Stepping up to the Supreme Court

In October, philosophy alumnus John Macy began a yearlong clerkship for United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito.

Calling to the bench…John Macy, B.A. Philosophy ’19, in a manner of speaking. In October, Macy began clerking for United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito. As a law clerk, he will assist Justice Alito in determining legal options for the cases that reach the U.S. Supreme Court by conducting research through all manner of court records, files and documents.

“To be a small part of an institution that has had such an enormous impact on our country is an indescribable honor,” said Macy. “In the sphere of my career and honestly my entire life, this is one of the best opportunities that I could be afforded, and I feel just insanely lucky and grateful.”

Digging through old texts is a skill Macy developed while attending UAA when he was a philosophy major. Born and raised in Anchorage, he originally wanted to be a Catholic priest as he was inspired by a strong sense of community service. To achieve that goal, Macy decided to pursue an undergraduate degree in philosophy before joining the seminary.

During his junior year, Macy joined the Seawolf Debate team where he was introduced to the finer points of public policy. That introduction piqued his interest, inspiring him to enroll in some legal classes. One of those classes focused on the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, the landmark settlement that resulted in the creation of 12 Alaska Native regional corporations and more than 200 local village corporations.

“That class really opened my eyes to how law can be used as a powerful social engineering tool to solve difficult problems,” said Macy.

In addition to the learning material, Macy credits the people of UAA, Anchorage and Alaska in general for immersing him in a plethora of diverse perspectives, all of which are impacted by the legal system. This holistic insight not only helped him succeed in law school, but is benefitting him now in the U.S. Supreme Court and will continue to aid him in the future as an eventual attorney.

“UAA taught me how important it is to immerse yourself with people who are from different backgrounds and to pull from different sources,” said Macy. “At a lot of universities, you’re surrounded by a demographic quite similar to yourself. Whereas at UAA, the broad base of life experience that I got secondhand gave me a much better perspective on life. If you’re not on the ground, you’re going to have blind spots. You’re not going to understand how constituencies will be affected by laws and statutes. You’re not going to have a good understanding of how decisions will impact the community.”

After graduating from UAA with his bachelor’s degree, Macy went on to attend the Duke University School of Law in Durham, North Carolina, on a full-ride scholarship. While there, he enrolled in a seminar titled Current Issues in Constitutional Interpretation, which was taught by his eventual boss, Justice Alito. Knowing that serving as a law clerk is part of the career trajectory in the legal field, Macy applied to clerk for Justice Alito after graduating from Duke in 2022.

Figuring he was not up for consideration in the U.S. Supreme Court, Macy took on a variety of positions at several law firms, including serving as a law clerk for Judge Justin Walker in the U.S. Court of Appeals D.C. Circuit. However, one year after he applied, Macy got a call from Justice Alito’s chambers.

Traveling to Washington, D.C., Macy had a 45-minute conversation with Justice Alito that he called “casual, surreal and amazing.” It would be another five months before Macy would hear back to be offered the position.

Now in his yearlong clerkship, Macy is sure that he will eventually get used to working in the hallowed halls of the U.S. Supreme Court, where so many landmark cases shaping American life have been decided. Afterward, Macy hopes to return to Alaska, not only to use his legal education and experience for the benefit of the community, but to also advocate for another institution that was integral in his journey.

“UAA plays such a valuable role as an accessible university that provides great opportunities for people in our community,” said Macy. “I’ve talked to people who went to institutions all over the country, and I’ve competed against them, whether it was in debate, law school or for the most competitive jobs in the legal profession, and I can say that UAA is a special place and I’m grateful for my time there.”