The recent decision by law firms Davis Polk & Wardwell and Winston & Strawn to rescind job offers in connection to controversial remarks on Israel and Hamas is sparking a growing pressure on law firms to react swiftly and appropriately. It seems that there is an increasing expectation for law firms to not only express a stance on international matters, but also reevaluate their affiliations with particular associates or to further scrutinize potential hires. Read more on this story here.
Despite the absence of public comments from several law firm leaders regarding whether or not they would also withdraw job offers in these circumstances, it is understood that firms are privately examining the views and social media comments of incoming associates. One Am Law 100 leader remarked off the record, “We’ve checked.”
While the demand for firms to make clear and firm declarations may be growing among their clients, staff, and attorneys, a note of caution has been struck by one law professor, who suggests that such an approach can become problematic as a “hair-trigger reaction.”