Louis J. Capozzi III, Esquire

2022 Temple Bar Scholar Report

The Temple Bar Fellowship provided a fascinating inside look into the legal system of the United Kingdom. First, we had the privilege to meet and interact with judges at every level of the judiciary. The highlight of the program, for me, was spending some time at the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. I was attached to the chambers of Robert Reed, the President of the Supreme Court. Lord Reed is a remarkable jurist who possesses great legal knowledge, firm but gentle leadership, and personal warmth. I greatly enjoyed getting to know him.

Second, the fellows were introduced to the four inns of court: Middle Temple, Inner Temple, Lincoln’s Inn, and Gray’s Inn. Considering that our program is sponsored by the American Inns of Court—the ancestor of these great English institutions—this introduction seemed quite fitting. I was struck at how successful the four inns have been in promoting fellowship among members of the bar. If nothing else, like medieval guild halls, they provide a physical space in which lawyers at different stages of their careers can meet and get to know each other. Quite simply, the American legal system lacks a comparable equivalent. In trying to fill that gap, the American Inns of Court is performing a valuable service.

Third, the fellows spent time getting to know practicing English barristers. I spent time at both Blackstone Chambers and Erskine Chambers. I greatly enjoyed interacting with the high-caliber lawyers at both these firms. Something that struck me about these firms is that even young barristers regularly get substantive, in-court experience. This experience helps build well-rounded legal professionals. American firms wishing to make a long-term investment in young legal talent should consider whether it’s possible to replicate such early exposure to the courtroom.

Louis J. Capozzi III, Esquire, is a law clerk to Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch of the Supreme Court of the United States. Previously, he was a law clerk to Judge James Harvie Wilkinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and Judge Anthony J. Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Capozzi earned a summa cum laude undergraduate degree in classics and intellectual history from the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was executive editor of The University of Pennsylvania Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. During law school, he helped research European and Chinese administrative law for a professor.