Jones Day adds seven U.S. Supreme Court clerks from the October 2021 Term

The Firm has announced the addition of seven former U.S. Supreme Court clerks from the October 2021 Term to the Issues & Appeals Practice, across four different offices, as associates. Jones Day has recruited 78 U.S. Supreme Court clerks since the October 2011 Term.

"We are proud to welcome seven U.S. Supreme Court clerks who will be resident in four different Jones Day offices," said Traci L. Lovitt, leader of the Firm's Issues & Appeals Practice. "The depth of their legal knowledge, coupled with their Supreme Court experience, adds to the already strong bench of our practice."

Noel Francisco, former U.S. Solicitor General and Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day's Washington Office, added, "The hallmark of our Issues & Appeals Practice is to take on the most complex challenges facing our clients, and our cadre of outstanding associates is critical to that effort. These seven former clerks will further contribute to the strength and tenaciousness of our Supreme Court practice."

The new arrivals, office locations, the Justices for whom they clerked, their law schools, prior clerkships, and previous roles are as follows:

• Alexa Baltes will be based in the  Washington Office. Ms. Baltes clerked for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh and graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School. Prior to her Supreme Court clerkship, Ms. Baltes was an associate at a law firm in Washington, D.C. (2019–2021); a Judicial Clerk for Hon. Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (2018–2019); and Hon. Raymond W. Gruender, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (2017-2018).
• Louis Capozzi III will be based in the  Washington Office. Mr. Capozzi clerked for Justice Neil M. Gorsuch and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Prior to his Supreme Court clerkship, Mr. Capozzi was a Judicial Clerk for Hon. J. Harvie Wilkinson III, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2020-2021); and Hon. Anthony J. Scirica, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (2019-2020).
• T. Elliot Gaiser is based in the  Columbus Office. Mr. Gaiser clerked for Justice Samuel A. Alito and graduated from The University of Chicago Law School. Prior to his Supreme Court clerkship, Mr. Gaiser was an associate at two law firms in Washington, D.C. (2019-2021) and (2017-2019). He was a Judicial Clerk for Hon. Neomi Rao, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2019); and Hon. Edith H. Jones, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (2016-2017).
• Michael Heckmann will be based in the  Washington Office. Mr. Heckmann clerked for Justice Amy Coney Barrett and graduated from The University of Chicago Law School. Prior to his Supreme Court clerkship, Mr. Heckmann was an associate at two law firms in Washington, D.C. (2019-2021) and (2017-2018). He was a Judicial Clerk for Hon. Amy Coney Barrett, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (2018–2019); and Hon. Stanley Marcus, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (2016-2017).
• Shelby Baird Smith will be based in the  Pittsburgh Office. Ms. Smith clerked for Justice Samuel A. Alito and graduated from Duke University School of Law. Prior to her Supreme Court clerkship, Ms. Smith was an associate at a law firm in Washington, D.C. (2019-2021). She was a Judicial Clerk for Hon. Thomas M. Hardiman, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (2018-2019).
• John Henry Thompson will be based in the  Washington Office. Mr. Thompson clerked for Justice Neil M. Gorsuch and graduated from The University of Chicago Law School. Prior to his Supreme Court clerkship, Mr. Thompson was a Bristow Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General (2020-2021). He was a Judicial Clerk for Hon. Thomas B. Griffith, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (2019-2020); and Hon. Diane S. Sykes, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (2018-2019).
• Sarah Welch will be based in the  Cleveland Office. Ms. Welch clerked for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh and graduated from The University of Chicago Law School. Prior to her Supreme Court clerkship, Ms. Welch was a Judicial Clerk for Hon. William H. Pryor Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (2020-2021); and Hon. Jeffrey S. Sutton, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (2019-2020). Ms. Welch was a Phillips Fellow in the Office of the Solicitor General (2019).