Shazzie Naseem

When Shazzie Naseem stepped off the bus in Kirksville, he had no idea what the future had in store, let alone how to get to campus. In the following five years, Naseem developed a passion for philosophy and channeled his desire to discover what is just and right into a legal career.

After graduating from Truman in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and religion, Naseem went on to the University of Notre Dame Law School and then to the U.S. Navy. During his time in the military, he served as a lawyer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), specializing in naval justice and military law. Naseem was drawn to this branch of law for two reasons. First, it gave him an opportunity to serve his country in a unique and meaningful way. Second, even as a recent law school graduate, it gave him the immediate chance to get into the courtroom.

“As a young lawyer it was immensely satisfying to be able to go to trial and get acquittals and know that the jury believed what happened because of the work you put into uncovering the facts of the case,” Naseem said.

After serving in the Navy for nearly six years, he began to receive more managerial roles overseeing younger lawyers and advising base commanders instead of being in the courtroom himself. Since litigating in court was what drew Naseem to JAG initially, he decided this was his cue to transition from the Navy to civilian law practice in order to pursue opportunities that would put him back in the courtroom. He settled with his family in Kansas City and is concentrating his practice on white-collar criminal law and business litigation in a private firm.

Naseem is particularly proud of the work he is doing for the Office of Defenders Services, in which he travels across the country to educate other attorneys on how to effectively review and organize discovery in cases. He shares his love of technology and educates them on how it can be used in the courtroom and in their practice to improve the management and presentation of a case.

Philosophy was not the only love Naseem acquired at Truman. He is proudly married to fellow Truman graduate, Leah (Himmelberg) Naseem (’96). Together, they have three children.