A successful law firm announced that it will be ending its on-campus recruitment at Harvard University.
Edelson PC, which has won against Big Tech companies, announced its decision in a letter.
“For years, we have valued our relationship with Harvard Law School, considering it alongside Yale and Stanford as a primary institution for recruiting summer associates. We have taken pride in our engagement with the Harvard Law community, providing insights on pressing legal matters and advocating for the public interest,” the letter states.
“Regrettably, I must address a recent incident that has deeply concerned us. We, along with the rest of the nation, observed Dr. Claudine Gay’s testimony before Congress, wherein she refused to unequivocally state that advocating for genocide would breach the school’s code of conduct,” the law firm’s statement continues. “Despite her belated apology, the gravity of her initial response cannot be overlooked. As an expert in political and social studies, Dr. Gay certainly knew to expect the types of questions that would be asked of her. Indeed, her colleagues answered the question before Dr. Gay was asked to do so, and had time to anticipate and consider her answer. Factoring in her extensive experience and preparation with a crisis management team, Dr. Gay’s testimony before Congress cannot be seen as merely a slip of the tongue.”
Jay Edelson, the CEO of the law firm and author of the letter, adds that “when certain boundaries of morality and ethics are transgressed, silence is not an option.”
“It must be unequivocally clear that calls for the genocide of any group—be it on the basis of religion, race, gender, disability, or sexual orientation—are indefensible and contrary to the values we uphold.”
The letter comes as the Harvard Alumni Association Executive Committee expressed its support for university President Claudine Gay to keep her position amid backlash for her remarks before Congress.
The Harvard Corporation also released a statement regarding Gay’s future with the university.
“As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay’s continued leadership of Harvard University. Our extensive deliberations affirm our confidence that President Gay is the right leader to help our community heal and to address the very serious societal issues we are facing.”
“So many people have suffered tremendous damage and pain because of Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack, and the University’s initial statement should have been an immediate, direct, and unequivocal condemnation,” the statement said. “Calls for genocide are despicable and contrary to fundamental human values. President Gay has apologized for how she handled her congressional testimony and has committed to redoubling the University’s fight against antisemitism.”
