Interview Prep

Best and Worst SCOTUS Decisions

Best: Loper Bright - bias - see how it will be applied - interested to see how mining case PLF has will go

Worst: so many options so I’ll keep it to within the last 50 years - Kelo

Favorite SCOTUS Justice

Clarence Thomas - love some of his dissents like that in Gonzalez but personal story is great and he sits in front of me at mass so I have to say him right

but older justices, I would say maybe Pierce Butler - dissent in Palko (double jeopardy), majority in Pierce v. Society of Sisters (private schools) or his lone dissent in Buck v Bell or dissent in Olmstead

Why PLF

• #1 Mission-driven work: Working there provides the chance to contribute to meaningful causes that protect the rights of individuals against government overreach

  • LJC because its litigation focuses on protecting economic and educational liberty through challenges to government overreach—the same issues I’ve worked on in both policy and litigation settings.

    While contributing to the Alabama Policy Institute, I touched on some education policy issues which sparked an interest in educational freedom not just as a policy goal, but as a legal problem that turns on statutory limits and structural constitutional constraints.

    When I was looking into LJC I was drawn to Chino Unified School District v. Newsom, because of how it aligned with those interests and came at it from both a structural argument about local power and an equal protection argument about the interference with the parent-child relationship

• intellectual rigor: issues that are complex and intellectually stimulating

Why the Law Clerk Program

• hands on experience: refining legal writing, research and critical thinking skills while having the opportunity to contribute to such impactful work

• mentorship: gaining insight into the strategy and intricacies of public interest litigation

What does libertarianism mean to you - most and least libertarian opinion

advocating for policies that prioritize individual freedom, limit government power, protect property rights, and promote economic opportunity. Their work is grounded in the belief that the government should not infringe on people’s ability to make their own choices, and they see the law as a powerful tool to defend those freedoms against overreach.

most: privatizing all roads least: drug policy - addiction is a disease and its harder to overcome that when access is made easier

Long and Short Term Plans

- short term plans are to do well and finish law school. ive really enjoyed my level of involvement with fedsoc so looking to stay pretty involved there. i am continuing to serve as a research assistant for professor claeys through the rest of law school which i’ve really enjoyed - mentorship and learning more about property rights theory. taking education law, land use, environmental law, employment law, legislative drafting this semester which i am excited for. im going to be joining the nationals team for moot court so im excited to continue in those competitions

- long term plans are to do a clerkship, ideally federally, then after that I would love to stay involved with the liberty movement in the legal space here in the DC area.

Why did you go to law school?

- intellectual rigor – debate, being challenged on your ideas by your peers and even professors. But also just complexity of the readings and ideas themselves I have really enjoyed

- more cheesy answer of feeling like it’s a profession that allows you to make an impact – a law degree is a powerful tool in being able to make the changes that you want to see

How would family and friends describe you?

I hope they would describe be as kind and genuine. Someone who takes an interest in other people and wants to do the best that they can for them.

I hope they would describe me as diligent, efficient, and precise and passionate about making a difference in the way that I can

Describe a time you got someone to change their mind

Small conversations, not debating someone in an aggressive fashion but engaging with their ideas, time – changed a friend’s opinion on Chevron deference

Describe and give an example of a conflict or work in a team setting

So the most recent thing that comes to mind is by study group from law school. We all had our roles in what we were doing and then scheduled times to meet and discuss everything to make sure we were in agreement of our interpretations of different concepts for the exam. So the keys there for us were communication (clear roles, clear times, and also just robust discussions on concepts), the collaboration of the group was really great because we all learned something from the other

Last Book you read that was not legal

Locke by Edward Feser – it is a critique of Locke’s ideas primarily. It was recommended to me by someone who has a lot of disagreements with Locke’s ideas, so I read it to try to understand their perspective on it more. I still nearly entirely disagree with his opinion, but I found it interesting and informative nonetheless.

Strength and Weakness

One weakness I’ve been working on is knowing when to ask for help. Sometimes, I try to solve problems on my own before reaching out, because I want to figure things out independently. However, I’ve realized that seeking input from colleagues earlier in the process can often lead to quicker and more efficient solutions. I’ve been actively working on being more open about asking for help when needed, and it's improved both my efficiency and my collaboration with others.”

 

My greatest strength is my ability to adapt quickly to new challenges. I thrive in environments that require creative problem-solving and collaboration. Whether it’s learning new software or adjusting to a new team dynamic, I embrace change and take it as an opportunity to grow and improve."

Something not on your resume

Something not on my resume: my involvement in my church is really important to me. my faith has helped me develop strong values around service, compassion, and ethical decision-making, which I bring to both my personal and professional life. It also gives me a sense of balance and purpose, which helps me stay grounded in challenging situations.

What makes someone a good fit for this role

- Driven by the mission of advocating for individual rights – it’s a lot easier to be good at your job when you really believe in it.

- Commitment to integrity – at the practical level, someone who works at LJC should have integrity so that when they bring an argument to someone, they can trust that it is coming from the right place. But it’s also important from the aspect of individual rights – that is a lot of responsibility and we have to own our actions in that sense.

- Research, analysis and writing skills are critical to performing well in the position by supporting attorneys and ultimately clients in presenting the best case that they can

Describe a time you made a mistake

I once made the mistake of not speaking up quickly enough during a study group session for an upcoming exam. We were reviewing a complex area of contract law, and one of my group members explained a concept that I realized didn’t quite align with what we had learned in class. I hesitated to speak up, thinking it was a minor detail that could be clarified later, but as the session went on, it became clear that the misunderstanding was affecting our study plan and the way we were approaching other concepts.

By the time I brought it up, we had already spent a lot of time going down the wrong path, and we had to regroup and rework some of our study materials. This experience taught me the importance of addressing potential issues early, especially when it comes to understanding critical concepts.

Current SCOTUS case interested in

this will sound like pandering but the tariffs case is going to be really interesting to see the outcome of from a SOP standpoint. Somin talked about it in class - I have him again this semester so I am sure I will continue to hear more about it there.

How did you learn about PLF

Tariffs case from Somin but then FedSoc hiring announcements

Tell me about yourself

I am from South Carolina, but I went to college in Alabama and moved up to DC a little over a year ago after having lived here on and off for a few years. I am currently a law student at George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School about to start the second semester of my second year. At Scalia, what takes up most of my time apart from classes is my involvement with the federalist society, moot court, and serving as a RA for Professor Claeys. I’ve really enjoyed all of those experiences and the combination of practical and academic experience I’ve recieved from them.

Generally, I have always been drawn to impact litigation which is what has shaped my career path. That interest really sparked when I was at Cato - Loper Bright - solidifed while I was at API. Continued from there. Loved my experience at PLF getting to do exactly that, so I am continuing down the path of looking for opporutnties where my skills can contribute to that.

criticism and response

While working as a research assistant, I once submitted a draft that was technically correct but far too dense and academic for the audience it was intended for. The feedback was that my analysis needed clearer framing and stronger signposting so that the core argument was obvious to a reader who wasn’t already immersed in the literature.

I went back and restructured the piece—leading with the conclusion, tightening the doctrinal discussion, and cutting sections that didn’t advance the argument. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to clarify the audience and purpose before drafting, and I actively ask for early feedback on structure rather than just substance.

supervision style

I work best with clear expectations and periodic check-ins, but I’m comfortable working independently once I understand the goal and constraints of a project. I appreciate supervisors who are willing to give candid feedback early, especially on framing and strategy, rather than waiting until the end.

In past roles, I’ve found that a balance—initial guidance, room to think through problems on my own, and then targeted feedback—produces my strongest work and helps me improve quickly

what does liberty mean to you

To me, liberty means having meaningful protection against arbitrary government power—especially in areas where individuals and families rely on stable rules to make long-term decisions. It’s not just about freedom from regulation, but about ensuring that government acts within lawful limits and respects the roles of individuals, families, and local institutions.

That’s why I’m drawn to cases involving property rights, educational freedom, and separation of powers. When those limits break down, people lose not only autonomy but predictability and trust in the legal system. Protecting liberty, in my view, is about preserving those structural safeguards so individuals can plan and live freely within a stable legal framework.

questions for her

what does someone most often struggle with in this role

where can legal interns add the most value to you

what kind of work is often assigned to legal interns

how/how often is feedback given

what do you enjoy most about being at LJC and what drew you there from your previous work