Ayana Free is a senior legal advisor based in New York. She currently works as the Head of Litigation and Regulatory Compliance at Via, dedicated to powering public mobility by delivering efficient, advanced digital software solutions and turn-key transit operations to private and public partners globally.  

Ayana has over a dozen years of experience advising and providing counsel to scaling tech companies, governmental agencies, and Fortune 500 companies. She has established herself as a trusted leader and strategic partner who has consistently demonstrated the ability to mitigate risks and protect the company’s legal interests while also developing and implementing successful litigation strategies for complex commercial litigation and class actions. Having served in private practice, governmental and in-house legal roles, Ayana has developed a robust expertise in litigation management, internal investigations, labor and employment law, and intellectual property. She is passionate about leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion. Ayana practices mindfulness, values mentorship, and enthusiastically supports young women and professionals of color pursue their dreams.

Previously in her career, Ayana Free served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in the Civil Division. Her role included drafting pleadings and motions, researching precedent, responding to discovery requests, and negotiating settlements, among other responsibilities. Prior to that role, she worked as an Associate with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in New York, where her primary focuses were Litigation & Arbitration as well as Enforcement & Regulatory Investigations. Ayana had the honor of serving as a Judicial Clerk for the late Hon. Reginald C. Lindsay and Hon. William G. Young in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in Boston. 

Ayana graduated with honors from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, with her B.A. in English. After graduating from Spelman, she attended New York University School of Law where she obtained her J.D. At NYU Law, Ayana received a Dean’s Scholarship, was a Junior Fellow for the Institute for International Law and served as Senior Note Editor for the Journal of International Law and Politics and Board Member of the Coalition for Legal Recruiting (CoLR).

Learn more about Ayana Free’s insights into business by checking out her blog page!

• Commercial Litigation
• Civil Litigation
• Class Actions