If President Donald Trump nominates Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court and he is confirmed, he will be the fourth justice on the court to have served previously as a high court law clerk—a record number on the nine-member court.
Joining Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan, Gorsuch’s ascension would be another marker of the growing glitter and prestige of Supreme Court clerks. Not only can they command hiring bonuses of $300,000 at law firms eager for the cachet of a Supreme Court practice, but they also have a shot at someday returning to the court as a justice. Nine of Trump’s 21 announced possible nominees were once Supreme Court law clerks—including Raymond Kethledge, another leading contender.
