Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will share a classroom this semester with his former law clerk and GW Law School professor Gregory Maggs.

Thomas, who guest lectured in Maggs’ contracts class last spring, returned to campus this fall to co-teach a constitutional law seminar.

“Based on his experience, Justice Thomas inquired about whether he and I might teach a seminar together this semester,” Maggs said. “I was naturally delighted to agree to do this.”

Thomas was confirmed to the Supreme Court in 1991, succeeding Thurgood Marshall to become the second African American to serve on the bench. Three of Thomas’ former law clerks went on to teach at GW, including professorial lecturers in law, Jennifer Mascott and Kate Todd, as well as Maggs.

Maggs and Thomas considered a number of seminar topics before deciding on constitutional law, Maggs said.

“I think that it is a good topic because we are both very interested in legal history,” he said.

Maggs – who joined the law school faculty in 1993 – is a two-time Harvard graduate, first double majoring in linguistics and applied math and then returning for a law degree.

The seminar of about 20 students meets once a week and will run through the end of November.