For Future Attorney Ayesha Akter '26, Advocacy Began Long Before Law School
Major/Degree: B.S. in Criminal Justice
Programs: ASAP/ACE; Pre-Law Institute (PLI); Athletics
Mentor: Kenneth Martin, Senior Academic Advisor, ASAP/ACE
Internships: Taxi & Limousine Commission, Public Interest Intern; NYPD Police Service Area #9, Office Aide/Communications Assistant; Queens County District Attorney’s Office, Legal Intern in Domestic Violence Bureau
Current Roles: Team Manager, Men’s Basketball Team; Attendant, Athletics Fitness Center
Hometown: Queens, NY
Career Aspiration: Sports attorney
What was life like before John Jay?
I was an only child for the first eight years of my life before my little sister was born. Growing up, my parents were super strict and ran a tight ship, especially when it came to my education. If I brought in any grade below 95, I was grounded, or my phone was taken away. My parents, who came from Bangladesh, stressed the importance of doing well academically. They saw education as the path to a successful life. My mom didn’t want me to depend on anyone else. She wanted me to be financially independent.
Mom came to the U.S. when she was 17. As soon as she arrived, she started working, and she hasn’t stopped since. She saw how her female family members back in Bangladesh were entirely dependent on their husbands. She didn’t want that for herself or her daughters. She got here and worked her way up at her job as an esthetician. Now, she owns her own business. She has two salons, one in the Bronx and one in Queens. My mom not only supports us, but she also supports her family back home. She’s an amazing, fierce woman. I’m so proud to be her daughter.
Why John Jay?
When I was researching colleges, I focused on schools with strong criminal justice programs that could put me on the path to law school. I was initially accepted to a private college upstate, and my mom said, “Absolutely not. You’re not going to dorm. You’re going to stay here. There are plenty of great colleges in the city.” She was right. After some research, John Jay College quickly became my number one choice. It offered a top-tier criminal justice program, was affordable, very commuter-friendly, and had a strong reputation for helping students get into law school. I made the right choice coming here.
What sparked your passion for the law and legal profession?
I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. I realized early in life that there weren’t many lawyers who looked like me or had my background. I think that recognition instilled in me a drive to represent women and the South Asian and Muslim community in the legal profession. As I got older, the determination to become a lawyer only grew stronger.
About a month into my freshman year at John Jay, my dad suffered a brain hemorrhage that left him in a coma for several months. It all happened very quickly. He went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and collapsed. I remember hearing my mom scream after she found him lying on the floor. I rushed to the bathroom, and despite his condition, he looked at me and whispered, “Call 911.” Then the ambulance came and took him away. He fell into a coma soon after.
I remember feeling so overwhelmed. As the eldest daughter, I felt the need to step up and help as much as I could. My mom was trying so hard to balance everything—work, his care, paying the bills, and taking care of my little sister and me. I saw how hard it all was for her, and I wanted to take on some of that burden.
At home, dad was in charge of paying the bills, including rent and credit card bills. My mom and I had to figure out how to pay these bills on his behalf. She had the money to pay, but logistically, it was challenging. Our plan was to call the credit card companies, explain the situation, and then pay the bill. Sounds simple, but it was anything but that.
English isn’t my mom’s first language, so I had to serve as a translator on these calls. I was trying my best to explain my dad’s situation, and the credit card companies were not helpful. They would ask to speak with my dad so he could authorize access and payments to the account. I was like, “He’s in a coma. How do you want him to respond?” My mom would tell them, “I have the money. I want to pay you. I can’t ask him for his password.” The regulations were so strict. It was like we were dealing with machines that were reading from a script and lacked empathy. What made it worse was that it felt like no one was there to help us. There was no advocacy on our behalf. The entire experience made me realize that when I practice law, I want to work with the immigrant community.
How is your dad doing now?
Thankfully, my dad woke up after four months of being in a coma. Early in his recovery, I took on the role of caregiver, while mom worked to support the family. His recovery is slow, but he’s improving and getting stronger every day. He has spent the last few years doing physical therapy at a rehabilitation facility, where he’s relearning how to talk and become mobile. It’s his dream to see me graduate from college and go to law school. I can’t wait for him to see me cross the stage at commencement.
How did ASAP/ACE and your mentor put you on the path to success?
Being in ASAP/ACE while my dad’s situation was happening felt like a blessing in some ways. The program staff knew what was going on and made sure I was okay. One of the first people to step in was my advisor, Kenneth Martin, who, in those early days, was like a therapist to me. He was always there for me. Whenever I had questions, I could reach out to him. He let me vent and cry, and he really heard me out. When I was thinking of stopping out and possibly taking a gap year to help with my dad at home. Kenneth wouldn’t let me. He’s always believed in me and pushed me to stay the course and keep going. He said, “You are not taking a gap year. We will figure out a way. You got this.”
And he kept his word. He checked in regularly. He made sure I was enrolled in all the right courses and on track for graduation. He constantly encouraged me to apply for internships. He would advocate on my behalf with professors, so that they knew what I was dealing with at home. His goal was always to set me up for success, not just at John Jay, but beyond. He wanted to see me get into law school and do well. To that end, he connected me with the Pre-Law Institute (PLI). It was through PLI that I was able to prep for the LSAT at no cost. When it came time to take the LSAT and apply to law schools, Kenneth made sure I was prepped and registered for the test and that I was sticking to the application schedule.
How did your role as team manager for the men's basketball team enhance your experience?
I’m glad I took on the challenge. Even though I had no experience with basketball, it was a great way to try something new, get out of my comfort zone, meet people from other colleges, and grow personally. Being the team manager is honestly one of my favorite memories from John Jay. Managing the team, going to practices, traveling, and cheering them on was a lot of fun.
How did your internships help shape your career goals?
I was thrilled to get the Taxi & Limousine Commission internship because it’s a highly sought-after opportunity with hundreds of students applying. The internship focused on taxi and Rideshare drivers committing violations. My job was to review their driving history and check for tickets or prior charges. I went over the evidence, sorted it out, checked for missing documents, and then sent everything to the attorney. With the information I provided, the attorney would apply the fine. As someone who wants to practice law, it was a great learning experience to see how evidence is gathered and a case is built; I even sat in on hearings and court proceedings.
I got the internship with the NYPD through the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program. I never planned to work in law enforcement, but I felt that to be a good lawyer, I needed to understand what officers do in the field and their role in the system. As an aide and communications assistant, I worked with police officers, assisted with events, and saw how hard law enforcement works every day to keep people safe. The experience made me more empathetic to what officers go through and helped me understand how physically and mentally exhausting their work can be.
My time as a legal intern with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Bureau was so impactful. I worked alongside law school interns and shadowed attorneys handling domestic violence cases. As an intern, I conducted complainant and witness interviews over the phone; in person, I was allowed to lead some of the interviews with an attorney sitting next to me. I would also review the case files, examine the history to see if there’s been a cycle of abuse, and speak with the complainant. Often, I would explain how orders of protection function and how the judicial process would work if they were going to court. I always felt bad and would get angry that the victim went through this, but I knew I had to put my feelings aside and be professional.
What are your post-John Jay plans?
I have been accepted to three law schools so far—Western New England University School of Law, Barry University School of Law, and Florida A&M College of Law—and am on the waitlist for several others. I haven’t made my final decision yet because I’m still waiting to hear back from schools and to learn what financial packages, if any, are offered. It would be great to stay in the Northeast, so I can be close to family and friends and be a short plane or train ride from home, but I’m excited to attend any of these law schools. I know they will set me up for career success.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself as a successful lawyer practicing sports law and representing foreign athletes. Sports law is a perfect way for me to combine my passion for helping athletes, which grew during my time at John Jay, with my love of the law and my commitment to supporting the immigrant community. I want to help these athletes understand U.S. laws and how things work here. Many of them are young and recruited from other countries, so I want to make sure they are treated fairly and that the contracts they sign, whether for a team or to represent a brand, are in their best interest.
