It is difficult to overstate the significance of having a well-qualified, experienced Chickasaw such as Ms. Young serving as a Supreme Court clerk. Justice Gorsuch is well respected by tribal leaders for his understanding of tribal sovereignty and Indian law. His decision to select a Native American to serve as clerk underscores his appreciation of the importance of the Native perspective on Indian law.

— Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, commenting on Justice Neil Gorsuch’s decision to hire Tobi Young, an American Indian lawyer, as one of his clerks for the Supreme Court’s upcoming term. Young is also the first female graduate of her law school, the University of Mississippi School of Law, to be hired as a Supreme Court clerk.

Staci Zaretsky has been an editor at Above the Law since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.