Here’s a secret to being named to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals-
Go to Yale Law school, get a prestigious federal clerkship and then a SCOTUS clerkship. Get a job at one of the top 10 law firms, make partner on the fast track, get confirmed as Solicitor General, then get confirmed to a federal circuit bench (anyone, doesn’t matter at this point). At this point, your odds of ending up on the Supreme Court are pretty good!
We’ve all got secret pathways!!