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reluctant to explain these practices to their employers. In an eff ort to smooth this process, every year MuBANY


reaches out to legal employers prior to Ramadan to advise them of these practices. T is was particularly important in 2009, when the holy month of Ramadan fell in the middle of call-back interview season, putting some Muslim- American candidates in a curious position. “What happens when a law student is trying to make a good impression and is invited to lunch but cannot eat because she is fasting?” Rehman says. To address this, MuBANY sent letters to legal employers nationwide explaining this and off ering alternatives, such as taking the candidate for a fi rm tour instead. “It was very well received,” Rehman says. MuBANY’s eff orts to raise awareness have been fortifi ed by


relationships with other organizations. “We work with other bar associations to talk about diversity within the profession,” Rehman explains. “Last year we did a joint CLE with the New York County Lawyers Association called Islamic Law 101, to dispel myths in a way that’s interesting to lawyers. T is year we participated in a CLE with Catholic and Jewish lawyers on legal ethics through a religious viewpoint.” Earlier this year the organization joined forces with the


South Asian Bar Association of New York to hold a CLE panel discussion about anti-Muslim policy and its eff ects. Panelists examined the nature and impact of laws and policies that have singled out Muslim Americans, both directly and indirectly. T e panel discussion was heavily attended, Rehman says, and it raised awareness among attorneys on issues such as post-9/11 immigration policy, anti-Sharia law1 country, and the Peter King hearings2


measures throughout the .


“With this greater issue of Muslims coming under scru-


tiny, there have been a rising number of organizations like ours,” Rehman notes. “Just that sheer presence has had an impact.” And their outreach eff orts appear to be paying off . Law fi rms and other organizations have begun to actively seek out MuBANY’s expertise. Recently, Rehman says, a number of law fi rms have approached the organization to give educational presentations.


AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY In addition to serving its members, MuBANY aims to support the Muslim-American community. Eff orts have included establishing community legal clinics, creating attorney referral systems, and holding “Know Your Rights”


MCCA.COM


Kara Mayer Robinson is a freelance writer based near New York City. For more information, visit centerforlegalinclusiveness.org. For information about inclusiveness, the manual, and resources on diversity and inclusiveness, go to legalinclusiveness.org.


1


Rehman explains that these laws contain an explicit or implicit ban on U.S. courts entertaining Sharia law in any capacity, and some go so far as to prohibit courts from applying any foreign law altogether. From a legal perspective, commentators and judges have noted that such laws violate the free enterprise clause (because they might interfere with legitimate and legal Islamic practices, such as determining how a will can be designed), the establishment clause (because they single out one faith), and the right to contract (because they would render unenforceable international business contracts with countries that have adopted Islamic law into their domestic laws).


2 Rehman explains that one panelist focused on the rising use of the term


“radicalization” and looked at how some experts look at perfectly legal and legitimate conduct—e.g. refusing to drink or smoke—as conduct on the path to radicalization, and how such theories unnecessarily target law-abiding Muslim Americans.


SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 DIVERSITY & THE BAR®


seminars. One such community initiative, which resulted in the 2010 Bar Leaders Innovation Award from the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders, involved teaming up with Muslim Advocates, a prominent organization in the Muslim-American legal community, to produce a seminar in New York on fi nancial and legal best practices for nonprofi t Muslim charities. “We did this so these com- munity organizations and mosques could get help on items like bookkeeping, employment law, and tax-exempt status,” explains Rehman. “We’re able to off er legal expertise, and we wanted to bring this to the folks who need them.” Rehman is proud of MuBANY’s community work. “We


think it’s the right thing to do. We’re coming up on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and none of us can predict what chal- lenges that can present for the New York community. We need to be ready.”


ADVANCING DIVERSITY T is organization practices what it preaches: It puts main- taining internal diversity at the top of its priority list. Rehman explains that this is particularly important because many people have a single image of what a Muslim looks like, when in fact, Muslims come in many forms. “We’ve had three presidents, two of whom have been women, and one who wears a hijab,” he explains, noting that he and his colleagues are proud of the diversity within the larger Muslim-American community, and they work hard at taking steps that will ensure that as a bar association, they continue that commitment toward diversity. D&B


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