Law School Professor
Scholar of Islamic and Jewish Law

Rabea Benhalim is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Law School and recipient of the 2024 Colorado Law Excellence in Teaching Award, the school’s highest teaching honor. Her research focuses on the development of Islamic and Jewish law in the modern era. Within this area, her current work investigates how secular environments affect interpretations and development of religious law, especially for minority religions. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Minnesota Law Review, the Wisconsin Law Review, the BYU Law Review, amongst others. She is regularly interviewed by media outlets.

Prior to joining the Colorado faculty, Professor Benhalim was the 2017-2019 William H. Hastie Fellow at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Her prior work experience as a lawyer and policy expert includes positions at the Brookings Institution, Mayer Brown LLP, Maersk Oil, and the Carter Center. She holds a J.D. from the University of Texas, an LL.M. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, a Master of Islamic Studies from the University of Texas, and a Master of Public Policy Degree from the University of Michigan.

View her CV here.
Research

My research explores the intricate intersection of religion and law. I focus primarily on two areas: the development of Jewish and Islamic law in modern secular contexts, and the application of Islamic law in private and commercial spheres. Through comparative analyses, I investigate how secular environments influence interpretations of religious law, particularly for minority faiths. This work aims to evaluate interactions between competing legal values and propose balanced solutions.

Current projects examine a range of critical topics. These include oppression in private law, Islamic sexual freedom, women’s legal status, abortion in religious law, and ethical conduct in Muslim leadership. By challenging preconceptions about legal systems, I seek to demonstrate how diverse legal traditions can inform and improve protections for vulnerable parties in society.

In Focus

Agreeing to Disagree: Abortion Jurisprudence in Jewish and Islamic Law, B.Y.U. L. REV. ___(2025)(forthcoming).

SSRN citation: Benhalim, Rabea, Agreeing to Disagree: Abortion Jurisprudence in Jewish and Islamic Law (September 16, 2024). B.Y.U. L. REV.____(2025) (forthcoming).

Publications

View her Social Science Research Network profile here.

Contract Customization, Sex, and Islamic Law, 108 MINN. L. REV. 1861 (2024).

SSRN citation: Benhalim, Rabea, Contract Customization, Sex, and Islamic Law (April 26, 2024). 108 MINN. L. REV. 1861 (2024)

Oppression in American, Islamic, and Jewish Private Law, 94 COLO. L. REV. 1 (2023).

SSRN citation: Benhalim, Rabea, Oppression in American, Islamic, and Jewish Private Law (April 14, 2023). 94 COLO. L. REV. 1 (2023)

The Case for American Muslim Arbitration, 2019 WIS. L. REV. 531, 592 (2019).

SSRN citation: Benhalim, Rabea, The Case for American Muslim Arbitration (January 01, 2019). 2019 WIS. L. REV. 531, 592 (2019)

Religious Courts in Secular Jurisdictions, 84 BROOK. L. REV. 745, 800 (2019).

SSRN citation: Benhalim, Rabea, Religious Courts in Secular Jurisdictions: How Jewish and Islamic Courts Adapt to Societal and Legal Norms (June 26, 2019). 84 BROOK. L. REV. 745, 800 (2019)

Women’s Rights and Religious Law: Domestic and International Perspectives, 33 J. OF L. AND RELIGION (2018) (book review).

SSRN citation: Benhalim, Rabea, Book Review: Women’s Rights and Religious Law: Domestic and International Perspectives (April 05, 2019). Journal of Law and Religion, volume 33, issue 03, 2018[10.1017/jlr.2019.5 ]

Benhalim with Wittes & Bennett, Rationalizing Government Collection Authorities: A Proposal for Radical Simplification, GOVERNANCE STUDIES AT BROOKINGS (Jan. 7, 2011).

SSRN citation: , Rationalizing Government Collection Authorities: A Proposal for Radical Simplification (January 07, 2011). GOVERNANCE STUDIES AT BROOKINGS (Jan. 7, 2011)

Benhalim with Wittes & Chesney, The Emerging Law of Detention: The Guantánamo Habeas Cases as Lawmaking, GOVERNANCE STUDIES AT BROOKINGS (Jan. 22, 2010).

SSRN citation: Wittes, Benjamin and Chesney, Robert and Benhalim, Rabea, The Emerging Law of Detention: The Guantanamo Cases as Lawmaking (January 22, 2010). Governance Studies at Brookings, January 22, 2010, U of Texas Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 165
Teaching

My teaching philosophy centers on fostering intellectual curiosity and servant leadership. I create an inclusive learning environment where students feel empowered to succeed, emphasizing respect and diverse perspectives. My goal is to prepare students to become ethical practitioners who contribute positively to society, extending beyond financial success to encompass professionalism and service. I’m committed to continuous improvement, regularly seeking feedback to refine my methods. Beyond the classroom, I dedicate myself to mentorship, aiming to instill in students an appreciation for the privilege and responsibility of studying and practicing law.

Courses

Contracts

Balances doctrinal teaching with real-world application, emphasizing historical context and the importance of the right to contract while introducing drafting skills.

Secured Transactions

Focuses on practical legal skills and problem-solving, using real-world examples to contextualize complex financial transactions and security interests.

Introduction to Islamic Law

Explores Islamic jurisprudence, interpretive methodologies, and contemporary debates, encouraging critical thinking and comparative analysis with other legal systems.

Introduction to Jewish Law

Examines the structure, process, and substance of Jewish law, promoting comparative analysis with American law and addressing contemporary legal challenges.

What Students Say

Professor Benhalim was one of the best teachers I’ve had across any level of schooling. She made what could’ve been rather dry materially very fun and engaging while connecting it to real-life relevancy.
Contracts course
Professor Benhalim is incredible. While talking to my Dad a few days ago, I remarked that Contracts was probably my favorite course and it had nothing to do with the course material—it is entirely because Prof Benhalim is an excellent professor who can distill complicated and sometimes “mushy” ideas into accessible concepts. Her pace kept me engaged and she has great command of the classroom so that we don’t get bogged down by unnecessary tangents.
Contracts course
Professor Benhalim was absolutely one of my favorite professors I have had during my time at CU. I think that her passion, excitement, and connection to the material absolutely contribute to that, however, I believe that Professor Benhalim could make a class on watching paint dry into a class that everyone was excited to attend and wanted to learn more about. Her respect for students was something that really fostered an environment conducive to learning because everyone felt comfortable to share ideas.
Introduction to Islamic Law course
Professor Benhalim is generous with her time and energy, and brings a scholarly and well-researched perspective on a commonly misunderstood subject. Thank you for doing this decolonizing work, Professor! We need more classes like this at CU Boulder.
Introduction to Islamic Law course
This was a fantastic and engaging seminar. I loved the free form discussion of it, and I thought Professor Benhalim synthesized a lot of fascinating topics and made the course material digestible.
Introduction to Islamic Law course
I really expected a class about secured transactions to be very dry, lecture-heavy, and not exciting, but Professor Benhalim made this course end up being one of my favorites of law school. I thought that everything about it was so perfectly curated to enhance our learning. The assignments with the required problem sets actually made me apply what I had just learned before I went to class on the subject. The break-out rooms were awesome and allowed me to discuss in a smaller group where everyone had an opportunity to speak up and learn from my peers. The slideshows were great and very helpful, I loved that Professor Benhalim posted them before class. Additionally, Professor Benhalim was reactive and understanding of our struggles this semester, and even put us into break-out rooms to feel a sense of community when something awful happened in the country. I have not had another professor who did so much to make zoom feel like an environment of human beings.
Secured Transactions course
Getting to take this class was a unique and rewarding opportunity to talk about religious beliefs and different world views in a law school setting. Professor Benhalim was very passionate about the subject and it showed in the plethora of resources on Jewish law and culture that she shared with us every class. The student presentations helped to keep the class engaging. I appreciated that Professor Benhalim sent out a feedback survey approximately half way through the semester, and then made an effort to implement some of the suggestions from it during our remaining weeks.
Introduction to Jewish Law course
I just wanted to say you’ve been my favorite professor in law school & I wish you were teaching something next semester!
Introduction to Jewish Law course

Fellowships and Awards

Colorado Law School Excellence in Teaching Award

Hazel Barnes Flat Research Award

National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity – Faculty Success Program Grant

Colorado Law School Outstanding New Faculty Award

Law and Society Graduate Fellow, University of Wisconsin Law School

William H. Hastie Fellow, University of Wisconsin Law School

Kathryn Davis Fellow, Middlebury College Arabic Language School

Legal Fellow, University of Texas Center for Women in Law

Democracy Program Fellow, The Carter Center

Fellow, Institute for International Public Policy

Archer Fellow, United Nations Information Center (UNIC)

Academic Excellence Scholarship, University of Texas at Dallas
Media & Speaking Engagements
Professor Benhalim welcomes opportunities to share her expertise and engage in thought-provoking discussions. She is available for media interviews, public speaking events, panel participations, and guest lectures on topics related to her areas of expertise. To inquire about Professor Benhalim’s availability or to request her participation in an event or interview, please visit the Contact section of the page.

In the Media
- Religious views on abortion more diverse than they may appear in U.S. political debate, Elisha Brown, STATES NEWSROOM, May 6, 2024 (quoted extensively).
- The Debate Over Muslim College Students Getting Secret Marriages, Emma Green, THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE, Sept. 9, 2022 (quoted extensively).
- How divorced Muslim women in the US are fighting for what they’re owed, Zainab Iqbal, MIDDLE EAST EYE, Aug. 3, 2022 (quoted extensively).
Recent Lectures & Public Speaking

Invited Guest Lecture, The Greater Washington Coalition for Jewish Life (Apr 2025)

“The Relationship of Jewish and Islamic Legal Scholars”

Invited Guest Lecture, Congregation Bonai Shalom (Jun 2024)

“Similar but Different; The path to becoming a scholar of Jewish and Islamic law”

Invited Guest Lecture, Museum of Jewish Heritage (May 2024)

“Comparing Jewish and Islamic Legal Traditions”

Invited Guest Lecture, The University of Michigan Frankel Center for Judaic Studies (Jan 2024)

“Abortion in Jewish and Islamic Law”
Contact

Please note that all messages are checked by an automated spam detection service, which does not retain their content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name
First
Last
Email

Email Message Name

Message

Law School ProfessorScholar of Islamic and Jewish Law

Research

In Focus

Publications

Teaching

Courses

Contracts

Secured Transactions

Introduction to Islamic Law

Introduction to Jewish Law

What Students Say

Professor Benhalim was one of the best teachers I’ve had across any level of schooling. She made what could’ve been rather dry materially very fun and engaging while connecting it to real-life relevancy.

Contracts course

Contracts course

Introduction to Islamic Law course

Professor Benhalim is generous with her time and energy, and brings a scholarly and well-researched perspective on a commonly misunderstood subject. Thank you for doing this decolonizing work, Professor! We need more classes like this at CU Boulder.

Introduction to Islamic Law course

This was a fantastic and engaging seminar. I loved the free form discussion of it, and I thought Professor Benhalim synthesized a lot of fascinating topics and made the course material digestible.

Introduction to Islamic Law course

Secured Transactions course

Introduction to Jewish Law course

I just wanted to say you’ve been my favorite professor in law school & I wish you were teaching something next semester!

Introduction to Jewish Law course

Fellowships and Awards

Colorado Law School Excellence in Teaching Award

Hazel Barnes Flat Research Award

National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity – Faculty Success Program Grant

Colorado Law School Outstanding New Faculty Award

Law and Society Graduate Fellow, University of Wisconsin Law School

William H. Hastie Fellow, University of Wisconsin Law School

Kathryn Davis Fellow, Middlebury College Arabic Language School

Legal Fellow, University of Texas Center for Women in Law

Democracy Program Fellow, The Carter Center

Fellow, Institute for International Public Policy

Archer Fellow, United Nations Information Center (UNIC)

Academic Excellence Scholarship, University of Texas at Dallas

Media & Speaking Engagements

In the Media

Recent Lectures & Public Speaking

Contact

Law School Professor
Scholar of Islamic and Jewish Law