Hello, I'm Jalil M.
Jalil Muhammad, was born into a closely-knit family that inculcated in him from an early age the importance of servicing society’s weakest, forgotten and most dispossessed. Known for his leadership skills and community involvement, Jalil has distinguished himself as a paradigm shifting school leader, analytical legal mind, and visionary entrepreneur. Jalil obtained his undergraduate degree in History from Howard University in 2011 and his graduate degree in Teaching Social Studies from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education. For several years, Jalil expanded his knowledge of history, politics, and culture by travelling the world and teaching social studies in one of the largest public-school districts in the country. During his tenure as a public high school teacher, Jalil distinguished himself as a passionate and results-driven educator. Under his guidance, Advanced Placement standardized test scores increased six-fold, and hist students consistently ranked among the highest achieving in the district. After a successful career as an educator, Jalil returned to the classroom as a student to pursue a study of law. While at Columbia Law School, Jalil developed his knowledge of the criminal procedure by interning with the Exoneration Initiative where he worked with wrongfully convicted indigent clients seeking to have their convictions overturned due to the emergence of compelling evidence of actual innocence. After working with EXI, Jalil had the chance to examine many of the same criminal justice issues previously explored from the perspective of the defense bar as an extern with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. At the Brooklyn DA’s Office, Jalil worked on an array of 4th amendment issues, interviewed witnesses, and assisted with trial preparation. However, one of the highlights of his time at Columbia was spent externing with the Center for Public Research and Leadership where he engaged with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in examining how master schedules could be used as a tool to advance equity in public schools. After graduating, Jalil joined the litigation department of a New York based international law firm where, as a law clerk, he assisted with breach of contract and shareholder suit issues. Jalil lives outside of Washington, DC with his wife and son.