Detroit Mercy Law 2L student Zaineb-Stalene Al-Dhalimi enjoys visiting different countries and is pictured near the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
(Photo courtesy of Zaineb-Stalene Al-Dhalimi)
By Sheila Pursglove
Legal NewsFrom a young age, Zaineb-Stalene Al-Dhalimi heard Lady Justice calling her name.
“I watched attorneys make a positive impact on my community and more closely, on my father’s real estate business, and knew I wanted to be that impact said. “I saw the law as the best way to shape the world around me. There’s so much versatility in being an attorney. Whether I was to be a litigator, business attorney, or any other practice area, law school was the best place to start my journey.
“I’m most passionate about the law because of its diversity in career opportunities. With a law degree, the world is full of endless possibilities. Whether you want to make a societal impact, challenge yourself intellectually, or safeguard creativity and innovation, the law provides a strong foundation to shape the world in countless ways.”
Al-Dhalimi built a strong foundation for law school by first earning a double major in criminology and criminal justice and political science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
“Political science helped me to have a strong understanding of government and law while enhancing my communication, writing and research skills,” she said. “Criminology and criminal justice catered to my own interests in the justice system and its operation. I’ve seen how the criminal justice system impacts the people around me and I wanted to understand how it could be improved.”
During undergraduate studies, she worked as a front-desk clerk at AT Law Group in Dearborn, learning about the personal injury and general practice division along with supporting a variety of administrative tasks. She also worked at LegalSolv, a startup in Dearborn, as the only legal assistant to four attorneys across many practice areas.
“My time at LegalSolv was invaluable for gaining experience across family, business, criminal, and real estate law, which deepened my understanding of where I want to focus my practice after law school,” she says.
Al-Dhalimi headed to Detroit Mercy Law last year, and is now a 2L student.
“I knew I could thrive at Detroit Mercy Law,” she said.
At the end of her 1L year, she externed at Equity Alliance of Michigan, an experience she said “helped to build on my legal research skills as we created a legal guidebook for opening a nonprofit organization in Michigan which features a step-by-step guide.”
Now serving as 2L class president, she finds it rewarding to actively contribute to her classmates' law school experience and to advocate for their needs.
“I can bring their concerns and ideas to the administration, ensuring that their voices are heard on important matters such as academic policies, registration and exam process development, and faculty accessibility, Al-Dhalimi said.
Serving as vice president of the Muslim Law Student Association provides perspectives on integrating faith with the demands of a legal career.
While Al-Dhalimi has not yet set herself on a specific practice area, she said her career goal “is to gain experience in various areas of corporate and business law, ultimately specializing in trademark and copyright law at an in-house firm within the fashion industry.”
The oldest daughter of seven siblings, Al-Dhalimi grew up in Arab-American communities in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. She and husband Ahmed now live in Canton.
In her leisure time, she enjoys visiting different countries — “and witnessing the most beautiful destinations this world has to offer.
“I also find joy in everything to do with fashion including personal styling of myself and close family members.”
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