Fordham Bans Reed Smith for 5 Years, Cites Late Interview Cancellation
Updated: Citing a “lack of professionalism” in Reed Smith’s late cancellation of scheduled on-campus interviews this year, the dean of Fordham University School of Law has banned the Pittsburgh-based international law firm from further participation for the next five years.
The firm expects to have a 2010 summer associate program, but it is canceling on-campus interviews at some schools, including Fordham, states a letter to students today from Dean William Michael Treanor. It is reprinted in an Above the Law post, and a law school spokeswoman has confirmed to the ABA Journal that the letter is accurate.
“At Fordham Law, we require our students to conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism, and we expect employers to demonstrate the same high standards,” the letter concludes.
In a written statement provided to the ABA Journal, the law firm’s director of United States recruiting points out that Reed Smith has maintained its summer program even as a number of other well-known law firms have canceled theirs, and describes the firm’s decision not to recruit on campus at Fordham right now as “a carefully considered business decision” based on projections of the law firm’s incoming business and employment needs.
Because the firm expects to bring in fewer summer associates, it is conducting on-campus interviews at fewer schools, explains recruiting director Dana Levin. Even when it doesn’t interview on-campus, Reed Smith will conduct in-office interviews, “where appropriate,” from law schools the firm doesn’t visit.
“When we made our decision about on-campus recruiting, we immediately and directly communicated it to Fordham. Reed Smith has more than 20 Fordham graduates in our lawyer ranks, all of them valuable members of our team,” Levin continues.
“We hope Dean Treanor will reconsider his decision in light of the marketplace realities our industry is facing, and we look forward to continuing our long and successful relationship with Fordham.”
Additional coverage:
Legal Intelligencer: “Fordham Bans Reed Smith”
Updated at 4:45 p.m. to include information from Reed Smith and on Aug. 13 to link to Legal Intelligencer article.
