Getting to Know Leila Nasrolahi

Getting to Know Leila Nasrolahi

Leila doing perfect-day qualifying activities

How did you get into this work? And what radicalized or moved you to participate in the area of law that you are currently specializing in?  

Before law school, I was a middle school math teacher. I really loved that job. Every day was so dynamic and exciting. It was super rewarding.  

I spent a good amount of my time doing all the things you’d probably think of: lesson planning, grading, and developing a curriculum. But to make the lessons effective, to see positive results in the grades and so on, a lot has to happen behind-the-scenes. I could make the most beautiful slide deck, plan the most interactive group activity – and none of it would matter if students didn’t first feel a sense of safety, respect, and community in the classroom. And how you do that—well that requires answering questions that are harder than, say, solving 5x + 10 = 25. Those questions are ones like: How can we cultivate relationships of mutual respect and care, and how can we leverage those relationships to motivate learning? We had student-created classroom norms, community builder Mondays, restorative circles to resolve conflicts, Pride festivals, an after-school e-sports club, and lunch time basketball.  

But there were also cops on campuses — and a segregated school district. A 35:1 student to teacher ratio in some classrooms. Missed class time because of dress code violations. Racial disparities in suspension and expulsion rates. And then a pandemic and not enough laptops for virtual learning. And on and on and on. That was all in a relatively progressive school district. I was watching teachers in other parts of the country deal with curriculum bans, forced outing laws, anti-DEI bills.  

These sorts of macrostructural issues posed really tough, often insurmountable obstacles. So, I went to law school to try to work towards systemic changes. I’m grateful that Public Justice is where I’ve landed because it feels really aligned with the reasons I went to law school, and it just feels so important right now. We’re living in a time where schools, both K-12 and universities, are a political battle ground. Every day we’re seeing attacks on students – whether it’s through the demolition of the Department of Education, anti-trans school bathroom bills, or ICE agents literally abducting students who express pro-Palestinian views. It’s truly awful, and I guess I just try to channel the outrage into motivation to keep doing the important work we do at SCRP.  

Thank you for sharing that. One of the thoughts that comes to mind for me as an abolitionist, I believe that almost all our institutions need to be dismantled and completely rebuilt – to dream for what we want. Reform has not worked, but I wonder with your unique perspective, where is the level for impactful change for schools? Where is that going to be the most effective?  

It’s a really interesting and important question. And I can definitely appreciate that perspective. I’m quite inspired by abolitionist thinkers who are really imaginatively envisioning something completely different than we have right now. I hold those beliefs while at the same time working in a field that is inherently incrementalist, and within the bounds of the rule of law and government institutions. So it’s a question that I grapple with a lot. And ultimately, where I land is that I don’t think any one thing is going to do everything. I think that it’s important for each of us to find the lane that makes the most sense for us as individuals–the one that best aligns our skillsets and personalities and taps into what gets us most fired up–and use that to further our common goals.  

For me, being a lawyer feels like the right lane. I try to think about how we can use the law to create meaningful differences in real people’s lives. For example, in Doe v. South Carolina, we’re working to enjoin a state law that forbids trans students from using the restrooms consistent with their gender identity. The law blatantly violates federal law and it’s impacting thousands of trans students across the state, including our client, who was forced to leave school after suffering constant policing of his bathroom usage. The injunctive relief we’re seeking would protect students’ constitutional and statutory civil rights all across the state. That feels really important. I believe deeply in transformative visions of justice, and I see litigation and legal advocacy as one way—among many—to push us in that direction. It’s not the whole solution, but it can be a powerful tool for harm reduction and progress.  

What is the biggest challenge or reward that you face doing this work?  

As far as a challenge — there are so many ways I could answer this, and it probably changes week-to-week. I’ll pick a challenge that feels top of mind right now and is maybe something I hadn’t previously fully appreciated would be difficult. 

It’s this idea that when you’re deciding whether to bring a case, or appeal a case to a higher court, you always need to think about the potential ramifications of a negative decision. 

Even if the case is for a really noble cause, and even if you believe the law is or ought to be on your side, there are these purely strategic factors to consider as well. For example, let’s say you lose at the district court, you have to decide: Do we take the loss, or do we appeal the decision to the appellate court, and risk the Supreme Court granting cert? Given SCRP’s issue areas, it’s no surprise that this ultra conservative, hyper-politicized Supreme Court is often not a friendly venue. So it’s not always as simple as who is right and who is wrong-neither morally nor legally-and that can be a frustrating thing to accept. 

As for the biggest reward, I genuinely love the day-to-day of my job. I feel incredibly fortunate in that regard, because litigation tends to move slowly, and the most visible wins can take years to materialize. I’m really lucky to get to work with the folks on the SCRP team, who are just the smartest, kindest, funniest people. The work we do can definitely feel heavy sometimes, especially given the state of our country. So it helps to have such a fantastic team playing our part in our little corner of the world.  

Leila and Co-Fellow Patrick Archer after a pick-up game at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Do you have a specific case that stands out in your career?  

We recently moved to intervene in a case called Tennessee v. McMahon, involving the 2024 Title IX regulations. In 2024, the Department of Education published their Title IX regulations, which included some really helpful protections for various students – LGBTQ+ students, victims of sexual harassment, and pregnant and postpartum students. Right after the regulations came out, Tennessee and a bunch of other states sued. Their challenges were limited to narrow parts of the rule—certain provisions related to LGBTQ+ students rights—yet a district court in the Eastern District of Kentucky struck down the entire regulation nationwide.  

When these lawsuits challenging the new regulations first began, the Biden administration was defending the rule. Since then, obviously there has been a change in administration and Trump’s Department of Education has indicated that it does not intend to defend the regulations.  

So, we’ve come in to hopefully intervene in the case. We are representing A Better Balance, an organization that provides legal services for pregnant and postpartum students. The goal is to join the lawsuits so we can appeal the district court’s decision and hopefully revive portions of the regulations that protect pregnant and postpartum students—parts of the rule that were never even challenged by the plaintiff-states. Those protections are things like lactation breaks in clean spaces, excused absences to attend prenatal appointments, permission to use the restroom, and adjusted exam dates. These are basic modifications that ensure pregnant students have equitable access to educational opportunities, and there is no legal justification for eliminating them.  

What is your go-to leisure activity when you’re not working?  

One of my favorite parts about living in New York is that there is never a shortage of things to do. And whatever you want to do likely exists here. For example, I’m in a backgammon club that hosts events at various venues–restaurants, bars, event spaces. It’s been a super fun way to play a game I love and go to new spots around the city. My goal is to improve my backgammon skills enough so that I can finally beat my family when I visit home. They’re elite, so I have a way to go.  

I’m also playing and watching a lot of basketball these days. It was a big part of my life as a kid, so it’s been really fun to get back into it, in part because there are so many basketball fans among us at PJ. I actually play on a rec team with my co-fellow, Patrick.   

So, basketball and backgammon, and then honestly just a lot of walking around the city. When the weather is nice and I have the time, I will literally walk 2 hours to my destination instead of taking the train. It’s actually my first time living outside of California, so there’s tons to explore. But don’t get me wrong, I also love to stay in and watch five consecutive hours of TV. I read somewhere that the opportunity cost of doing nothing in the city is so immense that it feels opulent. So I like doing nothing, too.  

Do you have any grassroots or like movement building groups you’d like to see get more mainstream attention?  

I recently went to a launch event hosted by Dignity in Schools Campaign in New York. It was a youth-led event where youth, parents, educators, and advocates all came out to fight to protect and expand restorative justice practices that keep schools safe. It was my first introduction to the organization, and I think everyone should know about them. They are a national coalition that is working hard to challenge school pushout and dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. One of their platforms is called “Solutions Not Suspensions,” which advocates for a nationwide moratorium on out-of-school suspensions. A grassroots initiative of students, teachers, parents, and community leaders are calling on states and districts to support educators and administrators in dealing with student discipline in positive ways that prioritizes keeping students in the classroom while maintaining safe learning environments. And I just think that the way the movement is being driven by students who are first and foremost being impacted by these issues is great.  

Do you have a skill you would like to sharpen or develop in the next year?  

I’d say that the skill I most want to focus on developing over the next year is my persuasive writing. In litigation, it’s crucial—you might have the best ideas floating around in your head, but if you can’t translate them into compelling, persuasive writing, it won’t count for much. I’m constantly working to refine this skill, and I’m fortunate to be surrounded by such strong writers. The SCRP team, and everyone at PJ, really sets a high bar for the quality of our briefs. It’s a great environment to keep growing as a writer.  

Do you have a best piece of career advice that you have received, and would you adapt or change it if you were going to share it with other attorneys?  

I have an answer that isn’t necessarily something I was told outright; it’s more something I was shown by people I’ve worked with. And it’s now something that I consider career advice. Hopefully that still counts!  

To me, the best career advice is to find good people whose work you admire and do whatever you can to work alongside them. In law school, I worked under Ted Mermin and David Nahmias at the Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice. The two of them radiated such an enthusiasm and drive for the work they do—it was completely contagious. I admittedly didn’t go to law school with a particular interest in consumer law. But Ted and David had this way of going about their advocacy that made you think, “Oh, this is important. I should care about this. I want to be a part of this.” And they made you feel like you could be a part of it, in a big way, even as a 1L. And now I have many opinions on California’s Lemon Law, mandatory arbitration, and credit reports. It was just a really inspiring and energizing environment to be in, working with people who care so deeply about the work, which requires first deeply caring about people. Whenever he emailed a group, Ted started his message with “Good People:” — I loved that. It so perfectly captured the Center’s ethos. It’s no surprise that they’ve been incredibly successful, and that consumer law offerings on campus have grown exponentially over the last few years.   

And it’s no surprise that Ted is the one who introduced me to Public Justice, a similarly inspiring group of people! Especially as a new attorney, I feel so lucky to have landed at SCRP. My experience has only confirmed how motivating it is to work alongside people I truly admire. 

Are you a reader? What was the last book you read?  

Yes, normally non-fiction but I’m trying to read more fiction lately. I recently read Martyr by Kaveh Akbar. It’s gotten quite a bit of acclaim and has been featured on several bestseller lists, and for good reason. I really loved it. The book follows the story of a young Iranian man named Cyrus, who inherited this life of incredible violence and loss. His character is an aspiring writer who is fixated on this concept of martyrdom—not in the religious sense, but the idea of people who gave their lives to something larger than themselves. The book is basically his search for that kind of purpose. Along the way, he meets some interesting people and makes discoveries about himself. I won’t give anything away – it’s a great read. The author is himself an Iranian American poet, whose work is incredible. This was his debut novel. I highly recommend!  

The Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice 3L Fellows with Professor Ted Mermin at graduation

Do you have any fun facts that people don’t know about you that you’d be willing to share?  

In lieu of my junior and senior years in high school, I went to community college for two years. I absolutely loved it—it remains one of the best educational experiences I’ve ever had. Right before I started, I was in this weird period of my life where I’d been quite unmotivated by learning, which was out of character for me because I had always loved school as a kid. But community college was awesome. I literally restarted my math education there. I had taken pre-calculus in high school, but was never super successful or confident in my math skills—I was just going through the motions. My first math class in community college was genuinely sixth grade level stuff. And I just think it’s so cool that that was an option. I took three other math classes before getting back to pre-calculus. Then calculus 1, and then calculus 2! And it’s like I was a different person—a person who loved math! If you told my high school teachers I later went on to become a math teacher, they would be shocked.  

What I loved the most was that everyone there was at different stages of life and came in with such unique backgrounds and perspectives. Community college is really for everyone. I picked up a part-time job in the tutoring center, and I got to know all kinds of people. There were recent high school grads, single moms juggling school and parenthood, folks taking classes just because they were bored and wanted something to do, successful business owners who wanted to make a career change. I remember a time when a group of us were studying for our economics final. And there was this guy who was barely in class, never took notes, nothing. But he was a genius. I was trying to understand expansionary monetary policy during the 2008 financial crisis, and he just explained the whole thing to me so effortlessly. I said to him, “Tommy, how do you know all of this, you didn’t even go to class!” He was like, “Leila, I lived through it!”  

I learned so much from all my classmates. And I had some fantastic professors who made me fall in love with learning again. So that’s all to say, I’m a community college superfan.  

Can you describe what a perfect day outside of work would look like?  

This is a very fun question. It would start by waking up naturally, no alarm, maybe around 8am—not too early and not too late. I’d go for a walk to get coffee at my favorite spot, this little window stand called Paloma where the barista gives me and my friends free pastries because we’re there so frequently. Then I’d come back home and make a completely impractical breakfast, like chocolate chip banana pancakes or something. I’d have a slow morning, curate a good outfit, then head out to meet up with some friends at a park or on a patio somewhere. It’s absolutely critical that the sun is out on my perfect day, and hopefully there’s live music too. I also think there’s some spontaneity and serendipity involved in my perfect day, so maybe we happen to run into some other friends somewhere along the way. Then I’d spend a bit of time by myself, maybe reading a good book by the water at Domino Park. I’d hit the local farmers market, where I might fantasize about one day being the type of person who grows their own vegetables and cooks seasonally. That will have to be a fleeting thought because my perfect day ends at a nice dinner reservation with five of my closest friends, who are all somehow in town just for this. We’d have a 3-hour long dinner, and I’d be home and in bed by 11pm. I’ve packed in a lot here, but time moves slowly on my perfect day.  

Do you have a theme song for your life? Or is there a current song now that’s giving you life?  

Fortunately, my music taste—mostly sad alt/indie—tends not to be descriptive of my life. But I do have a “give me life” type playlist, and the opening track is You Make My Dreams by Daryl Hall & John Oates. It’s a great sunny day, headphones in, walk through the busy streets of Manhattan kind of song.