Sunil Harjani Confirmed As Illinois Federal District Court Judge

Photo: ilnd.uscourts.gov

India-West News Desk

CHICAGO, IL -The US Senate with a 53-46 vote on March 12 confirmed federal Magistrate Judge Sunil Harjani, to be a federal district court judge on the Chicago-based Northern District of Illinois.

Harjani becomes the first South Asian American to serve as a US district judge in the Northern District of Illinois

“We are pleased that the Senate has confirmed Judge Sunil Harjani to serve as a District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division,” US Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and US Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) stated.

“Judge Harjani was highly regarded by our screening committee and brings strong qualifications and a wealth of courtroom experience—including as a Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since 2019—that will strengthen our federal bench,” they wrote.

Priya Purandare, Executive Director of National Asian Pacific American Bar Association in a statement thanked President Joe Biden for nominating Harjani, Illinois Senators Durbin and Duckworth of Illinois, as well as Senators John Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia for supporting his nomination.

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Rep. Judy Chu (CA) in her statement said, “I am delighted that the Senate voted to confirm Judge Sunil Harjani to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division. Judge Harjani, who has made history as the first South Asian American to serve as a U.S. Magistrate for the Northern District of Illinois, will undoubtedly extend his outstanding dedication to public service, and I extend my congratulations to him. I appreciate President Biden’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that our judicial system reflects the diversity of our country, and I thank Senate Majority Leader Schumer for his leadership on this successful confirmation.”

Harjani has been a US Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois since 2019. He previously served as an Assistant US Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Section in the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois from 2008 to 2019.

Harjani served as a law clerk for Judge Suzanne B. Conlon on the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 2001 to 2002.

He has his JD from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and his BA from Northwestern University in 1997.