Rutgers School of Law–Newark Alumni Association Annual Gala 2026

Atiya Aftab, Esq. currently maintains her own part-time practice providing representation to non-profit corporations. She is an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University, Department of Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies Program teaching “Islamic Law and Jurisprudence” for 15 years.

In addition, Atiya has focused her career on community service. She has been the chair director of the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University (CILRU), convener of the first ever full-time dedicated Muslim Chaplaincy at a public university in the nation. CILRU serves thousands of students as well as faculty and administration. Atiya is also a director emerita with Rutgers University Foundation.

Atiya is involved in interfaith work and is the co-founder and chair emerita of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, an international women’s Muslim-Jewish interfaith organization that stands for justice, equality and human rights by building bridges of peace, sometimes through difficult conversations, and focusing on anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish bigotry and Israel-Palestine education and advocacy.

Islamic Society of Central Jersey is one of the largest and oldest masjids in New Jersey and Atiya has served on its board of trustees for over 20 years and was its first woman board chair.  Atiya is excited to be part of the ISCJ leadership team to complete several multi-million-dollar flagship projects to develop its 17-acre campus.

Coalition building and mentorship is important to Atiya which lead her to be a co-founder of the New Jersey Muslim Lawyer’s Association and she was its Vice-President and Treasurer. Atiya was also appointed to serve for 10 years as a Commissioner of the South Brunswick Commission on Women.

Atiya is a proud Scarlet Knight (RC ’88, RLaw-N ’91) and after law school, she held an Appellate Division Clerkship with the late Hon. James H. Coleman, Jr., then Presiding Judge Appellate Division and retired Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court.  Atiya then joined Robinson, St. John & Wayne as an associate.  She went on to represent the Department of Banking and Insurance as a Deputy Attorney General.  

Atiya has spoken at numerous forums on topics related to Islam/law/women including academic institutions, conferences, police training centers, places of worship, universities, hospitals, community forums, conventions and newsprint, social media and television and radio addresses.

Atiya has received several awards including the prestigious Pacem in Terris Award by the Diocese of Davenport, the Tannenbaum Award for Advancement of Interreligious Dialogue, the Professional Lawyer of the Year Award by the NJ Commission on Professionalism in the Law, the New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association’s Trail Blazer Award and the Women 2 Women Forum’s  International Women’s Day Award for Leadership in Peace Keeping Efforts and Developing a Faith Based Initiative.

Julia is a seasoned products liability and commercial litigator known for being both a fierce advocate and a thoughtful, professional presence in high-stakes matters. She represents manufacturers of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and medical devices in single-plaintiff cases, coordinated litigation, and multidistrict proceedings in federal and state courts.

Whether the case involves contraceptives, breast implants, pelvic mesh, or other complex medical products, Julia brings a strategic, hands-on approach grounded in deep experience. She has led matters from early case assessment through discovery, expert development, and, when necessary, trial—often navigating intricate scientific, regulatory, and reputational issues with clarity and precision.

Julia’s command of mass tort discovery is extensive, from managing voluminous document productions and e-discovery to preparing and deposing plaintiffs, fact witnesses, treaters, and experts. With a collaborative style and a strong grasp of both legal strategy and scientific detail, she partners closely with medical and technical experts to shape persuasive litigation themes.

Clients know Julia for being intensely responsive—the kind of lawyer who replies the moment she sees your message, whether it’s 3 p.m. or midnight. She’s emotionally intelligent, highly competitive, and strategically practical—the kind of advocate who builds trust quickly, communicates with clarity and respect, and moves cases forward efficiently and effectively. Beyond her legal acumen, Julia is a connector and strategic thinker who helps clients manage immediate litigation while anticipating downstream legal risks in complex product liability matters.

A passionate champion of inclusion, Julia is the nationwide partner chair for Reed Smith’s Hispanic/Latinx business inclusion group, UNIDOS. She serves as Program Chair for the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)/VIA Fund, where she leads PODER™, an ambitious initiative to elevate 20 HNBA members to General Counsel roles by 2025. As past president of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-NJ), she founded the organization's first scholarship endowment. Julia has also served on the New Jersey Supreme Court Committees on Civil Practice and Minority Concerns, and on the U.S. District Court Merit Selection Committee for the District of New Jersey.

Julia’s leadership and legal excellence have earned her numerous honors. She has been named one of NJBIZ’s Top 50 Influential Attorneys in New Jersey and featured on ROI-NJ’s Influencers List of the most impactful People of Color in the State. The HNBA has honored her as a Top Lawyer Under 40 and recognized the HBA-NJ under her leadership with its Affiliate of the Year Award.

Judge Jamel Semper serves on the U.S. District Court of New Jersey. Judge Semper previously served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, where he lead the violent crime program and supervised dozens of federal prosecutors. Before serving as a federal prosecutor, Judge Semper was as an assistant prosecutor in the Essex and Union County Prosecutors’ Offices for a decade. Judge Semper clerked for Essex County Superior Court Judge Harold Fullilove Sr. after receiving his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law in 2007. Judge Semper obtained his B.A. from Hampton University in 2003.