The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has placed particular focus on lawyers’ and law students’ free speech rights. Last week, Trump-appointee U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky asked his future clerks and interns if they had condoned the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel or acts of antisemitism or Islamophobia. Davis Polk and Winston & Strawn last month rescinded job offers to law students who signed on to public statements supporting Palestine in the wake of Hamas’ deadly attacks in Israel.
Now, a letter from at least 220 law firms warning law school deans to rein in campus antisemitism has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate. On Tuesday, The National Association of Muslim Lawyers and a dozen other allied bar associations said in a response to the firms that taking a “one-sided approach” has made Muslim, Arab and Palestinian lawyers afraid to speak their minds about the conflict.
The ABA is expected on Friday to vote on new free speech rules for law schools, which is an issue several prominent law schools have been grappling with over the past two years.
More from the legal industry …
An appeals court ruled that the Louisiana State Bar Association violated lawyers’ free speech rights … The State Bar of California’s new proposal to allow law school graduates to become licensed without taking the bar exam got a rocky public reception; meanwhile, the state’s bar pass rate dipped to 51.5% … The collapse of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan spelled opportunity for many of its competitors … The U.S. Supreme Court unveiled its first formal ethics code of conduct … Allen & Overy suffered a “data incident” after social media posts suggested it had been hacked by a cybercrime gang … Jackson Walker said it was deceived by its former partner who never disclosed she was living with U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David Jones who was handling the firm’s cases … Law students who used AI saw an improvement in legal writing speed but not in quality, according to a new study … A Florida lawyer was sentenced to 14 years in prison for defrauding NFL players … A British lawyer was found guilty of “tipping off” his client about a money laundering investigation.
Moves:
In Washington, D.C. …
Crowell & Moring re-hired former prosecutor Michael Shaheen, who left the firm to help lead a new False Claims Act practice at Quinn Emanuel … Bank regulatory lawyer Jarryd Anderson, who will work from D.C. and New York, has taken his practice to Paul Weiss after a stint at O’Melveny & Myers … Former senior FINRA attorney Russell Fecteau joined the financial services practice at Davis Wright as of counsel … Investment Funds partner Matthew Howard joined Kirkland & Ellis from Fried Frank.
In New York …
Sidley Austin hired a quartet of private equity lawyers from Paul Weiss … Womble added partners Gregory Gulia and Vanessa Hew to its trademarks, copyrights and transactions practice from Cozen O’Connor … Willkie Farr private equity partner Nathan Swayer moved to Massumi + Consoli … Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner expanded its global tax practice with the addition of partner David Holmberg … Dentons added Daniel Goldberg to its venture technology and emerging growth practice as a partner … Leel Sinai joined Haynes and Boone’s finance practice as of counsel from White & Case.
In Los Angeles…
Munger Tolles added corporate partner Nikole Zoumberakis from Buchalter.
In Philadelphia …
Reed Smith hired Kirkland private equity partner Daniel Connelly in its global corporate group.
In Houston …
Mayer Brown picked up Peter Jordan from Huntsman Corporation, where he served as associate general counsel and head of global litigation, as a partner.
In Dallas …
Black Rome added a white-collar defense partner from Katten.
In Miami …
Greenberg Traurig brought on Joshua Forman as of counsel in its technology practice from Netrality Data Centers, where he served as senior vice president and general counsel.
In London …
Kirkland added tax lawyer James Morgan from Linklaters as a partner.
In Hong Kong …
Squire Patton Boggs added partner Ruaridh Guy from Ince & Co to its litigation practice, along with two associates.
And finally …
Gibson Dunn elected 35 lawyers to its partnership … Perkins Coie promoted 22 counsel and senior counsel to partner … Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner elected a new class of 24 partners.
