As the Supreme Court considered ending the use of race as a factor in college admissions last month, Justice Elena Kagan suggested the court’s decision could have implications beyond higher education — and closer to home for the federal judiciary. Retired U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Fogel, Justice Goodwin Liu of the California Supreme Court and law professor Mary S. Hoopes say they were inspired to take on the project because of their concerns about the lack of diversity in the legal profession and among the ranks of federal law clerks, in addition to their own struggles to hire clerks who reflect the diversity of law school students.