Several of the most prestigious law firms threaten not to hire students from universities where antisemitic acts occur
In a harsh letter, numerous firms criticized protests and harassment against Jews on campuses and demand that universities promote the "free exchange of ideas."
Several major law firms have published a letter warning the country's top universities that they will take episodes of antisemitism on campus into serious consideration in their hiring processes. The letter criticizes the recent protests and harassment against Jews on university campuses, as well as anti-Israeli statements by some of the leaders of these institutions. They also call on universities to encourage and promote the "free exchange of ideas, even on issues with emotional charge."
A warning to university authorities
In the letter, some of the country's most recognized law firms sent a strong message to academic leaders, mentioning the recent cases of antisemitism on college campuses:
One of the signatories has already withdrawn offers to Harvard and Columbia students
This is not a trivial threat. One of the signatories of the letter, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, has already withdrawn job offers to Harvard and Columbia students following these universities' statements blaming Israel for Hamas' massacre of more than 1,400 people, including children and babies.
The signatories demand that university authorities provide a respectful education and the ability to discuss ideas without falling into hatred. "It is imperative that you provide your students with the tools and guidance to engage in the free exchange of ideas, even on emotionally charged issues, in a manner that affirms the values we all hold dear and rejects unreservedly that which is antithetical to those values," the letter states.