Meet the Board

Christina Elhaddad is the President and Co-Founder of the Arab American Bar Association of San Diego, and an attorney practicing business and civil litigation (with a focus on real estate) and immigration law in San Diego, CA.  Christina moved to California in 2020 after practicing immigration law for five years in New York and New Jersey. 

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Christina earned her Juris Doctor from the American University Washington College of Law, where she established a chapter of the International Refugee Assistance Project, traveling internationally to assist in refugee resettlement, particularly for refugees from the Arab and Muslim world. Post-graduation, Christina completed a two-year Immigrant Justice Corps fellowship at the Arab American Association of New York, where she helped establish the organization’s legal department and represented noncitizens in various immigration proceedings. Following the Fellowship, Christina represented survivors of gender-based violence at the Domestic Violence Project in NYC. Before her move to California, Christina successfully represented many detained immigrants in their removal proceedings before the Elizabeth Immigration Court as a Staff Attorney at the Legal Services of New Jersey. 

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Christina is dedicated to serving her community by striving to unify the voice of the Arab-American legal community, supporting and empowering current and future leaders from the Arab American legal community, and providing and coordinating networking and social opportunities for those seeking advice, guidance, and/or a platform for professional and personal growth. 

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Christina is currently the Co-Chair of the Endorsement Committee of the San Diego Unity Bar, a member of the Events Coordination Committee of the San Diego Arab and Muslim Coalition, and is a Board Member of the Arab American Advisory Board to the San Diego Police Department.

Yusra Serhan received her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2023. As a first-year law student, Yusra was selected for the San Diego County Bar Association Diversity Fellowship Program. While in law school, she competed on the Mock Trial team and clerked for the California Office of the Attorney General. Upon graduation, Yusra was awarded the Graduation Prize in Advanced Advocacy and was recognized for Pro Bono Service with High Distinction for her completion of 250 hours of pro bono legal service.

 

Yusra received her B.A. in Criminal Justice with a minor in Philosophy from California State University, San Bernardino where she was a member of the Model United Nations Program and competed in numerous international competitions. She also served as the Chair of the Santos Manuel Student Union Board of Directors.

 

Yusra currently represents employers in a wide range of employment litigation matters. 

Jasmine Keilani is the Vice-President and Co-Founder of the Arab American Bar Association of San Diego, and a civil litigation attorney. Jasmine has been a practicing attorney since 2023 and holds a Juris Doctorate degree from California Western School of Law as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University, Fullerton. 

 

A first generation Arab American of Iraqi and Palestinian descent, Jasmine is a native San Diegan. Along with serving as Vice President of the Arab American Bar Association, she also serves on the board of directors of the San Diego chapter of the Network of Arab American Professionals. ​

Allen is a native San Diegan and has spent his entire life in this beautiful city. He attended San Diego State University and graduated with honors.  While in college, Allen developed a passion for public speaking and decided to pursue a career in advocacy. He received scholarship offers from all three local law schools in San Diego and chose to attend California Western School of Law.

 

Upon admission to the California Bar, Allen joined the San Diego Public Defender’s Office where he tirelessly represented disenfranchised and underprivileged members of the community. Though the case load was heavy and the battles were uphill, Allen was unwavering in his tenacity and zealous representation of clients through jury trials and garnered multiple not guilty verdicts.

 

After years with the San Diego Public Defender's office, Allen started practicing for The Barnes Firm in civil litigation matters. Allen helps people who have been involved in tragic and traumatic experiences get
their lives back in order and get the justice they deserve.     

​William Hannosh was born and raised in Los Angeles. He attended the University of La Verne where he studied journalism and earned a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1996. He worked as a news reporter and editor for various publications in the Los Angeles area for several years before he earned his J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

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When he first became licensed to practice law in June 2007, he worked for a solo practitioner for two years in the areas of contract disputes, real estate, and family law. He then worked as a solo practitioner in El Cajon, from 2009 to 2016, where he worked mainly in family law and general civil litigation, with a focus on financial elder abuse. From 2016 to 2021, he practiced solely within family law, working for a medium-sized firm in East County. From 2021 to 2023, he was employed by a smaller firm whose main area of practice was family law. In his 17-year career, William has served hundreds of clients in various types of restraining order cases - in domestic violence, civil harassment, and elder abuse.

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William has and continues to served the San Diego Superior Court system as a Pro Tem volunteer judge who presides over mandatory settlement conferences. He is also appointed by the Court to serve as counsel to minor children in what are mostly high-conflict custody-visitation cases. He also volunteers a couple of times per month with the San Diego Christian Legal Aid Clinics by providing legal advice and guidance to pro se or indigent counselees, where he is also the vice president.

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William's parents came to the US from Baghdad, Iraq in 1971. At age 11, William asked his mother to teach him Arabic, which he speaks today, thanks to her.  In his spare time, William likes hiking Cowles Mountain, taking long walks along the coast, and going to Farmers Markets with his fiancée, Najlaa.