Ember Jones

Ember Jones

Biography

Ember Jones is a second-year Cheatham-White Scholar at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), where he majors in political science and minors in criminal justice. His academic interests focus on American politics and the institutions that shape political behavior. A lifelong interest in the judicial system sparked his passion for studying the political and legal forces that influence society. At NCCU, Ember is involved in the Mock Trial and Debate Team, Students in Public Service, and the Political Science Club. His research experience includes examining elitism in the Supreme Court clerkship process, the role of the Federalist Society among former SCOTUS clerks, and the motivations of protesters participating in demonstrations in North Carolina. These projects have strengthened his analytical and research skills while deepening his understanding of political institutions and behavior. Ember plans to pursue a PhD, and potentially a JD-PhD, to contribute to research in American politics.

The Presence of the Federalist Society Among Supreme Court Clerks
Ember Jones
Department of Political Science, North Carolina Central University
Department of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The legal profession has long debated whether Supreme Court clerkships are awarded primarily on merit or ideological networks. Previous research has examined feeder judges, elite law schools, and personal connections; however, the Federalist Society’s role in the Supreme Court clerkship pipeline remains poorly understood. This project examines whether publicly identifiable Federalist Society affiliation is disproportionately represented among Supreme Court clerks serving conservative justices between 2000 and 2025. Anecdotally, it is frequently argued that the Federalist Society is influential in the conservative legal pipeline; however, systematic evidence is limited. This study addresses that gap by measuring publicly identifiable affiliation over 25 years, contributing empirical evidence to debates about ideological sorting in the judiciary. Using publicly available records, I will compile Supreme Court clerk data from 2000-2025 and code Federalist Society affiliation into three categories: participation in one event, multiple events or confirmed membership, and confirmed leadership positions. I will compare affiliation rates across justices using Martin–Quinn ideology scores. Data collection is currently underway. This research will provide one of the first systematic measures of Federalist Society representation in Supreme Court clerkships and a foundation for future research on clerkship selection.