For all of the recent efforts by law schools and law firms that have been dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, one area that often goes neglected is the makeup of the nation’s top law reviews. For much of the past decade (and earlier), Harvard Law School has taken the lead on these issues.
In 2007, the Harvard Law Review elected its first Hispanic president. In 2011, the Harvard Law Review elected its first openly gay president. In 2017, the Harvard Law Review welcomed the first Black woman to serve as its president. In the same year, the Harvard Law Review selected a majority women editorial class for the first time in history. Now, in 2021, the Harvard Law Review is marking down another historic first.
The Harvard Law Review recently elected Hassaan Shahawy ’22 as its 135th president. Shahawy is the first Muslim to ever serve in this prestigious role. This is what he had to say about his new position in an interview with Reuters:
Shahawy said he hoped his election represented “legal academia’s growing recognition of the importance of diversity, and perhaps its growing respect for other legal traditions.” …
“Coming from a community routinely demonized in American public discourse, I hope this represents some progress, even if small and symbolic,” Shahawy, 26, told Reuters in an email.
Shahawy, a Harvard graduate who went on to study as a Rhodes Scholar, has been working with refugee populations and exploring criminal justice reform. He’s interested in going into academia or becoming a public interest lawyer.
Congratulations to Hassaan Shahawy on his groundbreaking achievement.
Harvard Law Review elects Hassaan Shahawy ’22 as its 135th president [Harvard Law Today]
Harvard Law Review elects first Muslim president [Reuters]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.