09 Sep 2022
John L. Rockenbach, ’19, has been appointed as a 2022-2023 Fellow assigned to the Supreme Court of the United States where he will serve in the Office of the Counselor to the Chief Justice.
Prior to this appointment, Rockenbach was the Si Karas Fellow for the Office of the Solicitor General in the State of Ohio. Rockenbach previously clerked for Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and for Judge David R. Stras of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
The Supreme Court Fellow Program offers mid-career professionals, recent law graduates, and doctoral degree holders from the law and political science fields an opportunity to broaden their understanding of the judicial system through exposure to federal court administration.
In addition to the responsibilities of working in the Office of the Counselor to the Chief Justice, Rockenbach will also engage in a variety of activities, including:
- A Supreme Court Preview conference to learn about cases for the upcoming Term.
- Gallery seating at Supreme Court oral argument and non-argument sessions.
- Luncheon seminars sponsored by the Counselor to the Chief Justice, featuring speakers such as the Solicitor General, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and the White House Counsel.
- Meetings with various jurists and senior judicial administrators.
- Supreme Court Historical Society events, including an annual lecture series on Supreme Court history presented by distinguished scholars.
- Other programs hosted by the judiciary, the Smithsonian, and various government and non-profit institutions.
While serving a year-long appointment in Washington, D.C., Rockenbach will also produce a publishable-quality work of scholarship that he will present to senior judicial administrators and federal judges.