Ava Ayers

Biography

A.B., Vassar College
J.D., Georgetown Law

Ava Ayers graduated first in her class from Georgetown Law in 2005. She then clerked for the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, now a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, during her term on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She also clerked for the Honorable Gerard Lynch on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

After clerking, Ayers worked for nine years in the office of the New York Attorney General, where she was a Senior Assistant Solicitor General. She served both as a supervisor and as lead counsel in various high-profile cases involving immigration law, states’ rights, constitutional rights, environmental law, and other issues.

Ayers is the author of A Student’s Guide to Law School, published by the University of Chicago Press, as well as articles on legal ethics, immigration law, federalism, and other subjects.

In the News

Director of the Government Law Center and Assistant Professor Ava Ayers was a guest on Spectrum TV in the news story, "Trump, The Blue Shift, and The Legal Aftermath," on Oct. 1, 2020.

Director of the Government Law Center and Assistant Professor Ava Ayers was featured in the Bethlehem Spotlight news article, "Bethlehem Town Board forms police reform committee," on Sept. 30, 2020.

Director of the Government Law Center and Assistant Professor Ava Ayers was featured in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle news article, "Lawyers create task force to help journalists and politicians monitor presidential race," on Sept. 16, 2020.

Director of the Government Law Center and Assistant Professor Ava Ayers was mentioned in the Altamont Enterprise article, "Guilderland Chief McNally sees police reform as 'super positive'" on August 26, 2020.

Professor Ava Ayers, director of the Government Law Center, joined Spectrum News' "In Focus" for the segment "Legal Aspect of Citizenship Question Removed From Census 2020" on August 11, 2019.

Government Law Center Director Ava Ayers joined "The Capitol Pressroom" for the segment "The Attorney General's intersection of law and politics" on May 13, 2019.

Government Law Center Director Ava Ayers was quoted in the preLaw magazine article "Albany Law expands public service offerings" on April 9, 2019.

GLC Director Ava Ayers was quoted in the Pacer Monitor article "Dispute Could Return Abortion to SCOTUS, Justice Kavanaugh" on October 29, 2018.

GLC Director Ava Ayers' policy brief on the future of abortion rights in New York was featured in the New York State of Politics article "The Truth About Abortion in NYS" on October 17, 2018.

GLC Director Ava Ayers joined KSRO Radio in Santa Rosa, Calif., to discuss the direction of the Supreme Court after the confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh on October 9, 2018.