Muslim Bar Association of New York

To kick off season two of "How Did I Get Here?” and our new series focusing on law firm partnerships, Sami Mir joins us to talk about his experience of becoming a Partner at Allen & Overy. He reflects upon the challenges he faced and what kept him motivated in his career.

In this episode, Dalia Mogahed, Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, talks about the report “Measuring the Legal and Media Responses to Ideologically Motivated Violence in the US.” She uncovers the results of this report, which reveals that perceived Muslim perpetrators of ideologically motivated crimes are treated differently by the media and by law enforcement, leading to vastly different sentences. The discussion also delves into the implications of these differences for American Muslims and for the larger community and proposes some strategies to guard against these disparities. This interview was conducted by MuBANY Director, Maryam Jazini.

Saema Somalya joins us to discuss her journey to becoming General Counsel at Remitly. She talks about the soft skills necessary for leading a legal department and going outside your comfort zone. She also speaks about the steps she took to grow her career from law firm associate to general counsel.

Tahanie Aboushi, the first Palestinian-American and Muslim woman to run for Manhattan District Attorney, joins us to discuss her experiences with the criminal justice system and how those experiences led her to the legal profession and, ultimately running for Manhattan DA. She also discusses her role as a private practitioner and how she approaches the obstacles of being a Muslim attorney who wears hijab. Aboushi provides candid insight and advice on navigating legal and political realms, especially for anyone interested in seeking public office. 

Amir Ali joins us to discuss his journey from Google to the Canadian Supreme Court to the US Supreme Court. He talks about his work representing criminal defendants in appellate practice. He also speaks about finding your passion at work and trusting it.

Judge Zia Faruqui joins us to discuss his journey from law firm to federal prosecutor to U.S. Magistrate Judge. He talks about his motto "always be networking" and the significant role mentors have played during his career. Judge Faruqui also speaks about how important it is to get out of your comfort zone and believe in yourself.

Juvaria Khan, Executive Director at The Appellate Project, joins us to discuss her journey to starting TAP, an organization focused on empowering law students of color to thrive in the appellate field. She also discusses the importance of having mentors early in your career and challenging assumptions on who belongs in certain spaces.

Manar Waheed, Senior Legislative and Advocacy Counsel at the ACLU, joins us to discuss how a career first focused on domestic violence work led to a role at the White House working on immigration issues and then the ACLU.  She also explains why quitting a job without another lined up was the best career decision she ever made.

Diane Lucas, Pro Bono Counsel for Racial Justice Initiatives at Davis Polk, joins us to discuss how her role at a corporate law firm gives her the institutional support to combat systemic racism. She talks about why her career has always focused on criminal justice reform and how she was able to further her dreams while working at the Legal Aid Society, the NYS Attorney General's Office, and the Justice Collaborative. Diane also speaks about how a class early in law school has guided her through her career.  

Editor's Note: This conversation was recorded before Derek Chauvin was found guilty for the murder of George Floyd. 

During this conversation, we will hear about Corporation Counsel Johnson's incredible career trajectory, his thoughts on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the public sector, and how the Law Department's work was impacted during the historic year of 2020.

This episode is moderated by Asim Rehman, Chief of Staff at the New York City Law Department, and one of the founders of MuBANY.

This event was hosted by the Muslim Bar Association of New York, and co-sponsored by the following members of the Affinity Bar Collective:

- Amistad Bar Association
- Asian American Bar Association of New York
- Association of Black Women Attorneys
- Association of Muslim American Lawyers
- Brooklyn Women's Bar Association
- Caribbean Attorneys Network
- Hispanic National Bar Association – Region II
- Iranian American Bar Association of New York
- Jewish Lawyers Guild
- Metropolitan Black Bar Association
- Queens County Womens' Bar Association
- South Asian and Indo-Caribbean Bar Association of Queens
- South Asian Bar Association of New York

Amin Kassam, Head of Legal, Asia-Pacific at Bloomberg LP, joins us to discuss how he transitioned from being a US-based lawyer to managing a team spread across Asia. He expands on some of his day-to-day in the past year, which has included dealing with protests in Hong Kong and the widespread effects of a global pandemic. Amin also speaks about how his time as Chief of Staff to Bloomberg's General Counsel developed key leadership and management skills and how his background and connections continue to help him succeed.

This episode features a panel discussion on the pathways to becoming a federal magistrate judge with three sitting Muslim Magistrate Judges. The discussion is moderated by Myra Din, Law Clerk to the Hon. Gregory A. Phillips, of the Tenth Circuit. 

The three Muslim Magistrate Judges joining us are Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui (District of Columbia), Magistrate Judge Zahid Quraishi (District of New Jersey), and Magistrate Judge Mustafa Kasubhai (District of Oregon).