NY attorney general nominates law scholar to ethics panel

New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced that she is nominating Ava Ayers to the New York Commission on Ethics in Lobbying and Government.

Ayers is an Associate Professor at Albany Law School, and previously served in the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and as a clerk for Justice Sonia Sotomayor when she was a judge with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Gerard Lynch of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

“A strong, independent body dedicated to ensuring ethical conduct in New York state government requires commissioners who uphold the ideals of public service. That is why I am proud to nominate Ava Ayers to the New York Commission on Ethics in Lobbying and Government,” James said in a news release.

“Ava has helped educate future leaders about government, law, and public policy, and has served the cause of justice on both the state and federal level. I am confident Ava will serve our state proudly in this new role and be a leader in efforts to restore the public’s trust.”

Ava Ayers has been an educator at Albany Law School since 2016 and spent five years as the director of the school’s Government Law Center. Previously, Ayers served as Senior Assistant Solicitor General for the OAG.

After graduating law school, Ayers served as a law clerk for Justice Sonia Sotomayor, then a Judge with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and late for Judge Gerard Lynch of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Vassar College, and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

An online comment page has been created and members of the public have seven days to submit comments on the nominee. Following that period, the nominee will be presented to the Independent Review Committee of New York’s law school deans for review and approval or denial to serve on the Commission.