Sunil Harjani (born 1974)[2] is an American lawyer who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois since 2024. He previously served as a magistrate judge of the same court from 2019 to 2024.

Sunil R. Harjani
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Assumed office
March 20, 2024
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byThomas M. Durkin
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
In office
January 10, 2019[1] – March 20, 2024
Preceded byDaniel G. Martin
Succeeded byDaniel P. McLaughlin
Personal details
Born
Sunil Ramesh Harjani

1974 (age 49–50)
Joliet, Illinois, U.S.
EducationNorthwestern University (BA, JD)

Education

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Harjani received a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University in 1997 and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in 2000.[3]

Career

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From 2000 to 2001, he was an associate at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago. From 2001 to 2002, he served as a law clerk for Judge Suzanne B. Conlon of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. From 2002 to 2004, he went back to the same law firm and served in the same position.[3] From 2004 to 2008, he also practiced federal civil litigation as a senior counsel at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. From 2008 to 2019, Harjani was an assistant U.S. attorney, serving as the deputy chief of the securities and commodities fraud section.[4] From 2019 to 2024, he served as a United States magistrate judge of the Northern District of Illinois.[3]

Federal judicial service

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On January 10, 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Harjani to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.[3] On February 1, 2024, President Biden nominated Harjani to a seat vacated by Judge Thomas M. Durkin, who assumed senior status on December 26, 2023.[5] On February 8, 2024, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[6] On March 7, 2024, his nomination was favorably reported out of committee by a 12–9 vote.[7][8] On March 12, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 52–44 vote.[9] Later that day, his nomination was confirmed by a 53–46 vote.[10] He received his judicial commission on March 20, 2024,[11] and was sworn in on April 2, 2024.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Sunil Harjani Sworn-in as U.S. Magistrate Judge" (PDF). ilnd.uscourts.gov (Press release). January 10, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  2. ^ "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "President Biden Names Forty-Fourth Round of Judicial Nominees". whitehouse.gov. January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ "Biden to nominate Sunil Harjani to federal bench in Chicago". Chicago Sun Times. January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. February 3, 2024.
  6. ^ "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. February 7, 2024.
  7. ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – March 7, 2024" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  8. ^ "PN1404 — Sunil R. Harjani — The Judiciary". March 12, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  9. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Sunil R. Harjani to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois)". United States Senate. March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  10. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Sunil R. Harjani, of Illinois, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois)". United States Senate. March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  11. ^ Sunil Harjani at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  12. ^ "Judge Sunil R. Harjani sworn in as U.S. District Judge" (PDF). ilnd.uscourts.gov (Press release). Retrieved April 2, 2024.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
2024–present
Incumbent