ASU grad driven to practice law by personal experiences and injustices faced in Iran

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.

“As a woman in Iran, I faced injustice and inequality,” said Negar Nahid, a third-year JD student at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. “Women lawyers in Iran cannot become judges and prosecutors, and this inequality has always resonated with me in every step of my journey as an immigrant woman in the United States.”

Nahid made herself a promise: that one day, she would be someone who not only valued the rule of law but also stood firmly for equality and justice. That commitment became her guiding mantra.

It was this very promise that first empowered Nahid to become her own immigration advocate — filing her own visa and immigration papers. She didn’t stop there. She later helped her mother, sister and many other women navigate the complex immigration system. Her growing passion for advocacy inspired her next step: earning a law degree to become a more powerful voice for others.

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Nahid moved to the United States in 2015, settling first in California for seven years before being accepted to ASU Law and relocating to Arizona.

Now she dreams of becoming a judge, an aspiration that once seemed unreachable. Her journey has been shaped by countless challenges, including being a first-generation college student and learning English as a second language.

“I remember having to study twice the time as my classmates,” Nahid said. “I didn't know the meaning of legal terms like jurisdiction, good faith. I didn't know what briefing a case meant, what the rule was in the case law and how to apply it. It took me much longer to figure things out, but I never gave up despite my frustration.”

During community college, she juggled full-time work while teaching herself how to study. With no money for internet access and work hours that kept her from the library, she studied case law on her phone. In her first semester of law school, she grappled with the news from Iran — women being killed by the morality police for not wearing their headscarves “properly.”

Despite the weight of global injustice and her personal hardships, Nahid pressed forward. Her ultimate goal is to use her lived experience to shape a more compassionate and equitable criminal justice system.

Note: Answers may have been lightly edited for length and/or clarity.

Question: Do you have any scholarships funded by individuals, businesses or organizations?

Answer: I received the Truman R. Young Prosecutorial Fellowship, which is only awarded to one ASU Law student and funded by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory Council. I also received the Judicial Internship Opportunity funded by ABA, the Thomas Tang Scholarship funded by AAABA, the Summer 2024 Public Interest Fellowship, the Soroosh Davani Memorial Scholarship and the Polk Family Scholarship.

Q: What was your “aha” moment when you realized you wanted to study law?

A: Pursuing a law degree in the field of prosecution in the United States has been my lifelong dream due to the injustice that I experienced in Iran. I was born and raised in Iran until I was 22 years old. After receiving my high school diploma, my passion and enthusiasm for building cross-cultural connections led me to become an English as a Second Language teacher at a language institute. Throughout my teaching career, I used kinesthetic teaching techniques to teach toddlers English phonetics, which enabled them to read and write in English before they could master those skills in Farsi, their native language. My career allowed me to share my love of language with my young students. During my time in Iran, I saw firsthand that women, the rule of law and due process were meaningless concepts in Iran, where inequality and injustice pervade all aspects of society.

Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU Law — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?

A: Working as a judicial extern in the Superior Court and various prosecution agencies has deepened my understanding of the rule of law to serve justice. The experience I gained through my externships showed me what justice means and how it differs for each party involved in the criminal justice system. 

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: Choosing ASU was the best decision of my life. Attending one of the best public law schools in the United States has always been an honor. Working in a small legal community has allowed me to get to know many mentors who helped me on my path.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: Professor (Alyssa) Dragnich taught me that life happens and while it happens, it is important to have compassion and understanding towards each other. Professor (Jessica) Berch taught me how to study and be successful in law school. In the prosecution clinic, Professor (Kenneth) Vick taught me how to think, act and respond as a future prosecutor and trial attorney.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: After taking the bar exam, I will move to California to work as a post-bar clerk in the Contra Costa County DA office.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: With S40 million, I would help the animal shelters expand their space to eliminate all the kill shelters. Then, I would ensure that those shelters receive all the medical and staff help that they need to help all the animals that have been victims of animal abuse.