Heritage Foundation suspends law clerk training academy

The Heritage Foundation announced Thursday it is suspending its law clerk training academy hours after The New York Times reported ethical concerns over certain student requirements.

The New York Times reported that application materials for the program said generous donors were making a significant financial investment in each attendee and students in return were required to promise to keep the program’s teaching materials secret and pledge not to use what they learned “for any purpose contrary to the mission or interest of the Heritage Foundation.”

{mosads}The wording troubled many in the legal community since law clerks are known to help judges draft their opinions. Some on Twitter vowed to stop speaking at events hosted by the group.

“I’ve spoken at Heritage Foundation events for many years. Assuming this report is true and such a program actually exists, no longer. I hope others will join me,” tweeted Neal Katyal, a former acting solicitor general under President Obama.

By Thursday afternoon, the Heritage Foundation had suspended its program.

“Heritage is reevaluating the Federal Clerkship Training Academy. As a result, the program will not go on as scheduled,” Greg Scott, the director of media at The Heritage Foundation, said in a statement.

Heritage was one of the conservative legal groups that helped President Trump gather his shortlist of potential Supreme Court nominees and find candidates for judicial openings in the lower courts.