Dean Hamoudi to present at panel discussion on Islamophobia

Dean Haider Ala Hamoudi, along with a panel of attorneys, will discuss the challenge of Islamophobia and how it manifests within the legal profession. This event, “Islamophobia & the Law”, will be held 12:00 Noon, Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at Bricker Graydon Law Offices (312 Walnut St., Ste. 1800).  The panel discussion will also be available via Zoom.  CLE: 1.0 hour OH attorney professionalism conduct credit pending; 1.0 hour KY CLE credit pending.  Registration is required.

This event is sponsored by the Cincinnati Bar Association.

About the Event

This panel will discuss what Islamophobia is and how it manifests in the country and within the legal profession. The panel will share their experiences in litigating cases based on Islamophobic incidents, including in the areas of employment, bullying incidents at school, and protecting prisoners’ rights. They will also discuss how Islamophobia shows up in the legal profession, including sharing personal experiences of biases they have faced while practicing law.

About the Participants

Dean Haider Ala Hamoudi, University of Cincinnati College of Law. Dean Hamoudi is the principal academic and executive officer of the University of Cincinnati College of Law. In this role, he oversees all operations of the college, working closely with the Dean’s Leadership Team to advance the strategic priorities of the college. In addition, Dean Hamoudi is the Editor-in-Chief of the Arab Law Quarterly and is currently focused on revitalizing and restoring the scholarly reputation of Quarterly as the most highly regarded and widely distributed law journal addressing matters of Arab law in the English language.

Dean Hamoudi’s scholarship focuses on Middle Eastern and Islamic law. As concerns Islamic law, and specifically Islamic finance, his approach has been to focus on the manner in which modern legal actors, with their own preexisting political, social, economic and ideological dispositions, interpret and apply Islamic law as part of the positive law of contemporary states. His scholarship on the law of the Middle East focusses on the law as it operates in the field rather than as it exists in texts and commentaries. He received his B.Sc. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a JD from Columbia Law School, and a JSD from Columbia Law School.

Shahed Al-asadi, Esq., Abercrombie & Fitch. Ms. Al-Asadi is senior legal counsel-retail operations at Abercrombie & Fitch Co. She has served in several roles at Abercrombie, including assistant legal counsel, associate legal counsel, and legal counsel. Prior to joining the company, she worked for Themis Bar Grader, providing substantive feedback for JD candidates taking the bar. Al-asadi’s previous work experience also included working as a staff assistant for Congresswoman Joyce Beatty’s Office. She received her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University and her JD from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

Roula Allouch, Esq., Bricker Graydon LLP.   Ms. Allouch is a trial attorney with experience handling a range of litigation matters including in the areas of employment, commercial disputes, civil rights, personal injury, and appeals. She is an active member of the legal community and the community at large.  She served as chair of the National Board of Directors of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest civil rights and advocacy group for the American Muslim community, for eight years and now serves as an inaugural co-chair on its Enmeritus Board. In addition, she is chair of the American Bar Association’s Center for Human Rights and serves on the leadership council for the Association’s Section for Civil Rights and Social Justice. Allouch earned her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Kentucky and her JD from the University of Kentucky College of Law.  She is licensed to practice in all state and federal courts in Kentucky and Ohio and before the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Lead photo: istockphoto.com

Related Stories

1

AI advances in the liver disease field

April 15, 2026

MASH represents the advanced inflammatory form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), where fat accumulation in the liver triggers fibrosis and progressive liver injury. According to a recent MedCentral article, more AI-based clinical assessment tools in MASH are needed.

2

From spilled milk to super-resolution microscopy

April 15, 2026

University of Cincinnati student Eddie Gerstner will graduate this semester and enter medical school later this year. Born with a severe milk allergy, he has overcome numerous life-threatening reactions since.

3

OTR mural celebrates UC alumni innovation and impact

April 14, 2026

The UC Alumni Association (UCAA) will host its annual Alumni Celebration during Alumni Week, April 13-18, with a community art project commemorating this year’s slate of alumni honorees receiving the organization’s top awards. Taking place April 16 at the First Financial Center (Cincinnati Convention Center), the Alumni Celebration will recognize the 18 honorees for their individual and collective innovation and impact, and the resulting impact on their university, communities, and fields of endeavor.