YLS Joins Other Law Schools in Seeking Employer Harassment Policies
On May 14, 2018, on behalf of 50 U.S. law schools, Yale Law School sent a survey to all National Association for Law Placement (NALP) member law firms seeking information about their use of arbitration and nondisclosure provisions for summer and incoming associates.
The survey stems from recent media reports about law firms requiring their summer and incoming associates to agree to such provisions. This practice— combined with a general heightened level of concern about employer responses to workplace sexual harassment in many high-profile over the last several months—sparked a vigorous student reaction on social media and on several law school campuses across the country. As a result, many law schools felt the need to come together to create and send out this survey.
“This was a collaborative effort among 50 law schools who wanted to provide a mechanism for employers to provide information about their policies and practices to students in advance of the upcoming recruiting season said Kelly Voight, Assistant Dean for Career Development at Yale Law School. “In formulating the survey, we were guided by the concerns of our students and the goal of helping them to make informed employment decisions.”
Guided by Part IV.G. of NALP’s Principles and Standards (which articulates that offers of employment should be made in writing, with all terms clearly expressed), law firms were informed that the results of the survey will be made available to students. The survey deadline is June 1, 2018.
