Monique Dessaso is Selendy Gay's Managing Attorney. She leads the Managing Clerk's Office professionals, advising on a range of issues related to civil and appellate procedure and court rules, and oversees the paralegal team.
Before joining the firm, Monique was Managing Attorney at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP in Washington, D.C., where she was a member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Monique is an honorably discharged member of the United States Navy Judge Advocacy General’s (JAG) Corps. While in the U.S. Navy, she served in several positions, including as a Detainee Review Board Recorder at the Joint Legal Center & Detention Facility in Pawan, Afghanistan.
She was also a Staff Judge Advocate and Trial Counsel at the Region Legal Service Office Southwest, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of California, both located in San Diego.
She received her J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law and holds three LL.M. degrees in Law and Government, International Comparative Law with a specialty in Gender and the Law, and International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights from the Washington College of Law at American University.