Tell us about your community growing up. Looking back, how did they shape who you are now?

I am a first-generation American, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants of the Muslim faith. I was born and grew up in New York’s Capital Region. My parents strived hard to give us the best of everything and taught me and my three siblings the value of education, hard work, and perseverance from an early age. And even though they were here on their own, without their families and their communities, they made sure to create new ones for us so that we knew where we came from and who we were. There were very few Pakistanis or Muslims in the area at that time and, when I was nine years old, my parents co-founded the first local community center and mosque in the area with people who had immigrated here from all over the world. That gave me such a rich sense of community and identity in my formative years and has provided a strong foundation of support that has continued to embrace me throughout my life and career. My success has only been possible through the support of my family and faith community, and my success is their success. My parents also always committed themselves to making a difference in their community and region by serving others, and I wanted to be sure I tried to do the same, no matter where I was in life or what I was doing.

Describe your journey to law school. What motivated you to enroll?

I always thought that I was supposed to be a doctor, as was expected in many South Asian families, and particularly with two physician parents.  But my father died suddenly shortly after I graduated from college and, while helping my family cope with that loss, I met my parents’ estate attorney.  That was the first time I had ever encountered a lawyer—and one who definitely did not have a culturally competent practice.  I started to think about how my community was really unrepresented in the profession at that time—in the mid-1990s—which led me to think, “Well, maybe I can do that,” and that maybe I should do that. I was the first in my family, and the first in the local Muslim community, to go to law school. I didn’t know exactly what I would do, but thought maybe I could work in private practice to serve an unfulfilled need in the South Asian and Muslim communities in my area.  I never imagined I would have the privilege of a long and fulfilling career in public service where I have been able to serve the people of this State more broadly. 

What was your law school experience like?

I had never met any lawyers before deciding to go to law school, and so I really had no idea what to expect. I really enjoyed law school and learning a new way of thinking about problems and policy. Although I had many wonderful professors, I navigated through law school mostly on my own, learning how to succeed as I went along, and without much guidance initially on what kind of legal career to pursue or how to go about figuring it out. There were just a couple of other students of South Asian or Muslim background in the school at that time and we tried to be a supportive community for each other; a couple of us co-founded the Muslim Law Students’ Association at the school (which I recently learned still exists!) Generally, though, I felt like I had a lot to prove to overcome the stereotypes I was explicitly and implicitly made aware existed about me. I did that by focusing on the tasks at hand and working hard, cultivating confidence in myself as well as an internal resilience, taking on every opportunity and challenge possible and excelling, and dedicating myself to being the best law student and lawyer I could be.

Did you know about appellate work in law school? If not, when and how did it first get on your radar and why were you drawn to it?

My interest in appellate practice initially grew out of a few key experiences in law school, including participating in appellate advocacy moot court competitions, as well as judicial internships in state and federal appellate courts. From those experiences, I learned that I really loved doing legal research and writing, diving deep into cases analytically, and thinking about the law from a broader perspective, all of which has served me well throughout my career. After graduation, I developed and honed my skills—first as a law clerk at the New York State Court of Appeals and then later as an appellate litigator doing a wide range of state and federal civil litigation in the Appeals Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office. Now, just nine months into my new role, I am also realizing just how valuable those skills are to me as a trial judge, not only in how I craft and support my written decisions, but also the important perspective they give me when adjudicating disputes at this stage of legal proceedings, including how best to preserve the record.

Tell us about one of your appellate/Supreme Court cases that you found particularly meaningful.

I have had the privilege of working on many meaningful cases when I was an Assistant Solicitor General with the Office of the New York Attorney General.  Two matters really stand out because of the very direct impact they had on people’s lives—one on a nationwide level and another on an individual level.  First, in that capacity, I was the lead author on approximately a dozen amicus briefs filed by New York State on behalf of a large, multi-state coalition in the Travel Ban litigation, including several briefs in the Supreme Court of the United States. That litigation involved States’ challenges to the series of presidential Executive Orders that banned the entry into the U.S. of nationals from several Muslim countries. Even though the administration ultimately prevailed, the litigation proved to be a significant factor in the administration having to narrow the ban to apply to many fewer people.  In addition, an injunction prohibiting enforcement of the ban was in effect throughout most of the litigation; many families were able to be reunited and / or return to their education or livelihoods during the time period that the litigation was ongoing. Second, I briefed and argued an emergency appeal that literally involved a life and death matter, and resulted in a severely disabled man with the mental capacity of an infant being able to get the medical treatment he needed to survive.  Although his absent parents who had placed him in a state facility when he was a child initially objected to the treatment as something that might prolong his suffering, and the trial court had agreed, the appellate court reversed and authorized the treatment on the State’s petition; the petition had been supported by affidavits of the patient’s long-time medical providers that it would save his life, that he would not suffer, and that he would be able to maintain the quality of life commensurate with his capacity that he had been enjoying in the facility’s care. Best of all, not only did he survive and continue to thrive, but after decades of absence, his family rekindled their visits and relationship with him. I have often said that if I had done nothing else with my law degree from that day forward, making a difference in one person’s ability to receive life-saving treatment would have been enough.

How often do you encounter women, particularly women of color, in the appellate field? Why do you think that representation is important?

In my prior role as an appellate attorney and litigator, I have often been the only woman attorney of color—and sometimes the only attorney of color—in the legal offices in which I have worked, or the appellate courts in which I have appeared as an advocate, including among the panel of judges. I have been fortunate to have had incredible and supportive employers throughout my career that have invested in me and my development as an attorney, but at times, especially early in my career, I felt like my experience was unique and that maybe I did not belong.

Practitioners in the field of appellate law, and the judiciary too, should be truly representative and reflective of the population the courts are designed to serve. Diversity in the appellate bar and on the bench bolsters public trust and confidence in the courts and helps litigants of all backgrounds believe that they will find meaningful representation by someone who understands them, and that they will be fairly heard in court. I personally was inspired to seek judicial office and have a more visible role in our court system as I thought of my nieces and nephew, growing up in this country, in the times in which we live.  After experiencing the social and political events of the past several years, I realized in a way that I hadn’t before why representation on the bench, as in all other spheres of government, is so important.  I wanted them to know that this is their home and that they belong here; that they are a vital part of the fabric of this country and this State; and that anything is possible if you work hard, believe in yourself and dream big—that you can be judges or have a role in government or be anything else you want to be.  But you have to see it to believe it, as we all know. I truly hope that my career will inspire other Muslim and South Asian women, and women of color more generally, to pursue a path in appellate practice, or a path to the judiciary or other service in our state courts. 

What advice would you give to a law student of color who aspires to be where you are now?

My number one piece of advice is to prioritize excelling academically and strengthening your writing skills.  That will always serve you well, no matter what field of law you choose to go into, but it is absolutely essential for those looking to pursue a high-level career in appellate practice or hoping to become a judge someday.  Also, seek out good mentors.  Mentorship has played an extremely important role at all stages of my career.  For most of my career, I never had any mentors that looked like me or had a similar life experience or background.  It would have been great to have been able to talk to or seek advice from someone in the profession that I could relate to in that way, and it is so wonderful that there are now so many ways for aspiring attorneys of color to connect with others like them through TAP or the numerous affinity bar associations that exist—so take advantage of those opportunities.  But, of course, do not discount seeking someone’s advice or mentorship simply because they do not share your background or life experience.  And remember that it takes time to cultivate meaningful professional relationships with mentors and others, so put in the effort to build your network.  Always work hard and strive for excellence in whatever position you find yourself in; you are building your reputation at every step and setting the stage for future opportunities.  Finally, let go of self-doubt when those opportunities do arise—trust yourself and your work!