November 1, 2023 Letter from More than 200 Law Firms to Law Schools about Antisemitism - Was That a Mistake, Should Sidley Austin Hire Back Melat Kiros

The business of law firms depends on representing any number of types of clients. Sure, Jones Day took heat for MAGA, Boise Schiller for Harvey Weinstein and Paul, Weiss for Exxon. But overall that's the way the industry operates. After all the majority of clients come to law firms because they are in some kind of difficulty. Most often the situation isn't pretty.

THAT LETTER

Yet, on November 1, 2023 more than 200 law firms sent a one-sided letter to myriad law schools. The message, as it has been widely interpreted, is: Do something about the school's antisemitism or we could decide not to recruit your students.

Some such as myself experienced the tone and content as, well, heavy-handed. That certainly doesn't seem wise during this time of escalating geopolitical tensions. Law firms would be smart to take on the mantle of a diplomat. That might even be if their clients have embraced aggressive  pro-Israel stances. 

FORMAL PUSHBACK

Now there is formal pushback. Reuters Legal, for example, reports that the National Association of Muslim Leaders and other bar associations are critical of the letter's circumscribed point of view. There is no empathy for the suffering of those in Palestine. 

In addition, the actual branding of firms which provide exclusive support to Israel has come in play. The most recent example is the reputational equity of Sidley Austin. It is among those law firms signing the letter. After associate at the firm Melat Kiros published on Medium a letter critical of the letter to law schools and refused to delete it when Sidley requested she was fired. 

FLASHPOINT

Flashpoint? Sure looks and sounds like that. Of course, establishment legal media such as Law.com ran with the Kiros story. On professional anonymous network Reddit there are already more than 600 comments. My own blog posts - here and here - have attracted plenty of attention, especially on LinkedIn.

Obviously, the focus on that letter to law schools is increasing. Soon those in the front lines of being thought leaders in the legal sector might have to revisit that position in a formal way. Up to now they have been, in public, low-profile. But the issue has mutated into a seminal one. It is not hyperbolic to state that some kind of line might have been crossed when Sidley terminated Kiros. 

Initially I agreed with Sidley's decision. Now I am in a soul-wrenching process of re-thinking. 

Currently things change and quickly. In my coaching I hammer there are no absolutes. 

REPUTATIONAL EQUITY/BUSINESS SUCCESS AND THE MEA CULPA

The time might be now for law firms to 1) revisit the letter and then 2) rescind parts of it or all of it. Come on, some would assess that November 1st action as embedded with an abuse of power?  Also it has dark implications for the future of all aspects of recruitment, hiring, promotion and termination. What is happening to the meritocracy? 

If law firms do a mea culpa (just like major corporations do as standard in crisis strategy) they can showcase that they are not the bad guys depicted in "Servants of the Damned" by David Enrich. They are simply humans who like the rest of mankind do make errors of judgment. And like the sustained successes of our society they are willing to do course correction. Coca-Cola pulled back New Coke. Seemingly Holier-than-Thou print The New York Times got digital. Jim Cramer conceded about Meta. 

UPDATE 

The Reuters/Opsos survey found declining support for Israel. Of those polled only 32% favored the US support for Israel. That's down from 41% in mid-October. 

In most cases you have only one shot in communications. Jane Genova is a communications coach and content-creator. Complimentary consultation (please text 203-468-8579 or email janegenova374@gmail.com) 





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