Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Since graduating from the Ryan College of Business, Leiza Dolghih, J.D., has built a distinguished career as a labor and employment attorney, earning recognition for her commitment to fairness and advocacy in the workplace. She continues to make an impact by helping clients navigate employment issues while drawing on the critical thinking and leadership skills she developed in her time as an undergrad student in the Department of Management. Read more about her journey from an international student in the Moot Court program to a successful attorney and business owner.
  1. Leiza Dolghih, J.D.How has your career evolved since graduating, and what are some of the most rewarding aspects of working as a labor and employment lawyer?
    Since opening my own firm three years ago, I have started representing more employees in employment disputes. I find it rewarding to be able to help them in a difficult time of their life, when they have lost a job, for example, or when an employer is threatening to enforce their non-compete agreement. Most of the time, they do not know what their rights are, so I end up educating them and helping them understand how they can move forward.

  2. How has your UNT education positioned you for excellence in your career?
    UNT taught me to how to think critically. I was lucky enough to have many professors who were very knowledgeable in their field, and cared about sharing that knowledge with students.

  3. Can you share a memorable experience or influential professor from your time at UNT that had a lasting impact on your career?
    Dr. Donna Ledgerwood was one of the professors who stands out in my mind as someone who felt passionate about teaching human resources and truly cared about her students’ success.

  4. Can you describe a moment at UNT’whether in class, at an event, or with a mentor’that reaffirmed your decision to pursue a law degree?
    Dr. Kimi King played an outsized role in my decision to attend law school. She started and coached the underground Moot Court team of which I was a member, and helped guide me (and I’m sure many other students) in the law school application process. She is truly inspirational.

  5. Were you involved in any student organizations, competitions, or leadership roles during your time at UNT? If so, how did they shape your experience?
    I participated in the undergraduate Moot Court team. Winning national competitions as part of that team really helped me gain confidence (especially as an international student) in my arguing abilities and it also helped me secure a full-ride scholarship to Baylor Law School, one of the top litigation schools in the country.

  6. What trends or changes in the HR industry do you think current students should be preparing for?
    Automation and Artificial Intelligence. As more of those tools become available and it becomes easier and easier to rely on them, students should continue to work hard on understanding the role of human-to-human interaction, which AI and automation cannot fully replace.

  7. What advice would you give current HR students at UNT who are preparing to enter the workforce?
    You cannot succeed without working hard. Whatever you chosen career is, hard work is the basic building block of success. Continue learning even after graduation. Try to find people in your profession that you admire and try to emulate them.