09/15/2026
Second-year Indiana University Maurer School of Law student Fouad Hamami has been appointed by Governor Mike Braun to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, becoming the seven-member body’s youngest commissioner and its only law student.
The commission is the final decision-making authority for Indiana’s civil rights enforcement agency. It reviews discrimination cases, considers appeals and rules on certain case-related motions. The agency investigates complaints involving employment, housing, education, public accommodations and credit.
“Fouad’s appointment to the Indiana Civil Rights Commission is a remarkable achievement and a testament to his professionalism and commitment to public service,” Dean Christiana Ochoa said.
Hamami attended his first monthly commission meeting Aug. 25 in Indianapolis, where he listened to oral arguments and participated in case work.
“It’s an immense responsibility that I’m very, very grateful to be able to even sit in that room, much less be on the opposite side of the table actually adjudicating it,” Hamami said.
The Evansville native already has experience in public governance. Hamami earned his undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of Southern Indiana, where then-Gov. Eric Holcomb appointed him in 2023 to a two-year term as the voting student member of the university’s Board of Trustees. At USI, Hamami also founded the university’s mock trial team and participated in student government.
The opportunity to join the Civil Rights Commission emerged while Hamami was interviewing for a student position on the Indiana University Board of Trustees. During the process, he met former Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter ’83, one of the interviewers. Their conversations increasingly turned to civil rights, Hamami said, and he was later offered the commission appointment.
“I did a lot of deep research on the commission and its role and responsibilities before I felt comfortable to accept,” he said.
Although Hamami had completed only his first year of law school when he was appointed, he said his legal education has already taught him to follow the reasoning behind decisions, identify gaps in the record, and recognize when additional information or research is needed.
“My first year taught me how to research and how to understand the cases I’m reading,” he said.
Those skills apply directly to the commission’s work. After a discrimination complaint is filed, agency staff determine whether it falls within the commission’s jurisdiction and, when appropriate, investigate the allegations. Cases may proceed through mediation, administrative hearings, or other proceedings. Commissioners review findings and appeals and, in some matters, hear oral arguments before reaching decisions.
Hamami said the appointment also complements his interest in the intersection of law and business. Understanding civil rights laws and regulations, he said, is important both to protecting individuals and helping businesses operate responsibly.
