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

GLC Director Ava Ayers joined WAMC for the segment "How Will Kavanaugh Impact the Supreme Court?" on October 8, 2018.

GLC Director Ava Ayers was quoted in the Times Union article "How safe are abortion rights in NY if Kavanaugh is confirmed?" on September 24, 2018.

GLC Director Ava Ayers joined "The Capitol Pressroom" on September 21, 2018, to discuss her policy brief on the future of abortion rights in New York under a more conservative Supreme Court.

GLC Director Ava Ayers was profiled in the Georgetown Law article "Fein (L'75) & Ayers (L'05): A New York State of Rights" on August 30, 2018.

GLC Director Ava Ayers joined WAMC's Everything Explained podcast for the episode, "What Are Sanctuary Cities?" (August 27, 2018)

GLC Director Ava Ayers spoke with WAMC for the segment"Sanctuary Cities Forum Tonight at Albany Law" on November 9, 2017. She was also quoted in the Times Union article "Albany Law holds symposium on sanctuary cities."

GLC Director Ava Ayers discussed the implications of a constitutional convention in New York with WNYT NewsChannel 13 on October 4, 2017.

Government Law Center Director Ava Ayersjoined WAMC's "The Roundtable" along with alumnus Tom Vilsack, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, on April 27, 2017. Professor Ayers discussed the Alumni in Government Award winners and the GLC's Rural Law Initiative.

GLC Director Ava Ayers was quoted in the Daily Gazette article"New SUNY Cobleskill institute eyes ‘rural vitality’" on March 4, 2017.

GLC Director Ava Ayers' hiring wasfeatured in the New York Law Journal on November 17, 2016. She was also featured in the Business Review's"People on the Move" section on November 18, and the Times Union's"On the Move" section on November 21.