Mohammed Alharthi’s (LLM, ‘19) at the University of Cincinnati College of Law

The Law of Possibility

Mohammed Alharthi’s (LLM, ‘19) focused pursuit to a Corporate Legal Career

Mohammed Alharthi (LLM, ‘19) walked into his first day as an attorney brimming with excitement. It was August 2024, and the past two months had been a cascade of good news. Weeks after receiving a job offer from Saudi Airlines, Mohammed and his wife discovered they were also expecting their first child. It was perfect timing. The job offer meant they would be moving closer to their parents, soon-to-be grandparents.

“We wanted to surprise our parents but didn’t know what to surprise them with first: the new job, the move, or the baby?” Mohammed laughed.

One of Mohammed’s top career goals as an attorney was to one day be able to provide for a family. This opportunity seemed to come at just the right time. Then, just five days before his start date, their daughter Heba—whose name means “gift” in Arabic—arrived a month early. 

“I became an aviation legal counsel and a father at the same time—it was very exciting,” he shared. “My first day on the job, I had to ask my supervisor if I could step away for an hour to join my daughter’s five-day check-up. They were incredibly supportive.”

Today, Mohammed’s day-to-day at Saudi Airlines involves legal compliance, contracts, and corporate litigation. He credits courses like Contracts, Legal Writing, and Client Counseling at Cincinnati Law for equipping him with the necessary skills to be a successful attorney.

“The classes were very engaging. I learned how to break down subpoenas and affidavits, draft legal correspondences, even soft skills,” he said. “Cincinnati Law was a big deal in my life. What I learned is still relevant today, especially when interacting with international companies in my current role.”

Joele Newman (JD, ‘26)

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has experienced a significant surge in the number of licensed lawyers. Last year, the Ministry of Justice reported a 315% increase, with the total number reaching almost 16,000 in 2023, up from 3,800 in 2016. With so many more qualified candidates in the job market today, those who hold international LLMs carry a particular advantage over the rest noted Mohammed.

“Saudi law firms are hungry for international LLMs. Many of my colleagues are alumni of international schools, and it’s truly an honor to work alongside such talented professionals,” he said. “Pursuing an LLM and foreign education is a strategic step for anyone looking to advance their career.”

Cincinnati Law was a big deal in my life. What I learned is still relevant today, especially when interacting with international companies in my current role.

Reaching this milestone in Mohammed’s career was anything but straightforward. After earning his LLM from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, he returned to Saudi Arabia, only to find the job market severely impacted by the pandemic. Work opportunities for practicing attorneys were scarce. Rather than holding out for the ideal position, Mohammed decided to seize the opportunities that came his way. This allowed him to gain diverse legal experience, including a paralegal position in the oil and gas sector and a role at his city’s public prosecution office.

“They say the first 10 years of your career you’re supposed to learn, and that’s exactly where I have put my focus,” he said.

From a young age, Mohammed dreamed of exploring the world beyond his hometown. He grew up in the small town of Taif, located in the Sarawat Mountains in Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Province, just 90 miles from the bustling city of Jeddah, where he now resides.

“It seems like people from small towns either spend their entire lives there or want strongly to branch out and explore the world. I chose the second path.”

He worked hard in high school and upon graduating was awarded the King Abdullah Scholarship, an award reserved for those with strong academics. This would be his ticket to see the world. He soon left home to study accounting in Oregon, but dissatisfied with the subject, his grades faltered, and he chose to leave the program early. He began to doubt his academic abilities.

“I started to doubt everything. I thought, maybe I’m not fit for college. Maybe I’m not fit for education,” he said.

“The LLM program at Cincinnati Law was really transformative for me and has been a significant asset in my own career”


- Mohammed Alharthi’s, LLM ‘19

He worked hard in high school and upon graduating was awarded the King Abdullah Scholarship, an award reserved for those with strong academics. This would be his ticket to see the world. He soon left home to study accounting in Oregon, but dissatisfied with the subject, his grades faltered, and he chose to leave the program early. He began to doubt his academic abilities.

“I started to doubt everything. I thought, maybe I’m not fit for college. Maybe I’m not fit for education,” he said.

But when the University of Mecca launched its first ever judicial studies program, something clicked for Mohammed. Graduating with honors, he went on to finish his Executive Master’s in Law Studies degree before reapplying for the King Abdullah Scholarship, a move that would bring him to Cincinnati Law. There, new doubts began to form.

Joele Newman

“Even though I had already completed six years of law school at the time, finished an Executive Master’s in Law Studies here in Saudi, finished my bachelor’s degree in judicial studies—getting an LLM at Cincinnati Law was a whole new ballgame,” he said. “I was asking myself, ‘What am I doing here?’ I had to ground myself multiple times.”

Fortunately, Mohammed found a supportive community at Cincinnati Law where he soon discovered others struggled with the same feelings of imposter syndrome. It was there, among the students and professors, that he reconnected with his purpose: to explore the world and deepen his understanding of the law along the way.

“I loved the variety of student nationalities within the LLM program. It was another learning experience, totally different from law school itself,” he said. “Of course, there was a Muslim community and a Saudi community at UC, but Cincinnati Law gave us that opportunity to come together and learn about different cultures and the law and return with a whole new mindset. That’s what we were there for.”

He said he still maintains many of these connections through a group chat online. In addition to having access to this professional network of like-minded lawyers spanning the globe, Mohammed said the lessons learned from the professors and courses have forever changed the way he approaches his practice.

“The LLM program at Cincinnati Law was really transformative for me and has been a significant asset in my own career,” he attested.

Joele Newman

Mohammed’s willingness to seize on opportunities, even in uncertain times, and desire to expand his perspective, have been key factors in opening doors throughout his career. Looking ahead, he plans to carry this same mindset into his future career aspirations.

“What I love about law is that you stay fresh and are never bored doing mundane tasks,” he said. “I’m always learning, and every experience becomes knowledge I can apply in the future, wherever that might take me.”

Want to learn more about our students and their journey to (and through) law school? Read more stories on the "Meet Our Students" page. See yourself at Cincinnati Law!   

Author: Bachmeyer Press

Photographer: Asa Featherstone IV

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