder, Colorado
• February 7-9, 2001, Oxnard California
• July 25-27, 2001, Frisco, Colorado
• January 23-25, 2002, Key West, Florida
• July 15-18, 2002, North Conway, New Hampshire
• February 17-19, 2003, Oxnard, California
• June 23-25, 2003, Bar Harbor, Maine
• January 27-29, 2004, Sedona, Arizona
• June 29-July 1, 2004, Frisco, Colorado
• February 1-3, 2005, Sedona, Arizona
• June 28-July 1, 2005, Welches, Oregon
• January 17-20, 2006, Key West, Florida
• June 27-30, 2006, Welches, Oregon
• January 6-9, 2007, Miami, Florida
• July 17-20, 2007, Snowmass, Colorado
• February 5-8, 2008, Monterey, California
• July 8-11, 2008, Wintergreen, Virginia
• January 27-30, 2009, Destin, Florida
• June 16-19, 2009, Wintergreen, Virginia
• February 1-5, 2010, Destin, Florida
• August 24-26, 2010, Bar Harbor, Maine
• February 8-11, 2011, Coconut Grove, Florida
• May 1-2, 2012 in Coconut Grove, Miami