In the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks, which drew divisive reactions from various quarters, the repercussions continue to unfold. Prominent Wall Street CEOs and founders have taken a stand against students from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard and Columbia, who openly expressed support for Palestine and criticized Israel.
Davis Polk & Wardwell, an esteemed law firm, has withdrawn job offers previously extended to three Ivy League students who endorsed a Palestine support letter. Neil Barr, the managing partner of Davis Polk, confirmed this action through an email, emphasizing that the sentiments conveyed in the letter were “inconsistent with our firm’s principles.” He also noted that the firm is currently engaged in discussions with two of the affected students.
Furthermore, Davis Polk made it explicit that student leaders who aligned themselves with the statements in question are now unwelcome within their ranks.
The letters from Harvard and Columbia students articulated strong positions against Israel in the aftermath of the violence. The Harvard letter, titled ‘Joint Statement by Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups on the Situation in Palestine,’ condemned Israel’s actions and asserted that the Hamas attack was a consequence of a prolonged Israeli policy that has entrapped Palestinians in an “open-air prison” for more than two decades. Similarly, a letter signed by over 20 student groups at Columbia shifted responsibility for the conflict primarily onto the Israeli government and other Western nations.
The identities of the Harvard, Columbia, and NYU students who lost job offers have not been disclosed. Notably, last week, Winston & Strawn, another law firm, revoked a job offer to Ryna Workman, a former president of the New York University Student Bar Association, due to her statement that placed full responsibility on Israel for the Hamas attack in Israel.
Despite the firm’s decisive action, a BBC report hints at a possibility of revisiting the decision, as the law firm continues discussions with two of the affected students to gain further insights.
This development follows a recent condemnation from prominent Harvard alumni in response to a statement issued by a coalition of 34 university student organizations, placing the blame squarely on Israel in the context of the conflict. Harvard President Claudine Gay and senior leadership responded to growing backlash by expressing their sorrow over the violence unleashed by the Hamas attack on Israel.
The decision taken by Davis Polk & Wardwell, a law firm boasting around 1,000 attorneys and annual revenues of $1.7 billion, is emblematic of the contentious debates surrounding Middle East conflicts among US university students, both within and outside campus boundaries.
Harvard University has faced substantial criticism since the publication of the letter. Several student groups and leaders mentioned as signatories subsequently distanced themselves from the document, with some stating they were unaware of its full content prior to its public release.
