Muslim Lawyers Call Out Law Firms for Ignoring Palestinian Lives
The groups sent a letter to the firms on Monday, asking them to take concrete steps to support Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim legal professionals who face harassment and discrimination for speaking up for human rights.
“Some firms’ uneven treatment of this highly sensitive issue is sadly dehumanizing Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim lives, creating a workplace that is less inclusive, less welcoming, and more hostile toward these underrepresented groups,” the organizations wrote, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
The groups said the firms' letter to law school deans, which urged them to condemn antisemitism on campus, barely mentioned Islamophobia.
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They also said some firms have fired or rejected lawyers and students who criticized Israel's bombings of Gaza, which killed hundreds of Palestinians after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.
The groups said the firms' actions send a message that "Israeli and Jewish lives matter, but Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim lives do not."
Muslim legal professionals have seen a disturbing uptick in concerns from law students and new lawyers who are facing doxxing, harassment, and threats to their career because they speak up for Palestinian human rights, said Edward Mitchell, president of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers.
They urged the firms to work with them to address Islamophobia and create direct channels for attorneys and staff to voice their concerns.
“Law firms and law schools have an important role to play in making sure that everyone in our legal community can exercise their right to free speech and support justice for all people, including the Palestinian people,” Mitchell said.
Source: Agencies
