Winston & Strawn rescinds NYU law student's job offer over 'inflammatory' Israel comments
In a statement released Tuesday, Winston & Strawn called anti-Israel comments by a New York University School of Law student “inflammatory” and said they “profoundly conflict” with the law firm’s values. Photo from Shutterstock.
Winston & Strawn has rescinded a New York University School of Law student’s job offer after learning about anti-Israel comments that the student made in an online newsletter Monday.
While the law firm did not name the student, who it called a former summer associate, Reuters and Bloomberg Law report that Ryna Workman wrote in a student bar association publication that “Israel bears full responsibility for this tremendous loss of life.” Workman is the president of the NYU Law Student Bar Association.
According to Reuters, Workman’s LinkedIn account has been deleted but previously listed a position as a summer associate at Winston & Strawn. The law student did not respond to Reuters or Bloomberg Law’s requests for comment.
Bloomberg Law additionally reports that Workman said Israel’s actions toward Palestine led to the latest armed conflict, which began Oct. 7, when the Hamas militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel.
“This regime of state-sanctioned violence created the conditions that made resistance necessary,” Workman reportedly wrote. “I will not condemn Palestinian resistance.”
In a statement released Tuesday, Winston & Strawn called the comments over the attack “inflammatory” and said they “profoundly conflict” with the firm’s values.
“As communicated yesterday to all Winston personnel, we remain outraged and deeply saddened by the violent attack on Israel over the weekend,” the firm also said in its statement. “Our hearts go out to our Jewish colleagues, their families, and all those affected.”
According to Reuters, Troy McKenzie, the dean of the New York University School of Law, sent a message to the law school community Tuesday, saying the comments did not come from the school or its leadership. A law school spokesperson did not return Reuters’ request for comment.
See also:
“Law firms ask Tel Aviv lawyers to work at home; ABA president condemns Hamas attacks”
