Biography
Saima Akhtar is a Senior Attorney with the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. She works on issues that include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (food stamps), cash public assistance, subsidized child care, Medicaid and concerns of Due Process. Saima has represented low income clients both in court and in administrative proceedings, and has served as counsel to the class in a number of class action cases in New York State Courts and Federal Courts including Brooks v. Roberts, Richard C. v. Proud, Kamkoff v. Hedberg and A.A. v. Gee. She has also provided continuing legal education sessions for the New York State Bar Association, The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Practising Law Institute, and the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association on topics such as SNAP basics, emergency assistance benefits in New York, New York State appellate practice and basic lawyering skills for new attorneys. Saima is a graduate of Albany Law School of Union University and holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy from the University at Albany. She is a recipient of Albany Law School’s Edward M. Cameron Memorial Prize for her contributions to the area of public interest law and was a 2006 Fellow of the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society at the University at Albany.