When we began researching the experiences of Muslim law students, we expected questions around identity and inclusion to come through strongly. We were particularly interested in how students understood belonging at law school and how they felt about entering the legal profession.
Our recent qualitative study of Muslim law students at Western Sydney University’s School of Law explored belonging, representation and expectations of legal practice amid rising reports of Islamophobia in Australia.
The findings were encouraging in some respects but they also raised concerns about what happens as students move from university into professional life.
Law school vs the profession
Students generally described a strong sense of belonging at university. The cultural and religious diversity of the student body meant that Islam was a familiar part of campus life.
Students were more uncertain about their place in the legal profession. They saw relatively few Muslim lawyers in senior positions and few people with similar backgrounds in legal roles who could act as role models or mentors.
Barriers to belonging in the profession
Some students were concerned about professional networking practices, particularly events centred around alcohol or held in venues they felt unable to attend for religious reasons.
Informal relationships are an important part of many legal careers, particularly in the early stages, and missing these events can affect access to mentors, employment opportunities and professional networks.
Gender and visibility shape belonging
Hiring and career decisions are influenced by religious visibility, including wearing the hijab, according to research. Women we interviewed highlighted concerns around how being visibly Muslim might affect the way they were perceived in professional environments.
These accounts show why conversations about belonging in legal education need to include the transition into professional practice.
- Beyond access: what Muslim women can teach universities about inclusion
- Spotlight guide: How to build belonging at your institution
- What matters to students’ sense of belonging?
Five ways to support Muslim law students
1. Recognise and create safe spaces, and adjust existing spaces to increase inclusivity for Muslim students. For example, we invited Muslim legal practitioners into classrooms, mentoring activities and student events to allow students to meet professionals who share common experiences and backgrounds. Holding professional and networking activities on campus and during the day, rather than relying on evening events centred around alcohol, can make participation more accessible to a wider range of students.
2. Examine the broader law curriculum for bias and stereotypes around the way Islam is represented. For example, is Islamic law presented as a fixed system or as a tradition with multiple schools of thought and a diversity of culture? And consider whether Muslim scholars appear on reading lists and among guest speakers.
3. Consider the practices that might make it harder for some students to participate and progress in professional environments. These might include relying on “cultural fit” as a recruitment criterion, networking activity that takes place mainly after work and involves alcohol or informal mentoring and professional networks that are easier to access for students with existing professional connections. Working with employers and professional bodies to recognise these barriers can help create more inclusive pathways into legal practice.
4. Be aware that intersectional factors, particularly gender, play a role in further excluding students from full participation at law school and their transition into the profession.
5. Build accommodations for religious observance into standard practice. For example, flexible assessment scheduling around Ramadan and Eid and accessible prayer spaces.
Next steps for your teaching
- Review one unit this semester. Examine the legal traditions, experiences and professional perspectives included in your curriculum and identify gaps
- Explore opportunities to work with legal practitioners and discuss how the dominant legal culture might unwittingly exclude students from certain cultural or religious backgrounds. This is likely to involve some difficult conversations.
- Respond to feedback. Where students identify barriers, try to reduce them and tell students what you’ve done.
Our study involved nine students at one institution and reflects the experiences of that group. It nevertheless raises questions that are relevant across legal education and beyond: do students feel comfortable participating in our classrooms? Do they see people with similar backgrounds represented in legal education and practice? Can they imagine themselves building a legal career after graduation?
Law schools have an important role to play in helping students transition into the legal profession with confidence. Simple changes can help create more inclusive environments for all students.
Maria Bhatti is senior lecturer at Western Sydney School of Law and Sandy Noakes is associate professor at the University of Sydney Law School.
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