Judicial Law Clerk, 31st Circuit Court of Virginia
Peter is a legal professional, receiving his J.D. in 2024 from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. He has experience in both the public and private sectors, having worked as a crime analyst for Memphis Police Department, and a geographic information systems analyst for Geomni, a private aerial imaging firm. He also has experience in historical and geopolitical research and analysis, including a peer-reviewed essay on U.S.-Pakistani relations during the Soviet-Afghan War, published in BYU's journal for undergraduate historical research. He is an American patriot and wants to use his analytical skill to serve his nation and community.
Honor Law Graduate Attorney, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Leo O'Malley graduated, with honors, from the University of Notre Dame School of Law, where he served as a Showcase Team Oralist on the Moot Court Board and the Director of the 2022-23 Religious Freedom Tournament. He recently completed a clerkship with Justice Janine Kern of the South Dakota Supreme Court and is currently clerking on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. He will go on to clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit during the 2027-28 term.
A National Merit Scholarship Recipient, Leo previously graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton College, IL in 2020, with a BS in Applied Mathematics and a BM in Organ Performance. While in high school, Leo performed on classical violin at a competitive level, being recognized at numerous local and national music competitions and participating in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras and the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory. In his free time, Leo enjoys reading fantasy novels and experiencing historical architecture. His passion lies in finding innovative and pragmatic solutions to the political, economic, and societal issues facing America in the 21st Century.
Devon Westhill is the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nomination of Westhill on October 7, 2025.
Westhill returns to the USDA where he previously headed the civil rights office as Deputy Assistant Secretary in President Trump’s first term. His previous government appointments also include service at the U.S. Department of Labor, liaison to the Administrative Conference of the U.S., and liaison to the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Prior to returning to government service, Westhill was President and General Counsel of a nonprofit civil rights organization.
Westhill has testified on civil rights matters before Congress, federal agencies, and as an expert witness in federal court. He has spoken hundreds of times at college campuses, conferences, and on radio and TV programs, and he is frequently quoted in print publications, and his writing has appeared in numerous national outlets. A U.S. Navy veteran, Westhill earned his BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his JD from the University of Florida.
Judicial Law Clerk, 31st Circuit Court of Virginia
Peter is a legal professional, receiving his J.D. in 2024 from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. He has experience in both the public and private sectors, having worked as a crime analyst for Memphis Police Department, and a geographic information systems analyst for Geomni, a private aerial imaging firm. He also has experience in historical and geopolitical research and analysis, including a peer-reviewed essay on U.S.-Pakistani relations during the Soviet-Afghan War, published in BYU's journal for undergraduate historical research. He is an American patriot and wants to use his analytical skill to serve his nation and community.
Honor Law Graduate Attorney, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Leo O'Malley graduated, with honors, from the University of Notre Dame School of Law, where he served as a Showcase Team Oralist on the Moot Court Board and the Director of the 2022-23 Religious Freedom Tournament. He recently completed a clerkship with Justice Janine Kern of the South Dakota Supreme Court and is currently clerking on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. He will go on to clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit during the 2027-28 term.
A National Merit Scholarship Recipient, Leo previously graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton College, IL in 2020, with a BS in Applied Mathematics and a BM in Organ Performance. While in high school, Leo performed on classical violin at a competitive level, being recognized at numerous local and national music competitions and participating in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras and the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory. In his free time, Leo enjoys reading fantasy novels and experiencing historical architecture. His passion lies in finding innovative and pragmatic solutions to the political, economic, and societal issues facing America in the 21st Century.
Devon Westhill is the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nomination of Westhill on October 7, 2025.
Westhill returns to the USDA where he previously headed the civil rights office as Deputy Assistant Secretary in President Trump’s first term. His previous government appointments also include service at the U.S. Department of Labor, liaison to the Administrative Conference of the U.S., and liaison to the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Prior to returning to government service, Westhill was President and General Counsel of a nonprofit civil rights organization.
Westhill has testified on civil rights matters before Congress, federal agencies, and as an expert witness in federal court. He has spoken hundreds of times at college campuses, conferences, and on radio and TV programs, and he is frequently quoted in print publications, and his writing has appeared in numerous national outlets. A U.S. Navy veteran, Westhill earned his BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his JD from the University of Florida.
Judicial Law Clerk, 31st Circuit Court of Virginia
Peter is a legal professional, receiving his J.D. in 2024 from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. He has experience in both the public and private sectors, having worked as a crime analyst for Memphis Police Department, and a geographic information systems analyst for Geomni, a private aerial imaging firm. He also has experience in historical and geopolitical research and analysis, including a peer-reviewed essay on U.S.-Pakistani relations during the Soviet-Afghan War, published in BYU's journal for undergraduate historical research. He is an American patriot and wants to use his analytical skill to serve his nation and community.
Honor Law Graduate Attorney, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Leo O'Malley graduated, with honors, from the University of Notre Dame School of Law, where he served as a Showcase Team Oralist on the Moot Court Board and the Director of the 2022-23 Religious Freedom Tournament. He recently completed a clerkship with Justice Janine Kern of the South Dakota Supreme Court and is currently clerking on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. He will go on to clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit during the 2027-28 term.
A National Merit Scholarship Recipient, Leo previously graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton College, IL in 2020, with a BS in Applied Mathematics and a BM in Organ Performance. While in high school, Leo performed on classical violin at a competitive level, being recognized at numerous local and national music competitions and participating in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras and the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory. In his free time, Leo enjoys reading fantasy novels and experiencing historical architecture. His passion lies in finding innovative and pragmatic solutions to the political, economic, and societal issues facing America in the 21st Century.
Devon Westhill is the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s nomination of Westhill on October 7, 2025.
Westhill returns to the USDA where he previously headed the civil rights office as Deputy Assistant Secretary in President Trump’s first term. His previous government appointments also include service at the U.S. Department of Labor, liaison to the Administrative Conference of the U.S., and liaison to the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Prior to returning to government service, Westhill was President and General Counsel of a nonprofit civil rights organization.
Westhill has testified on civil rights matters before Congress, federal agencies, and as an expert witness in federal court. He has spoken hundreds of times at college campuses, conferences, and on radio and TV programs, and he is frequently quoted in print publications, and his writing has appeared in numerous national outlets. A U.S. Navy veteran, Westhill earned his BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his JD from the University of Florida.
New Voices in Civil Rights: How Universities are Responding to SFFA
Peter Abernathy, Samuel Gellen, Leo O'Malley, Anthony Pericolo, Devon Westhill
Institutions of higher education released demographic data for their first classes admitted after the Supreme...
New Voices in Civil Rights: How Universities are Responding to SFFA
Peter Abernathy, Samuel Gellen, Leo O'Malley, Anthony Pericolo, Devon Westhill
Institutions of higher education released demographic data for their first classes admitted after the Supreme...
New Voices in Civil Rights: How Universities are Responding to SFFA