GW Law alumnus, C’Zar Bernstein, JD ‘20, will serve as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the October 2025 term.
The clerkship will be Bernstein’s third since graduating from GW Law. He previously clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces for Judge Gregory Maggs, a former GW Law professor and interim Dean. The following year, he clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit for Judge William Pryor.
Bernstein impressed Judge Maggs during his clerkship. According to Maggs, he is a “clear thinker,” who excels in logical reasoning and clear logical expression. “He excelled in everything he did,” Maggs said of Bernstein’s clerkship in his chambers, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic when court operations were done remotely. “It was an exemplary performance in the most challenging of years, and there’s no better way to describe it.”
Bernstein said he is “very honored” to be selected for a clerkship with Justice Thomas. It is a prestigious accomplishment to be chosen for a U.S. Supreme Court clerkship. Each Supreme Court Justice only chooses four clerks each term out of hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants.
In addition to his judicial mentors, Bernstein credits GW Law for preparing and encouraging him to pursue a clerkship with Justice Thomas. Bernstein, who has a background in philosophy, was still unsure about what kind of law career, if any, he wanted to have when he started his 1L classes. But a contracts class with Maggs helped him get interested in the law and certified that a law career was the right path for him.
Justice Thomas has a long relationship with GW Law School. Bernstein will be the third GW Law graduate to clerk for him on the Supreme Court. In addition, for several years, Justice Thomas co-taught a seminar at GW Law with Judge Maggs and Bernstein was one of the students admitted to the class. Such opportunities were central to his GW Law experience, Bernstein said.
“I had the privilege of taking that class with what would turn out to be my two future bosses–Judge Maggs and Justice Thomas,” Bernstein said. “Being able to learn constitutional law from both of them was really important to me at the time and looking back now.”
Bernstein’s accomplishment is evidence of GW Law’s commitment to providing a “D.C.-infused education,” in which students learn and practice the law in the heart of the country’s capital. In his capacity as co-chair of the Clerkship Committee, Professor Bradford Clark advised Bernstein during his clerkship search. Clark encourages all GW Law students to consider clerking because of the invaluable experience it provides.
“At GW Law, we have a dedicated Clerkship Committee and Career Office counselors focused on helping our students get clerkships at all levels—state, federal, trial, and appellate,” Clark explained.
