Full - time ▁associate ▁just ices ▁are ▁allowed ▁up ▁to ▁four ▁law ▁cler ks ▁while ▁retired ▁just ices ▁have ▁only ▁one .) ▁ ▁Short ▁list ▁Before ▁the ▁announ cement , ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁had ▁been ▁prepar ing ▁for ▁another ▁possible ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁vac ancy , ▁with ▁White ▁House ▁Press ▁Secretary ▁Robert ▁Gib bs ▁respond ing ▁to ▁spec ulation ▁about ▁a ▁possible ▁Stevens ▁ret irement ▁by ▁saying ▁" We ' ll ▁be ▁ready ." ▁After ▁Stevens ▁announced ▁his ▁ret irement , ▁an ▁anonymous ▁White ▁House ▁official ▁said ▁that ▁about ▁ten ▁people ▁were ▁under ▁consideration . ▁The ▁leading ▁cont enders ▁to ▁replace ▁Stevens ▁were ▁said ▁to ▁include ▁Se vent h ▁Circ uit ▁Judge ▁D iane ▁Pam ela ▁Wood ▁and ▁Sol ic itor ▁General ▁El ena ▁K agan , ▁both ▁of ▁whom ▁had ▁been ▁interview ed ▁for ▁the ▁David ▁S outer ▁vac ancy , ▁and ▁D . C . ▁Circ uit ▁Judge ▁M err ick ▁B . ▁Gar land , ▁who ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁considered ▁for ▁the ▁S outer ▁vac ancy . ▁O thers ▁mentioned ▁include ▁N inth ▁Circ uit ▁Judge ▁Sid ney ▁Run yan ▁Thomas , ▁former ▁Georgia ▁Chief ▁Justice ▁Le ah ▁Ward ▁S ears , ▁Michigan ▁Governor ▁Jenn ifer ▁Gran holm ▁and ▁Hom eland ▁Security ▁Secretary ▁Jan et ▁Nap olit ano . ▁ ▁Inter views ▁Early ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Ob ama ▁conducted ▁a ▁White ▁House ▁interview ▁with ▁M err ick ▁Gar land . ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Ob ama ▁and ▁Vice