Nasser A. Siadat

As Assistant Dean for Public Service & Pro Bono, Nasser oversees the Office for Public Service at SMU Dedman School of Law. He leads the Law School’s public service and pro bono programs, including its public service graduation requirement and pro bono initiatives. Through this work, he encourages students to incorporate public service into their legal education and professional lives.

Nasser also advises students pursuing government and public interest careers, including postgraduate fellowships and government honors programs. He works with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, alumni, and community partners to develop opportunities for students and strengthen the Law School’s engagement with the North Texas community.

As Faculty Supervisor of the Government & Public Interest Externship Program, Nasser teaches the accompanying seminar and supervises students completing externships with government agencies and public interest organizations. Through classroom instruction and guided reflection, he helps students connect their fieldwork to broader questions of professional identity, legal ethics, and the lawyer’s role in serving the public.

Before joining SMU Dedman Law, Nasser served as an attorney with the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, where he investigated allegations of discrimination and worked with educational institutions to ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws in K–12 and higher education settings. Previously, he served as an Equity and Title IX Investigator at Cornell University. He began his legal career at the D.C. Affordable Law Firm, where he served as a Staff Attorney and Public Interest Fellow, representing clients in family law, housing, and immigration matters.

Nasser earned his B.A. from New York University and his J.D. and an LL.M. in Access to Justice from Georgetown University Law Center.