Which current Supreme Court justices attended Harvard?
I'm currently compiling a list of colleges attended by Supreme Court justices, and I'm specifically curious about Harvard. I know some of the justices have Harvard Law backgrounds, but I'm not exactly sure who.
If anyone knows which current (or even recent former) Supreme Court justices went to Harvard, either for undergrad or law school, could you let me know? Also, is Harvard really that much of a pipeline for the Supreme Court, or do they come from a broader range of schools than it seems? I'm fascinated by how much alma mater matters in this context.
If anyone knows which current (or even recent former) Supreme Court justices went to Harvard, either for undergrad or law school, could you let me know? Also, is Harvard really that much of a pipeline for the Supreme Court, or do they come from a broader range of schools than it seems? I'm fascinated by how much alma mater matters in this context.
2 months ago
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61 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 2 months ago
Advisor
Several current Supreme Court justices have Harvard connections, primarily through Harvard Law School. As of 2025, these justices with Harvard backgrounds include:
- John Roberts (Chief Justice): He graduated from Harvard College (undergraduate) and Harvard Law School.
- Elena Kagan: She earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School and later served as its dean before joining the Court.
- Neil Gorsuch: He attended Harvard Law School for his J.D.
Harvard Law does have a remarkable legacy as a Supreme Court "pipeline," but it's not the only one. Yale Law is also prominent. While in the past justices might have come from a wider array of institutions, the trend in recent decades is that the majority of justices come from just a few elite law schools, mainly Harvard and Yale. For undergrad, there’s a bit more variety, but the clustering at top-tier schools remains significant.
- John Roberts (Chief Justice): He graduated from Harvard College (undergraduate) and Harvard Law School.
- Elena Kagan: She earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School and later served as its dean before joining the Court.
- Neil Gorsuch: He attended Harvard Law School for his J.D.
Harvard Law does have a remarkable legacy as a Supreme Court "pipeline," but it's not the only one. Yale Law is also prominent. While in the past justices might have come from a wider array of institutions, the trend in recent decades is that the majority of justices come from just a few elite law schools, mainly Harvard and Yale. For undergrad, there’s a bit more variety, but the clustering at top-tier schools remains significant.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years