February 3, 2020
CHICAGO – The Illinois Office of Comptroller has named Debjani Desai as its general counsel to serve as the office’s main attorney and advise the comptroller on matters affecting the office.
“I am delighted to welcome Debjani to our leadership team. She brings a wealth of knowledge about state government and finance, and she will be a great addition to our office,” Illinois State Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza said.
Desai served as assistant general counsel in the Litigation and Eligibility group for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, where she managed state and federal litigation and provided counsel to staff throughout Illinois.
Prior to that, she was an administrative law judge for the agency, presiding over medical vendor appeals and fair hearings.
Before joining DHFS, Desai was an assistant state’s attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in the Special Prosecutions Bureau’s Financial Crimes and Public Corruption Unit.
“I’ve devoted my entire career to serving the public, and I’m excited and honored to join Comptroller Mendoza and her team in their efforts to do the same,” she said.
Desai is past president and current advisory council member of the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago and served on the board of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago for several years. She also serves on several committees for the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.
Desai earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago’s John Marshall Law School and a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Loyola University of New Orleans.
She replaces John Gay, who left the Comptroller’s office to become general counsel of the Illinois Racing Board.
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