Law firm to cease on-campus recruiting at Harvard due to university president's congressional testimony

A law firm will cease on-campus recruiting of Harvard Law students due to the university president’s recent congressional testimony, telling Fox News Digital the move will be in place until there is a "sea change" on campus.

Edelson PC law firm founder Jay Edelson penned a letter to Harvard Law’s director of recruitment and operations saying that the firm will not be participating in the university's upcoming Spring Interview Program. The Spring Interview Program, which begins Jan. 29, facilitates opportunities for employers to interview prospective students on campus.

The firm added that it will also skip a larger on-campus interviewing event in August, according to Reuters. Edelson told Reuters in an interview that the event is where major law firms often hire many of their summer associates.

Edelson sent a statement to Fox News Digital about the decision, saying the move came because of how Harvard and its president Claudine Gay handled the aftermath of her disastrous testimony before Congress on antisemitism at the school.

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Harvard President Claudine Gay (2nd L) attends a menorah lighting ceremony on the seventh night of Hanukkah with the University's Jewish community on December 13, 2023, in Harvard Yard, Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Harvard University’s top brass backed the embattled president following intense backlash towards her comments about antisemitism and accusations of plagiarism.

"We have no intention of returning to on-campus recruiting unless there is a sea change. The easiest solution would be for Harvard to simply remove Dr. Gay but would, in many ways, just gloss over the core problem. Harvard has been one of the most vocal proponents of ‘educating’ the nation on the need for safe spaces for students, how important trigger warnings are, and how words can be equated with violence," Edelson told Fox News Digital.

Edelson went on to say, "We think Harvard owes a full opportunity to reconcile its countless statements and actions over the years with how it handled the Congressional testimony. I've been saying, in public and in private, that Dr. Gay should step up and hold a town hall on a major TV network. She needs to face the tough questions, from journalists and the public alike so that the nation understands very clearly what values are truly most dear to Harvard."

When Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard Law for a comment, a spokesperson said: "We don’t have anything to share at this time but will let you know as and when that changes."

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Edelson’s letter to Harvard said that a key part of their work is having "a longstanding commitment to championing justice and equality."

"Our firm does not typically comment on statements made, or positions taken, by those in our network. Nonetheless, 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," he wrote.

During the hearing on antisemitism, university presidents Magill, Gay, and Kornbluth all gave "evasive" answers when asked by Rep. Elise Stefanik if calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their institution's policies on bullying and harassment. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

He continued, "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. Despite her belated apology, the gravity of her initial response cannot be overlooked."

Edelson clarified in the letter that the move reflects on the university, not the students themselves. "This decision does not reflect on the current students of your school, who committed to the law school without understanding Harvard’s thinking," he said, adding the firm will connect with Harvard students another way to ensure that "our actions are directed appropriately at the administration and do not penalize students for matters beyond their control." 

"To the extent that your school is able to embrace the principles of justice, inclusivity, and safety that we’ve long believed we shared with Harvard, we would be excited to restart the relationship," he concluded.

The letter came after two dozen Wall Street law firms warned universities last month they wouldn't hire students engaging in antisemitism, calling on law schools to better address and combat students and campus organizations promoting support for Hamas following its deadly attack against Israel on Oct. 7.

The presidents of UPenn, Harvard and MIT testified before Congress Dec. 5.  (AP)

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Davis Polk & Wardwell had previously rescinded job offers for three law students from Harvard and Columbia universities after the students signed open letters supporting Hamas against Israel. 

The Harvard open letter, signed by about 30 student groups including from the law school, was released in the hours after the terrorist attack blaming Israel as "entirely responsible" for "all unfolding violence." 

Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

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