What a story!
A Hunter graduate turned high-powered litigator returned to campus April 8 to talk about her journey to the top of her profession.
Amal El Bakhar MHC ’11 spoke with Hunter freshman Samantha Chlafer MHC ’27 at the most recent “On the Docket” event in the President’s Conference Room Series for Pre-Law students.
El Bakhar, who came to the United States from Morocco at age 9, was a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow after graduating Hunter with a degree in Biochemistry and Women’s Studies. She attended Harvard Law School, where she edited the Law & Policy Journal.
She began her career at the white-shoe firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, before moving to Kirkland & Ellis where she later became a partner. Her litigation practice encompasses antitrust, securities, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial disputes. El Bakhar also serves on the Hunter Macaulay Admissions Committee and is involved with many organizations in the community.
El Bakhar and Chlafer discussed how El Bakhar fashioned herself from an immigrant striver into a confident New York City attorney – an experience that required hard work and persistence. She also emphasized the importance, at every step, of having a kind spirit and forging relationships.
El Bakhar spoke about how, in bringing new diversity to many spaces, she sometimes has felt like an imposter; the experience has shaped the way she staffs her teams and her pro bono work.
She praised the help of her mentors and especially her relationship with Hunter’s Pre-Law Program.
“Many Hunter students, me included, can relate to her struggles and are inspired by her career trajectory,” Chlafer said. “She also spoke openly and vulnerably about the way her path has been far from linear.”
