On Saturday, November 12, 2022, AKISAN USA swore in her 2nd ever female legal counsel in the history of the organization.
Essie Ndem was sworn in at the 1st national council meeting in San Francisco, California over the weekend. The national president, Itoro Akpan-Iquot presented her to the council for approval. Speaking before the vote, Essie informed everyone present that it would be an honor to serve the association as legal counsel.
Essie Ndem is a proud member of AKISAN Atlanta chapter. She is an Associate Attorney at Gray, Rust, St. Amand, Moffett, & Brieske LLP. She concentrates her practice on civil litigation with specialization in the areas of insurance defense and insurance coverage.
Before joining the firm, Essie practiced international and domestic family law, where she tackled complex legal matters. She served as legislative intern with Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in Nigeria, where she evaluated five major bills and motions centered on state security, education, and healthcare.
Essie is the founder of the Young Professionals Development (YPD), an initiative devoted to helping the youth in developing countries maximize their success through joint endeavors in academics and mastering non-academic talents, resulting in well-rounded individuals who are more prepared to undertake the professional arena.
As a Dean’s Scholar scholarship recipient, Essie earned her Juris Doctorate from Mercer University School of Law. While pursuing her J.D., Essie was crowned the 2017–2018 Miss Akwa Ibom USA. During her tenure she completed extensive programs including Akwa Ibom Youths Got Brains, Akwa Ibom Youths Got Talent, and Akwa Ibom Youths Got Fashion. She also served in several leadership positions including President of the International Law Students Association (ILSA) and Professional Development Chair for the Black Law Students Association (BLSA).
Essie is a two-timed Oxford scholar with the Oxford Human Rights Consortium in Oxford, England and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English at Columbus State University and graduated with English honors.

Essie is betrothed to Dr. Edem Thomas Edem, and a daughter to Dr. & Mrs. Ndem Ndem. During her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and exploring new adventures.
