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Alabama Law Alumna Earns Supreme Court Clerkship with Justice Thomas

October 27, 2021

Caroline Stephens sitting on a bench

Caroline Stephens Milner (’18) has been selected to clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas during a soon-to-be determined term.

Milner is the first Alabama Law graduate to earn a SCOTUS clerkship since Charles Cooper, founding member and the chairman of Cooper & Kirk in Washington D.C., clerked for Justice William H. Rehnquist from 1978-1979.

Looking forward to her clerkship, Milner shared, “I’m truly honored by this opportunity, and I’m going to work very hard to do whatever I can to assist Justice Thomas.”

Until her clerkship begins, Milner will be working for Kirkland and Ellis in Washington D.C. Previously, she clerked for Chief Judge William H. Pryor, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, served as an associate at Bass, Berry & Sims in Nashville, TN, and clerked for Judge Neomi Rao, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

When asked about working with Milner, Judge Pryor said, “She is a delightful person and a great example of the high-caliber students who attend Alabama Law. They can compete with the best from any elite school. When Caroline clerked for me, her co-clerks (who were also excellent clerks) came from Yale and Chicago—and she was every bit as able as they were.”

Judge Pryor also expressed his excitement for Milner’s family —specifically referencing her father Harold Stephens (‘80) and sister Jordan Hennig (‘15) who both are Alabama Law alumni and work for major law firms in Huntsville, AL.


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