It is critical to ensure diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, as it aids in providing better service to clients. This is because diverse legal professionals can promote expertise within the field, as they can provide different perspectives to legal matters, and may be better at relating to their clients. Diversity and inclusion is a goal which many other professions wish to improve on. Accordingly, if the legal profession does not achieve this it reflects an apathetic and regressive, which is disconnected to other fields of work. This may result in the decline of the legal profession because in order for the law profession to be successful it needs to appeal to clients, as well as adapting and improving the way that other businesses and professions have done.

According to a report done by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2017, Muslim solicitors account for 8% of all solicitors in England and Wales. According to a report done by the Bar Standards Board in 2020, Muslim barristers account for 2% of all practitioners at the Bar. It must be noted that there is a significant percentage of lawyers who did not participate in these surveys, and so, it is likely that the percentage of Muslim lawyers is greater in reality.

The lack of representation can often make minorities feel excluded and alienated. Aspiring lawyers may be discouraged due to not seeing many people like them achieving their aspirations of becoming a lawyer, as well as attaining more senior positions. Imposter syndrome can also be due to feeling that they will be left out. For instance, Nabila Mallick of No5 Barrister’s Chambers mentions how she would tire of being asked why she did not drink alcohol, and would simply state that it was due to not liking the taste of alcohol to avoid being questioned on her religious identity.

The need for diversity and inclusion within law, particularly Muslim representation, remains. However, it is improving. Aspiring Muslim lawyers should not be discouraged by grim statistics or concerns of imposter syndrome. Rather, they should champion their Muslim identity and use it as a means entering the legal profession. There are organisations and schemes which can also aid aspiring Muslim lawyers. Examples of these resources can be found on the Muslim Lawyers Hub website.