Gavin Newsom speaks after being elected governor of the state during an election night party in Los Angeles, California, U.S. November 6, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake

(Reuters) - California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed a civil rights lawyer to lead the litigation efforts of the state agency that enforces anti-discrimination laws, months after her predecessor was abruptly fired.

Newsom, a Democrat, said on Thursday that he had named Jamie Crook chief counsel at the state Civil Rights Department. Crook, a former staff lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union, joined the agency, which recently changed its name, earlier this year as its deputy director of dispute resolution.

Crook replaces Janette Wipper, who had been chief counsel since 2018 and was reappointed to the post a few months before Newsom fired her in March. The assistant chief counsel, Melanie Proctor, then resigned from the agency in protest of Wipper's termination.

Proctor in an email to staff at the time said Newsom's office attempted to interfere in the agency's high-profile sex discrimination lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc and Wipper was fired for pushing back.

Newsom's office has denied interfering in the Activision case.

Kevin Kish, the agency's director, in a statement said Crook's appointment was welcome.

"She has deep experience in litigating systemic civil rights cases in the public interest and I am inspired by her vision for making civil rights protections a reality for more...

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