The New York City Bar Association has issued a statement condemning a group of federal judges for what it termed the “improper use of the judicial offices.” This criticism comes in response to a letter signed on May 6 by 13 U.S. federal judges—appointed by former President Donald Trump—announcing they would no longer hire law clerks from Columbia University. The judges cited the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests on its campus earlier this year as the reason for their decision.
The letter was addressed to Columbia University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafikand and Gillian Lester, the dean of Columbia Law School. The signatories included prominent judicial figures such as U.S. Circuit Court judges Elizabeth Branch and James Ho, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Matthew Solomson, and U.S. Judge of the Court of International Trade Stephen Alexander Vaden, as well as nine district judges in Texas, Georgia, and North Dakota.
In its statement, the NYC Bar Association emphasized that while judges have wide discretion in hiring law clerks, the May 6 letter represents a norm-shattering action that should be a cause for concern. Further details can be found in the original article.