Harvard students conspire to smear law firms critical of campus antisemitism: report
Law students at Harvard have been accused of conspiring to smear numerous law firms that have taken a stand against anti-Israel efforts on college campuses. A recent investigation by the Washington Free Beacon uncovered that Harvard’s student-led chapter of the National Lawyers Guild organized a “Big Law, Big Secrets: Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon” event on campus. The purpose of this event was to gather data to edit the Wikipedia pages of prominent law firms to showcase cases they have recently argued.
Following this event, over a dozen law firms that have been vocal about antisemitism on college campuses, including some that rescinded job offers from Harvard law students over it, saw their Wikipedia pages altered. The changes were made by a Wikipedia account linked to a Harvard law student with a history of anti-Israel advocacy. The edits were intended to portray the law firms in a negative light and soften language critical of campus antisemitism.
For example, the Wikipedia page for Davis Polk, a law firm that had rescinded a job offer to a Harvard student involved in anti-Israel protests, had its section on “Race Relations” changed to “Defense of Segregation.” Additionally, a section was added about the firm’s representation of Purdue Pharma, a pharmaceutical company blamed for the opioid crisis. Similarly, Jones Day, another firm critical of campus antisemitism, saw its page altered to include information about defending Walmart against opioid overprescribing allegations and other controversial cases.
Latham & Watkins, Jenner & Block, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, all signatories of a letter urging Harvard to address campus antisemitism after Hamas’ attacks, also had their Wikipedia pages changed. The edits sought to undermine the firms’ reputations and downplay incidents of antisemitism on college campuses.
Harvard University spokesperson Jeff Neal stated that the Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon was organized by a student-run organization and does not reflect the views of Harvard Law School. The National Lawyers Guild’s Harvard chapter and its national organization did not respond to requests for comment.
In response to these revelations, the Trump administration’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism froze over $2.2 billion in federal funding for Harvard. There are indications that up to $9 billion could be withheld if Harvard does not comply with federal directives on antisemitism and other policy priorities. The administration is also considering stripping Harvard’s tax-exempt status for not meeting the president’s demands related to campus antisemitism and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
As this controversy continues to unfold, it raises questions about academic integrity, free speech, and the influence of political agendas on university campuses. It remains to be seen how Harvard will address these allegations and uphold its commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment.
