Celeste Nava

Celeste earned her Juris Doctor from UNT Dallas College of Law, where she graduated ranked first in her class. During law school, she was selected as a Sarah T. Hughes Scholar by the Dallas Bar Foundation, served as President of the Student Bar Association, and was Managing Editor of the On the Cusp Law Review. Prior to law school, Celeste attended Texas A&M University and earned her Bachelor of Business Administration summa cum laude in Business Honors and Marketing with a Certificate in International Business.

Celeste also brings a judicial perspective to her litigation practice through experience in both federal and state appellate courts. Prior to joining Dykema, Celeste served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Irma Carrillo Ramirez at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and to Justice Erin Nowell at the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas, while also gaining four years of practical litigation experience as a law clerk at a Dallas criminal defense firm. Celeste has researched complex statutory and case law questions, drafted pleadings and discovery, analyzed deposition testimony and case files, and worked with factual records to inform litigation strategy and trial preparation. Her appellate experience includes analyzing records and briefing, evaluating issues presented during oral argument, preparing internal legal memoranda, and drafting judicial opinions. Working within appellate courts has given her insight into how judges evaluate factual records, legal arguments, and dispositive issues.

Celeste’s deep Dallas roots, dedication to community leadership, and commitment to excellence make her a trusted team member focused on achieving strong results for our clients.