About Us

Launched in 2022, Headstart Legal the coming together of a unique vision with an impassioned

founder. A growing team of lawyers ready to turbocharge the future of its clients across diverse entity types, Headstart Legal also has a unique presence in Australia’s growing Muslim community, bringing the legal excellence needed to build institutions, create opportunities and strive for justice.

Our Vision

Towards a Thriving, Empowered Community

Headstart Legal envisages an Australia whose growing and young Muslim community achieves its full potential. A community full of ideas, entrepreneurs and a values-based outlook to life, we have a massive contribution to make.

But, as with many migrant communities, we are often held back by our challenges, self-imposed and systemic.

From community institutions such as schools and services to outstanding, commercially successful businesses, we need to achieve on all fronts. And outstanding legal services are a key enabler that is often a missing part of this picture.

Our Values

Integrity

Excellence

Reliability

Agile

Our Mission

Bridging a Crucial Gap: Legal Excellence

We firmly believe this gap can, however, be bridged. And that we can provide the head start needed for our community’s leaders, trailblazers and thinkers to achieve their goals.

At Headstart Legal, we’re here to help our community transcend the challenges it faces so we can be our best selves. From community infrastructure and services to successful commercial ventures, we have the depth of knowledge and breadth of experience to provide the launchpad for success our community needs.

And we’re proud to play our part in doing so.

Key entities we are proud to support in their growth journey:

Our Founder

Introducing Abdulla Rahhal

Abdulla is a seasoned lawyer and communications professional with more than 15 years of experience in Legal, compliance, marketing, and communications roles.

After graduating from a Tier 1 university (UNSW), he gained considerable experience working as Legal Counsel and Director of Fundraising and Communications at a leading International Not for Profit Organisation. Prior to this, he worked at multiple law firms and legal centres during and after his studies, gaining a broad and diverse set of legal and communication skills.

Abdulla’s strong passion for human rights work community leadership saw him be increasingly aware of the gap facing his community. In his roles at the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) and the Office of the Grand Mufti of Australia, he saw first-hand the challenges facing Australia’s growing but often under-served Muslim community.

He embarked on Headstart Legal to bridge this glaring gap, and to help provide critical, much-needed services to community leaders, businesses and founders who could collectively power the future of his community.

Abdulla is a current Board Member of the Muslim Legal Network; he is a current member of the Charity Law Association of Australia and New Zealand (CLANZ) and he is a current member of the Institute of Community Directors (ICD) as well as a board member of a number of Australian Charities.

Professional Qualifications

Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Laws [University of New South Wales]
Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice [College of Law]
Solicitor member of the Law Society of New South Wales since 2013.
Professional Member of Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) since 2019.
Member of the ACNC Advisors Forum from September 2024

Our Team: Powered by Ihsan

Headstart Legal is the brainchild of a formidable and ambitious Founder, Abdulla Rahhal. Of Palestinian descent, Abdulla has always had his backs to the wall, and yet scaled incredible heights in his own career.

As the painful story of his people has taught him all too well, justice is often elusive and needs to be strived for. And that is what drives the Isalmically-driven ethos of Headstart Legal.

Abdulla Rahhal

Founder & Principal Solicitor

Abdulla founded Headstart Legal after gaining a variety of experiences working as Legal Counsel as well as a Director of Fundraising and Communications at a leading International Not for Profit Organisation.