When one of Syeda’s first employers was asked to describe her, he responded, “I think anyone can represent an ‘overdog,’ but it is not just anybody who can capably represent an underdog.” Syeda’s career path shows that she has made it her mission to live up to this description ever since. Before coming to the ACLU in 2020, she represented survivors of intimate partner violence at Lakeshore Legal Aid, and spent seven years in private practice, representing workers in employment discrimination cases.
Syeda has a B.A. from the University of Michigan – Dearborn and is a cum laude graduate of Thomas M. Cooley Law School. At the ACLU, her litigation background has served her well by allowing her to work on a multitude of issues, including disability rights, access to medication for people who are incarcerated, voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, a wide range of free speech issues, and employment rights.
Syeda's commitment to public service extends beyond litigation. She has written articles for multiple publications and has taught employment law in paralegal programs as well as at Michigan State University College of Law. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Affirmations, the largest LGBTQ+ community center in Michigan, Planet Ant, a local theater, and the executive board for the Oakland County Bar Association. Syeda has also served on the Board of Commissioners for the State Bar of Michigan, and has recently worked on its Legal Deserts Workgroup, which aims to provide access to legal services in rural and underserved communities, and its Judicial Qualifications Committee. She has twice been appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court’s Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Judiciary, and serves as a hearing panelist for the Attorney Discipline Board. She is proud to have been recognized by a variety of organizations for not only her legal abilities, but also for her leadership, integrity, and commitment to serving underserved populations.
