Statement on Decision by 13 Federal Judges Not to Hire Judicial Clerks from Columbia Law School or Columbia College

We are all aware of the ongoing controversy over campus protests.  We were surprised, however, to see a letter yesterday from 13 federal judges to Columbia’s president, stating that they would not hire as judicial clerks anyone who had attended Columbia Law School or Columbia College , (in the latter case regardless of where they went to law school) beginning with the entering class of 2024.  We believe that such a categorical rejection of an entire class of candidates, regardless of their qualifications, character, or personal views is inappropriate.  It smacks of “guilt by association” and “collective punishment,” which are antithetical to basic principles of due process and all that our judicial system is supposed to stand for.  As NYCLA’s leadership, we call on these judges to withdraw their letter, which we believe was ill-considered.    

About the New York County Lawyers Association

The New York County Lawyers Association (www.nycla.org) was founded in 1908 as one of the first major bar associations in the country that admitted members without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Since its inception, it has pioneered some of the most far-reaching and tangible reforms in American jurisprudence and has continuously played an active role in legal developments and public policy.

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