Matthew W. Dietz
Professor Matthew W. Dietz is a distinguished disability rights attorney and educator, renowned for his extensive contributions to advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities. With almost three decades of legal experience, he has successfully litigated numerous landmark cases that have set significant legal precedents in the interpretation and enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act, and related legislation. In his career, Professor Dietz has been instrumental in addressing systemic barriers and advocating for broader policy changes that promote the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of society. His legal expertise and commitment to social justice have ensured that public and private entities comply with accessibility and equity standards, significantly expanding the scope of protections. Notably, he has represented Deaf patients in cases that established the standard of “effective communication” in medical settings, Blind and print impaired voters to cast absentee ballots, and he played a crucial role in a landmark case requiring the state of Florida to provide necessary services to medically fragile children.
Currently, Professor Dietz serves as the Clinical Director of the Disability Inclusion and Advocacy Law Clinic at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law. In this role, he teaches law students to become effective disability rights attorneys, emphasizing therapeutic jurisprudence and professional identity and wellness. The clinic provides hands-on experience for students, allowing them to assist persons with disabilities to be fully independent and successful in society. This includes providing hundreds of families with less restrictive alternatives to guardianship and assisting victims of discrimination in administrative, trial, and appellate proceedings. Professor Dietz’s work at the clinic includes addressing systemic issues such as ensuring that parents with disabilities receive accommodations throughout the dependency system, protecting housing rights of autistic tenants, and ensuring adequate education for children with disabilities. Through his leadership, the clinic not only educates future lawyers but also actively contributes to systemic change and the protections of disability rights.