“Harvard Students Stunned as Law Firm Revokes Job Offers Over Israel Letters

The law firm Kirkland & Ellis recently rescinded job offers to seven Harvard College students because they signed a letter that showed support for Israel. The move sparked public outrage, with some accusing the firm of attacking the students for voicing their opinions. The controversy began when a student organization called Harvard College Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) emailed a statement to students at Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The statement called on graduates to “condemn and refuse to engage in” a program called the “Harvard Israel Collaborative.” It further asked graduates to “refrain from working with Israeli and international organizations involved in the normalization of the occupation.” Seven Harvard students, including two who had already accepted starter jobs at Kirkland & Ellis, signed the statement. The firm contacted the students a few days later and informed them that their offers were being rescinded. Kirkland & Ellis offered no explanation for their decision, leading to speculation that the firm punished the students for speaking out. Kirkland & Ellis released a statement hours after their decision was met with public outrage. The firm offered an apology and stated that the offer rescissions had “nothing to do with the content of the statement” and were instead due to “unrelated Counsel to the Firm considerations.” The incident has raised questions about the legal and ethical ramifications of rescinding job offers based on views expressed by applicants. While companies are legally allowed to rescind offers if new information becomes available about the applicant, it’s unclear if a company’s beliefs on political issues weigh into the decision. The case of Kirkland & Ellis is far from unique, as other companies have recently rescinded job offers after learning that applicants had expressed support for Israel. However, the incident has served as a reminder to prospective employers that their actions will be closely watched by the public, and such decisions could have far-reaching implications.