Davis Polk, one of the country’s most prestigious law firms, recently rescinded employment offers made to three students who the firm believed led organizations at Harvard and Columbia that issued statements blaming Israel for the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that left more than 1,400 Israelis dead.
On Tuesday, the firm said it was reconsidering that decision for two of the three students, who fought their dismissals and said that they did not authorize the letters, which did not have any individual signatories.
The New York law firm said two of the students held leadership roles in the Students for Justice in Palestine group at Columbia and one was affiliated with the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, which jointly wrote a letter that held the “Israeli regime” responsible for the deadly violence.
The Columbia students’ letter expressed “full solidarity with Palestinian resistance.”The firm did not identify the students or which two of the offers it was reconsidering.
“The views expressed in certain of the statements signed by law school student organizations in recent days are in direct contravention of our firm’s value system,” Davis Polk said in a statement.
Persons:
Davis Polk, Israel, ” Davis Polk, Neil Barr
Organizations:
Harvard, New, Students for Justice, Columbia, Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups
Locations:
Columbia, New York, Palestine