New York — Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has taken a decisive step by rescinding job offers to three aspiring law students. These students held leadership roles in organizations affiliated with prestigious institutions like Harvard University and Columbia University. The cause of this unprecedented move? Alleged endorsements of controversial statements, shifting blame onto Israel for the October 7 actions of the Hamas terrorist group.
Davis Polk’s Chair, Neil Barr, made this announcement through an internal email that was later obtained by Law360. The email did not disclose the identities of the affected students or the specific contentious statements. However, it emphasized that these statements were in direct contradiction with the firm’s core values.
“These statements are simply contrary to our firm’s values, and we thus concluded that rescinding these offers was appropriate in upholding our responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive work environment for all Davis Polk employees,” Barr stated in the email. “At this time, we remain in dialogue with two of these students to ensure that any further context offered by these students is considered.”
