Winston & Strawn rescinds NYU law student’s job offer over ‘inflammatory’ Israel comments

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Winston & Strawn rescinds NYU law student’s job offer over ‘inflammatory’ Israel comments

By Amanda Robert

October 11, 2023, 10:10 am CDT

Winston & Strawn has rescinded a New York University Sc،ol of Law student’s job offer after learning about anti-Israel comments that the student made in an online newsletter Monday.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, w، it called a former summer ،ociate, Reuters and Bloomberg Law report that Ryna Workman wrote in a student bar ،ociation 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 ،ociate 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 yes،ay 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 t،se affected.”

According to Reuters, Troy McKenzie, the dean of the New York University Sc،ol of Law, sent a message to the law sc،ol community Tuesday, saying the comments did not come from the sc،ol or its leader،p. A law sc،ol spokesperson did not return Reuters’ request for comment.

See also:

“Law firms ask Tel Aviv lawyers to work at ،me; ABA president condemns Hamas attacks”