Last Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Avyark “Avy” Mallik as General Counsel at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.    Most recently, Mr. Mallik served as Director of Fintech Policy for the Financial Services Committee at the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was Senior Counsel from 2019 to 2021.  He was an Assistant Attorney General for the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Maryland Attorney General from 2018 to 2019. Mr. Mallik was Director of the Foreclosure Prevention Program and Foreclosure Prevention Staff Attorney at Civil Justice from 2013 to 2018.  He holds a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Consistent with the California Constitution's civil service mandate (Art. VII, § 1), most employees at the DFPI are not political appointees.  In general, the Constitution exempts state officers, such as the Commissioner of Financial Protection & Innovation, and that officer's deputy or an employee selected by that officer.  Cal. Const. Art. VII, § 4(f).  In some cases other statutory authority is relied upon to create additional exempt positions. 

Mr. Mallik's appointment does not require Senate confirmation.  He will earn $191,844 per year.