Brandeis Law professor reflects on clerkship for Supreme Court nominee

July 31, 2018

Brandeis School of Law Professor Justin Walker has a unique perspective on the recent changes to the makeup of the United States Supreme Court.

A former clerk for retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, Walker also clerked for Judge Brett Kavanaugh, nominated last month by President Donald Trump to fill Kennedy's seat.

[caption id="attachment_43268" align="alignleft" width="200"] Professor Walker was in attendance at the White House for Judge Kavanaugh's nomination.[/caption]

At Judge Kavanaugh's request, Walker was in attendance at the White House for the nomination announcement on July 9, 2018.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment to be in the East Room, to see a justice nominated, and for that person to be someone I admire so much as a jurist and as a mentor and as a person," Walker said.

"I loved seeing him up there with his wife and two little girls, whom he adores. It was also special to see his dad and trailblazing mom sitting in the front row, looking beyond proud. I felt excited for all of them, honored to be there and hopeful about the independence and fair-mindedness he’s going to bring to the Supreme Court."

Walker has been featured in several local and national media outlets about Judge Kavanaugh's nomination and his experiences working for both men.

In interviews, Walker states that he believes Judge Kavanaugh would be an open-minded justice.

"He’ll care about what the text of the law requires a judge to do," Walker says in a Courier-Journal article. "He will not care about partisan political issues and outcomes."

Walker has also said that Judge Kavanaugh would remain true to his conservative principles.

“I would bet the farm that Judge Kavanaugh would not go wobbly” on key conservative issues, Walker said in an interview with The National Law Journal. “He doesn’t have a wobbly bone in his body.”

On a personal level, Walker has praised Judge Kavanaugh's work ethic and collegial nature.

“Whatever the opposite of a Georgetown cocktail party person is, that’s what Judge Kavanaugh is,” he told The New York Times. “He’d much rather have a beer and watch a hockey game.”

See a list of Walker's media appearances:

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