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.