[2][1] From 1988 until 1992, Magill worked as a senior legislative assistant for United States Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota.
[2] Following law school, Magill worked as a law clerk for Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1995 until 1996, and then worked as a clerk for United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg from 1996 until 1997.
In September 2023, Jewish groups and students expressed concerns about an upcoming on-campus literature festival, Palestine Writes, due to scheduled speakers' past statements regarding Israel and Zionism.
[10] Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management and chair of UJA-Federation of New York, a Jewish philanthropy, circulated an open letter about the event that garnered over 4,000 signatures.
"[11]Following the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel and ensuing war, critics accused Magill of failing adequately to respond to antisemitism on campus.
[15] On December 5, Magill testified in front a Congressional Committee on Education and the Workforce, along with the presidents of MIT, Sally Kornbluth, and Harvard, Claudine Gay, at a hearing about antisemitism on university campuses.
[20] Stone Ridge Asset Management CEO Ross Stevens threatened to rescind shares in his holding group that had been donated to Wharton, at the time worth $100 million, if Magill did not resign.