From classroom to chambers, graduates of Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law continue to secure some of the nation’s most competitive judicial clerkships—earning positions in courts spanning Alabama, New York and the federal judiciary.
This year, six recent alumni will serve judges at every level of the legal system, from trial courts to appellate courts and state high courts. Together, their placements reflect both the depth of Cumberland’s advocacy training and its longstanding pipeline into judicial service.
Among them, Tanner Freise, JD ’26, will clerk for Judge Chris Hawkins of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Alabama. Amelia Collins, JD ’26, and Nick Treglia, JD ’26, will join the Supreme Court of Alabama, clerking for Justice Greg Cook and Justice Will Sellers, respectively. Justin Martin, JD ’26, will serve Judge Matt Fridy, JD ’01, on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, while Justin St. Amour, JD ’25, heads to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York to clerk for Judge Jil Mazer-Marino.
These graduates join a growing network of Cumberland alumni working in judicial chambers across the country—an experience widely regarded as one of the most valuable early steps in a legal career.
For Taylor Neill, JD ’24, that experience has already spanned multiple federal courts. Neill is currently completing a clerkship with Judge Ed Carnes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, following an earlier clerkship with Judge Austin Huffaker of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
“My federal clerkships provided an invaluable opportunity to observe the judicial process firsthand at both the trial and appellate levels,” Neill said. “Cumberland prepared me well to begin my legal career in service to the judiciary.”
Neill credits courses such as Legal Writing, Legislation, Appellate Advocacy and Federal Courts with building the foundation needed to succeed from day one—skills that remain central to the clerkship experience.
Judicial clerkships are among the most sought-after opportunities available to new law graduates. Selected through a highly competitive application process, clerks work closely with judges on critical aspects of the decision-making process, including conducting legal research, analyzing briefs and assisting with the drafting of opinions.
Cumberland faculty and staff play an active role in helping students pursue these opportunities, offering individualized guidance on applications, writing samples and interviews while connecting students with judges and alumni nationwide.
For this year’s graduates, the transition from law student to law clerk marks not just a professional milestone, but the beginning of a deeper engagement with the legal system—one that places them at the center of how the law is interpreted, applied and shaped.
Learn more about Cumberland School of Law’s judicial clerkships program.
