Important US regulation firms phone on regulation schools to condemn ‘antisemitism, Islamophobia’

Nov 2 (Reuters) – Far more than two dozen significant U.S. law corporations sent a letter on Wednesday to the deans of the nation’s leading-ranked legislation faculties expressing concern over a wave of antisemitism and intimidation on university campuses amid the most up-to-date battling in between Israel and Hamas.

The 27 corporations urged 14 of the top-ranked law universities in the U.S. to acquire a “unequivocal stance” in opposition to discrimination and harassment and said they “look forward” to understanding from legislation educational facilities how they are addressing the scenario on their have campuses.

“There is no space for antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism or any other kind of violence, hatred or bigotry on your campuses, in our workplaces or our communities,” reads the firms’ letter, which cites stories of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and rallies calling for the elimination of Israel on faculty campuses.

A Sullivan & Cromwell spokesperson said on Thursday that senior chair Joseph Shenker spearheaded the letter to the regulation colleges recognised in the legal field as the “T-14,” as rated by U.S. News & Entire world Report. Other signatories include some on the nation’s largest and most profitable legislation companies, including Cravath, Swaine & Moore Latham & Watkins Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

University of California, Berkeley law dean Erwin Chemerinsky reported on Thursday that he welcomes the firms’ statement condemning antisemitism, Islamophobia and racism but was unclear on up coming ways.

“I am doubtful what the regulation corporations are inquiring legislation universities to do, but it is undoubtedly our position to protect the liberty of speech of all of our college students, while also ensuring that there is a conducive mastering environment and getting ready pupils for the practice of law at the greatest stages of the job,” Chemerinsky reported.

Palestine Lawful, an business that seeks to secure the legal rights of individuals in the U.S. to converse out on behalf of Palestinians, did not promptly react to a ask for for remark on the firms’ letter.

Spokespeople from the other regulation faculties getting the letter did not straight away react to requests for remark.

A Columbia Regulation spokesperson referred to dean Gillian Lester’s Oct. 31 message to college students that claimed the college was convening a functioning group to analyze its perform rules and would proceed to limit obtain to its developing for those exterior the law school.

The legislation firms’ letter arrives following at the very least two significant corporations, Winston & Strawn and Davis Polk & Wardwell, have rescinded features to incoming associates who experienced manufactured or signed on to public statements supporting Palestine in the wake of Hamas’ lethal assaults in Israel.

Go through far more:

Regulation firm Davis Polk revokes task gives to Harvard, Columbia students over Israel statements

Anti-Israel opinions prompt Winston & Strawn to rescind NYU regulation student’s task offer

Get the latest legal information of the working day shipped straight to your inbox with The Afternoon Docket.

Our Criteria: The Thomson Reuters Have faith in Principles.