Dean Heidt received his B.S. from Emory and Henry College in Emory, VA and his J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law. Professor Heidt has also received a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. As a Master’s student, Professor Heidt’s studies focused on air pollution propagation and coastal estuarine ecology. While in law school Professor Heidt participated in Government Contracts Moot Court and handled employment law cases while working for the Jacob Burns Community Legal Clinics in Washington, D.C..
After graduating from law school, Professor Heidt practiced energy, mineral, and corporate law with the firm of Thomas L. Pruitt in Grundy, Virginia. His private practice experience has focused on mineral title, coalbed methane, and other property issues endemic to Southwest Virginia.
Dean Heidt was born in the Tidewater of Virginia and grew up believing in the Kenneth Grahame quote from Wind in the Willows that “there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” Though the ocean is still a draw, Heidt has also taken well to the mountains, falling for Virginia’s Great Southwest while attending Emory and Henry College.
Dean Heidt became an avid hiker, mountain biker, and rock climber while at Emory and still enjoys time outside in the mountains around ASL. He has hiked over 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail and all of the over 500 miles of trails in Shenandoah National Park during his time there as a Backcountry Ranger while in law school.
