A job with major law firm Winston & Strawn has gone and moves to remove a New York University Law Student Bar Association President followed a now-deleted article cheering the Hamas brutality in Israel.
Ryna Workman, president of the NYU Student Bar Association, publicly criticized Israel in the now-deleted article. Her LinkedIn profile had previously mentioned her role as a summer associate at Winston & Strawn but the firm has reportedly removed their offer of employment.
Workman’s article placed the blame for the Hamas attack on Israel.
Winston & Strawn clarified that the former summer associate’s remarks were in direct conflict with the firm’s core values. They reaffirmed their support for Israel’s right to exist in peace and vehemently condemned Hamas, denouncing the violence and destruction it has incited in the strongest terms.
The incident also prompted New York University Law School Dean, Troy McKenzie, to law school from Workman’s comments. He made it clear that her message did not represent the school’s official stance and did not speak for the school’s leadership.
The NYU Law Student Bar Association moved swiftly to remove its president, Ryna Workman, who had authored the controversial pro-Hamas article in the school’s newsletter. School officials issued another statement condemning her statements.
Workman’s message, which accused Israel of “state-sanctioned violence” and holding it responsible for coordinated terror attacks that led to more than 1,200 Israeli casualties, stirred outrage. In response, members of the Student Bar Association emphasized that they neither wrote nor approved the contentious message, asserting that Workman did not represent their views.
The university stressed that any statement failing to acknowledge the brutality of these acts did not align with the values of NYU Law.
Some online commentators called for her actions to be considered a disqualifying character flaw, while others urged state bars to take note of those supporting crimes against humanity.
