Anti-Israel Protests Prompt Wall Street Law Firms to Screen Applicants

In the wake of heightened tensions surrounding anti-Israel protests on college campuses, Sullivan & Cromwell, a prominent Wall Street law firm, has announced a policy to scrutinize job applicants' involvement in such demonstrations. The firm's decision highlights growing concerns within the legal and business communities about the intersection of political activism and professional conduct.

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Anti-Israel Protests Prompt Wall Street Law Firms to Screen Applicants

In a move that underscores the escalating tensions surrounding anti-Israel sentiments on college campuses, Wall Street giant Sullivan & Cromwell has implemented a policy to screen job applicants for their involvement in anti-Israel protests. The firm's actions underscore the growing concern within the legal and business communities about the intersection of political activism and professional conduct.

Recognizing the potential for anti-Semitic rhetoric and behavior to manifest at such protests, Sullivan & Cromwell has hired a background check group to scrutinize social media pages, news reports, and footage to ascertain applicants' participation. Actions or statements deemed unacceptable will prompt questioning, with applicants asked to detail their role and efforts to prevent offensive or harassing comments.

Anti-Israel Protests Prompt Wall Street Law Firms to Screen Applicants

Joseph Shenker, senior chair at Sullivan & Cromwell, emphasized that applicants will not be considered if they expressed explicitly anti-Semitic views or participated in demonstrations where protesters chanted slogans like "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," which has been criticized as calling for Israel's destruction.

Shenker added that applicants will be flagged even if they did not use such language but were present at demonstrations where others did, arguing that they should be held accountable for their surroundings and avoid "mob mentality."

Anti-Israel Protests Prompt Wall Street Law Firms to Screen Applicants

While Sullivan & Cromwell is the first Wall Street law firm to publicly announce such a policy, reports indicate that heads of other prestigious firms are quietly considering enforcing similar measures.

In October, global law firm Davis Polk rescinded job offers to three students who led organizations at their universities that signed on to open letters criticizing Israel after it was attacked by Hamas terrorists.

Anti-Israel Protests Prompt Wall Street Law Firms to Screen Applicants

Critics of the policy argue that political activism is a vital part of an individual's identity and that the policy, which they perceive as an attempt to quash anti-Israel criticism, is flawed by lumping all anti-Israel protesters together with those who harass and intimidate Jewish students.

Shenker counters that Sullivan & Cromwell will not ask applicants about privately expressed views and maintains that its position is an extension of workplace prohibitions on hate speech.

Anti-Israel Protests Prompt Wall Street Law Firms to Screen Applicants

In November, Shenker spearheaded a letter calling on law schools to better address and combat students and campus organizations promoting support for Hamas, a terrorist organization. The letter, signed by over two dozen Wall Street law firms, warned about students' future employment.

Concurrently, a group of 13 U.S. federal judges appointed by former President Trump vowed not to hire law school students and undergraduates from Columbia University due to the school's handling of anti-Israel protests that ultimately led to radical agitators taking over a building on campus.

Jewish students have reported feeling threatened and targeted on campuses following anti-Israel protests and encampments that appeared to support the Hamas terrorist attacks that killed over 1,200. Many wealthy university donors have since announced that they would end their financial support for schools that failed to properly condemn anti-Semitic student behavior.

Sullivan & Cromwell's policy reflects the growing recognition among legal and business leaders of the need to address the intersection of political activism and professional conduct, particularly in the context of heightened tensions surrounding Israel and the Middle East conflict.