Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Other Group

National Arab American Bar Association (NAABA)

Type:

Legal advocacy group
Formation:

2023
President:

Rami Jabara

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The National Arab American Bar Association (NAABA) was created in 2023 and aims to connect Arab American law students, lawyers and judges. 1 One of its core values is “combat[ing] efforts to limit or marginalize the Arab American community and all other immigrant/minority communities.” 1 The group has chapters in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. 2 3 4

An April 23, 2025 panel featured Ayat Masoud, “NAABA.” NAABA, 2025, www.arabambar.org/new-events.[/note] who, along with Abdul Elenani, opened a restaurant called Ayat in Brooklyn in December 2023. 5 Ayat’s menu labeled its seafood section as “from the river to the sea,” which is widely considered a call for the destruction of Israel, and also contained the phrase, “Down with the occupation.” 5

Background

The National Arab American Bar Association was created in 2023 and aims to connect Arab American law students, lawyers and judges. 1 Its three main goals are to promote their professional growth, “cultivate an understanding” of Arab Americans’ legal challenges, and serve Arab American communities throughout the United States. 1

Both NAABA and its Illinois chapter endorsed then-President Joe Biden’s nomination of Adeel Mangi as nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 2024. 6 Mangi’s nomination was not approved by the U.S. Senate and lapsed with the conclusion of the 118th Congress. 7

Events

In April 2025, NAABA hosted a panel featuring Dalal Hasan, 8 who created a fundraising page for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). 9 The group held its first annual in-person meeting in Dallas on May 2, 2025. 10

Finances

In 2023, NAABA reported revenue of $100 and expenses of $100. 11 The Joseph and Helen R. Shaker Family Foundation reported a $3,000 donation to NAABA in 2021. 12 The group is registered in Wilmington, Delaware. 11

State Chapters

Illinois Chapter

The Illinois chapter of NAABA has a Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) that recommends candidates for judicial races. 13 Criteria for recommendations include character, legal knowledge and “diversity awareness,” among several other factors. 13

The chapter awards scholarships to students pursuing law degrees at accredited law schools in Illinois. 14 Awardees must be involved in the Arab American community and are also selected based on academic accomplishment, dedication to the rule of law, and leadership. 14

In 2025, Buthaina Hattab was among the awardees. 15 While in college at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Hattab was president of the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. 16 She also authored legislation for the student government assembly calling for the boycott of several companies that do business with Israel. 17

As of 2025, Tony Abou Ezzi was president of the Illinois chapter, Jawad Shalabi was vice president, and Mona Naser was treasurer. 18

Michigan Chapter

As of 2025, Soujoud C. Hamade was president of the Michigan Chapter of NAABA (NAABA-MI) and on the advisory board of NAABA. 19 20 She was previously a policy fellow for Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) gubernatorial campaign in Michigan. 19

Mais Moran was vice president of NAABA-MI. 19 She was also on the diversity and inclusion committee of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. 19

Raed Mourad was secretary and Fadel Nabilsi was treasurer as of 2025. 19

Ohio Chapter

The Ohio chapter announced its creation in 2020. 4 As of 2025, Nathalie Dibo was president, Bassel Abdallah was vice president, and Mark Mikhaiel was treasurer. 21

National Leadership

As of 2025, Rami Jabara was the president and Sandra Frantzen was the vice president of NAABA. 22 The group has several directors, including Ryan Suto. 22 Suto has written for the left-of-center anti-Israel publication Middle East Eye. 23

References

  1. “NAABA.” NAABA, 2023, www.arabambar.org/about.
  2. “About Us – NAABA Michigan.” NAABA Michigan, Feb. 2024, naabamichigan.org/about-us/.
  3. “Arab American Bar Association of Illinois.” Arab American Bar Association of Illinois, 2025, arabbar.org/home.
  4. “AABAR-OHIO.” AABAR-OHIO, 2020, www.arabamericanbarohio.org/.
  5. Fenton, Reuven, et al. “NYC Palestinian Restaurant Chain Facing Death Threats for “Openly Genocidal” Menu Phrase Owner Says Is “Nowhere near Our Definition.”” New York Post, 28 Dec. 2023, nypost.com/2023/12/28/news/palestinian-restaurant-in-brooklyn-ripped-for-antisemitic-phrase-on-menus/.
  6. “Booker Delivers Floor Remarks in Support of U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals Nominee Adeel Mangi | U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey.” Senate.gov, Cory Booker, 21 Mar. 2024, www.booker.senate.gov/news/press/booker-delivers-floor-remarks-in-support-of-us-third-circuit-court-of-appeals-nominee-adeel-mangi. Accessed 11 May 2025.
  7. Ross, Chuck. “Failed Judicial Nominee Adeel Mangi Lashes out at Democrats, Predicts ‘tsunami of Bigotry’ under Trump.” Washington Free Beacon, December 16, 2024. https://freebeacon.com/biden-harris-administration/failed-judicial-nominee-adeel-mangi-lashes-out-at-democrats-predicts-tsunami-of-bigotry-under-trump/
  8.  “NAABA – National Arab American Bar (@Arabambar) • Instagram Photos and Videos.” Instagram.com, 2025, www.instagram.com/arabambar/.
  9. “2024 Gather for Gaza.” Unrwausa.org, 2024, getinvolved.unrwausa.org/fundraiser/5069641.
  10. “NAABA.” NAABA, 2025, www.arabambar.org/new-events
  11. National American Arab Bar Association, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990EZ), 2023, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/934871456/202411359349201106/IRS990EZ, Lines 12 and 18.
  12. Joseph and Helen R. Shaker Family Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990PF), 2021, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363572999/202320259349100302/IRS990PF
  13. “Arab American Bar Association of Illinois.” Arab American Bar Association of Illinois, 2025, arabbar.org/judicial-eval-1.
  14. “Arab American Bar Association of Illinois.” Arab American Bar Association of Illinois, 2025, arabbar.org/scholarship-foundation.
  15. National Arab American Bar Association. Facebook.com, 2022, www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1066642032149954&set=a.429879972492833.
  16. Troher, Matt, and Farrah Anderson. “A Campus Divided against Itself – the Daily Illini.” The Daily Illini, 10 Nov. 2021, dailyillini.com/news-stories/longform/2021/11/10/a-campus-divided-against-itself-2/.
  17. Hattab, Buthaina. Human Rights Violations in University Investments and Police Forces. Senate of the Illinois Student Government 4th Assembly, 14 Sept. 2020.
  18. “Arab American Bar Association of Illinois.” Arab American Bar Association of Illinois, 2025, arabbar.org/the-board.
  19. “Officers – NAABA Michigan.” NAABA Michigan, Feb. 2024, naabamichigan.org/officers/.
  20. “Soujoud Hamade.” NAABA, 2025, www.arabambar.org/governing-board/soujoud-hamade.
  21. “Meet the Board: Officers.” AABAR-OHIO, 2020, www.arabamericanbarohio.org/meet-the-board-officers.
  22. “NAABA Governing Board.” NAABA, 2024, www.arabambar.org/governing-board.
  23. “Ryan J Suto.” Middle East Eye, 2025, www.middleeasteye.net/users/ryan-j-suto.
  See an error? Let us know!