Samira A. Nazem

Samira A. Nazem is the Principal Court Management Consultant at the National Center for State Courts. Samira has served in this role since October 2021.

Previously, Ms. Nazem was the Associate Director of Programs & Advocacy at The Chicago Bar Foundation from July 2017 to October 2021. In this role, they oversaw the Foundation's grants program and provided support to the Foundation's advocacy initiatives.

Before joining The Chicago Bar Foundation, Ms. Nazem was the Self-Represented Litigant Services Specialist in the Access to Justice Division at the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts from February 2016 to July 2017. In this role, they assisted self-represented litigants with accessing court services and provided training and technical assistance to court staff on how to better serve self-represented litigants.

Prior to their work at the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Ms. Nazem was a Staff Attorney/Pro Bono Coordinator at Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing from July 2012 to February 2016, where they represented low-income tenants in housing court and coordinated pro bono representation for tenants facing eviction.

Before joining Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing, Ms. Nazem was a Litigation Attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the Chicago Housing Authority from June 2011 to July 2012. In this role, they represented the Authority in administrative hearings and litigation matters.

Ms. Nazem began their legal career as a Summer Associate at Hogan Lovells in June 2009, where they worked on a variety of corporate and real estate transactional matters.

During law school, Ms. Nazem interned at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, where they assisted low-income residents with housing matters. Samira also served as a Communications and Research Officer at the Women's Research and Action Group and as a Research Assistant at the American Institutes for Research.

Samira A. Nazem obtained a JD from the University of Chicago Law School and a BA in Women's and Gender Studies from Yale University.

They work with Suzanne Tallarico - Principal Court Management Consultant, Alecia Burke - Senior Administrative Manager, and Alicia Davis - Principal Court Management Consultant. Samira A. Nazem reports to David W. Slayton, VP, Court Consulting Services.