Reflecting on a career of public service

There’s no doubt Mustafa T. Kasubhai, JD ’96, has made an impact on Oregon. A champion for diversity and equality, the UO alumnus is the first Muslim American to serve as a federal judge in the United States, currently as a US magistrate judge for the District of Oregon. 

Kasubhai has known that he is passionate about community and public service since he was young. His parents, who immigrated to the US from India, instilled these values in him as a child. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1992, he worked on the East Coast for one year, then returned to the West Coast to begin law school at the UO in 1993. 

“My mom, although both of my parents felt this way, had a strong streak for speaking truth to power and really pursuing these ideals around social justice,” Kasubhai said. “I found that the law was a natural fit, and it allowed me to also learn the tools and skills necessary to be engaged in community organizing, social justice, and civil rights work.” 

As a law student, Kasubhai felt welcomed and valued. The support of his professors and classmates, along with his own resilience and determination, carried him through those rigorous three years. He specifically recalls professor Keith Aoki challenging him to think about law in a critical way, particularly as it relates to issues of social justice. 

"He was sort of a wild kind of radical, just intense person who was always thinking about what you do with the law and how do you challenge assumptions,” Kasubhai said. “He was a real inspiration to me to stay engaged with the law because there was room for being involved in social justice and community organizing work and public service.” 

After graduation, Kasubhai practiced law in Eugene and Klamath Falls and served as a member of the Oregon Workers’ Compensation Board. In 2007, he was appointed judge on the Lane County Circuit Court and in 2018, he became a US magistrate judge with the District Court for the District of Oregon. 

Becoming the first Muslim American to serve as a federal judge is perhaps Kasubhai’s greatest achievement. He noted Oregon’s comparatively small population of Muslim Americans made it a surprising state to break this barrier. While Kasubhai said he’s grateful for the inclusivity of the legal profession in Oregon that made the progress possible, he also wonders why it took so long. 

“Why did it take so long for our country to come around to the idea that somebody who was Muslim American could serve on our judiciary?” Kasubhai asked. “I'm glad I had the opportunity to be that person, but at the end of the day, I think I'd rather celebrate being the fiftieth Muslim American judge rather than the first.” 

In addition to his work on the federal bench, Kasubhai is a cofounder of the Oregon Mediation Diversity Project, which supports opportunities for law students with diverse backgrounds who want to practice mediation. Kasubhai calls this work an investment in future legal and political leaders. 

Said Kasubhai: “If we can plant the seeds by making sure there's hundreds and thousands of new lawyers who are passionate about making sure people's voices are heard, then I'm happy with the idea that somewhere down the road, there will be [law professionals who] are filling those ranks and engaging in community service ten, twenty, thirty, forty years from now.” 

In recognition of his accomplishments and contributions to Oregon Law, the state, and the nation, Kasubhai has been awarded the 2024 Frohnmayer Award for Public Service. The law school bestows this honor on an alum, faculty member, or friend each year for their public service. The award is named for Dave Frohnmayer, in honor of the family of Dave Frohnmayer, who served as a professor of law starting in 1971, dean of the UO School of Law from 1992 to 1994, and UO president from 1994 to 2009. For Kasubhai, the award represents the importance of those values instilled in him as a child—community and public service.

“Even though it's conferred on an individual, [this award] really should be a reminder of how important it is that we're part of a larger community of people who care and that a public servant in isolation can't do much, but a public servant within a broader family of people who are passionate about service can move mountains.” 

Kasubhai continues to advocate for diversity and equality through public policy as a member of several Oregon legal associations, including the Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners, Lane County Bar Association, Oregon Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Oregon Minority Lawyers Association, and Oregon Women Lawyers. He also facilitates Oregon Law’s Litigation Lab, serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council, and more. 

In September 2023, President Biden nominated Kasubhai for a US District Court judge seat. If confirmed, he would fill the seat held by Ann Aiken, BS ’74 (political science), JD ’79. He went before the Senate Judiciary Committee in October and awaits a full Senate confirmation. 

—By Olivia Arciniega, class of 2026 (business administration), UO Alumni Association student writer