Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women

Students enrolled in the Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women provide representation to survivors of gender-based harms, including domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, in a broad range of legal areas. The Hunter Center has partnered with established local community organizations to serve women who are most critically in need of legal assistance in matters including, but not limited to, obtaining orders of protection, family law, humanitarian immigration claims, and post-conviction relief. Holistic experiences with clients give student attorneys unparalleled insight into the many complex facets of the problem of gender-based violence and allow them to hone a wide range of lawyering skills, including analytical and practical skills, that they can utilize throughout their professional lives.

The Hunter Center also engages in in systemic advocacy and policy work to both prevent and seek long-term solutions to the problem of violence against women. Current focus areas include ensuring that perpetrators of domestic abuse do not have access to firearms, providing legal assistance to immigrant women and children in detention, and helping survivors of human trafficking get a fresh start by sealing or expunging their criminal records.

Contact Information

Faculty and Staff

Natalie Nanasi
Director, Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women and Associate Professor of Law

Demetrice M. Lopez
Law Fellow, Hunter Center

Cynthia Romero
Legal Assistant, Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women

Mailing Address

SMU Dedman School of Law
P.O. Box 750116
Dallas, TX 75275-0116