NEWSLETTER A PUBLICATION FOR 1989 MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE ARMENIAN BAR ASSOCIATION Volume 24, Number 2 Fall 2012 Message from the Chair “TOGETHER FORWARD” elcome to the W24th year of the Armenian Bar Association. It is a privilege to serve as the Chair- Garo Ghazarian man of this great organization. attended an Armenian Bar Confer- ence,I fondly more remember than 20 the years first agotime inI Washington, D.C. At every meeting since, I have experienced the warmth, support and fellowship that are the Montreal Says Bienvenue to benchmarks of our Association. This year, as we rededicate ourselves the Armenian Bar Association to the vision of inclusiveness of ontreal--a city known for Committee, led by ArmenBar Vice world class shopping, Chair Harry Dikranian, has put Hovannisian, we encourage former M membersour founder, and the new Honorable generations Raffi K.of historical landmarks, internation- together an excellent agenda of lawyers, judges, and law students to al flair, and host of the 1976 Olym- events for the weekend. join us as we together go forward. pic Games--will be the site of the The Montreal Committee even Armenian Bar Association’s Mid- While we continue to gain our tried to resolve the National Hock- momentum, we should take stock Year Meeting the weekend of Octo- ey League’s players lock-out in of where it all began. We shall soon ber 19-21, 2012. Anthony Bour- order to give members a chance begin an ambitious oral history and dain recently featured Montreal to bask in the once glorious Cana- online scrapbook project to ensure in his famous The Layover Travel diens. The ongoing labour (note that the voices and events of the past Show. In it, he appropriately the “u”) dispute means Mid-Year are chronicled with the likes of our describes Canada as a great coun- Meeting participants will instead esteemed Chairman Emeritus, Vicken try because of this city. focus their attention on great of our Association in 1989-1990, the Members planning to attend will panels of speakers, in a first class inimitableI. Simonian, David and by Balabanian, the first Chairman whose be treated to a spectacular array location, in the heart of downtown words to all of us at our 23rd Annual of receptions, tours, meetings, and Montreal. lectures. The Montreal Organizing See Mid Year Meeting Preview, pg. 23 See Message from the Chair, pg. 27 2 Fall 2012 Armenian Bar Association Annual Meeting Renews Commitment to Rule of Law Initiatives, Elects New Executive Leadership n the weekend of May 18-20, 2012, the Arme- Onian Bar Association host- ed its 23rd Annual Meeting at the Glendale Hilton in Glendale, California. The weekend was highlighted by the presentation of the coveted Hrant Dink Free- dom of Speech Award to Edik Baghdasaryan, Editor-in-Chief of Hetq.am, a forum for honest and investigative reporting of issues dealing with democracy and Edvin Minassian, two-term chairperson of the Armenian Bar Association (center), justice in Armenia. receives highest honors from Garo Ghazarian, the ABA’s newly-elected chairperson, and treasurer Sara Bedirian The weekend also included the election and swearing in ceremony of the Association’s Board of Governors. Well-known and highly-respected criminal defense attorney Garo B. Ghaz- arian of Glendale, California was selected by unanimous vote of the entire Board as the Association’s new Chairman. In addition to his federal and state litigation-based law practice, Ghazarian also serves as Dean of the People’s College of Law in Los Angeles ABA banquet keynote speaker Eric Garcetti (4th from left) and the Armenian Bar’s and as a Civil Service Commis- “Hrant Dink Freedom of Speech Award” recipient Edik Baghdasaryan (5th from sioner for the City of Glendale. left) flanked by (from left to right) Judge Zaven Sinanian, David Balabanian, Garo Among numerous television and Ghazarian, Edvin Minassian, Sonya Nersessian, Armen K. Hovannisian, Gary Moomjian, Robert Cannuscio and Harry Dikranian radio appearances as an expert legal commentator, Ghazarian further gratitude when he stat- has been interviewed on Larry of our organization, in assisting ed “I wish to thank immedi- - thoseRaffi K. in Hovannisian, need, of helping the to founder estab- ate Past Chair Edvin Minassian tise with Jane Vellez-Mitchell on lish the rule of law in Armenia, for his exemplary and tireless herKing program Live and concerning shared his current exper and protecting the legal rights service of the last two years, with legal issues. of Armenians everywhere.” said whom I was honored to serve “I am humbled and very Ghazarian during a sold-out gala as Vice-Chair of the bar the last honored for the opportunity to banquet held on May 19, 2012, at two terms and whose insight serve as Chair of the Armenian the luxurious Armenian Society and wisdom I will continue to Bar Association and I pledge to of Los Angeles Banquet Hall. seek and employ.” Ghazarian Chairman Ghazarian expressed See Glendale Annual Meeting, pg. 24 continue to fulfill the vision of Armenian Bar Association Newsletter 3 Armenian Bar Association And Armenian-American Health Professionals Organization Strike Gold In Atlantic City n June 2, 2012 members of the Armenian Bar Asso- Ociation traveled from all parts of the country to join their medical brothers and sisters for a captivating day in Atlan- tic City. The site was the Golden Nugget Hotel and many attendees arrived on Friday and departed on Sunday. The Armenian-Amer- ican Health Professionals Orga- nization (AAHPO) began the day with a seminar covering medi- cally current topics. This was followed by a joint luncheon in which ArmenBar and AAHPO The attentive audience at the ArmenBar/AAHPO lecture in Atlantic City members had the pleasure to mingle. Following lunch was the centerpiece event, a Medical Legal Update seminar presented by ArmenBar. Legal attendees, who received 3.5 CLE credits, were joined by many AAHPO members. The legal seminar was chaired by Sonya Nersessian from Massachusetts, a former Chairperson of ArmenBar. Panel- ists included Michael Varadian, Executive Director, Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Health- care, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals. Mr. Varadian spoke of National Health Reform – Chairman Garo Ghazarian addresses the audience at the Golden Nugget Evolution and Legal Implications. Attendees’ interest in this topic Los Angeles to present Workers’ tion Medications and the Law. Mr. was evidenced by the numerous Compensation Laws – Covered Ghazarian, who is LA-based, has questions following the presenta- Illnesses and Compensation of represented a number of high- tion. The next speaker was Edvin Physicians. ArmenBar and AAHPO Minassian, an attorney special- members alike were absorbed by shared a number of anecdotes profile and celebrity clients, and izing in workers’ compensation the topic. Finally, ArmenBar’s to interest the audience. Garo is matters and the immediate past newly-elected Chairman, Garo also the Dean and Law Professor, Chair of ArmenBar. Mr. Minassian Ghazarian, delighted the crowd Peoples College of Law and Vice with his presentation, Prescrip- traveled from his hometown in See ArmenBar & AAHPO pg. 25 4 Fall 2012 Members in the News and on the Move Ara Babaian recently was se- for her new position. In 2008, lected as a “Rising Star” by Super she was appointed Judge of the Lawyers, which is awarded to less Probate Court in the City of East than 2.5% of attorneys in Califor- Providence, and in 2009 became nia each year who are either 40 years old or younger or in prac- Island. She earned that designa- tice for 10 years or less. He also tionthe first from “Green the US Lawyer” Green inBuilding Rhode was selected as one of the “Best Council’s Leadership in Energy LGBT Lawyers Under 40” by the and Environmental Design pro- National LGBT Bar Association. gram. On July 1, 2012, Ara became the Chairman of Gay & Lesbian Elder Souren A. Israelyan, a member of Armenian Bar Association with and only affordable housing to - low-incomeHousing, which LGBT provides elders, the as wellfirst izing on representing personal as social services that allow the Kathryn Ossian injuryan office plaintiffs, in New Yorkon May City 30, special 2012, elders to age in place. The afford- after a month and a half long trial, able housing building, known as Board Member Kathryn Ossian took a verdict in Queens County Triangle Square, is located in Hol- was recently named “2012 Detroit Supreme Court in Figueroa v. HLM lywood, California, and has inde- Information Technology Lawyer Electric, Ltd., et al. in the amount pendent apartments for 115 ten- of the Year” by Best Lawyers in of $3,184,302.77. ants. The organization’s model America. Best Lawyers is an in- This is Mr. Israelyan’s second recently received both national ternational publication which has million dollar verdict since he and international attention for - its unique service model for elder gal professionals for several years. and fourth case resolving over housing. Thebeen award designating is based high-profile on multiple le millionformed dollars.his own Mr. firm Israelyan in 2008, is a factors, including recognition by board member of New York State Catherine Karayan has be- fellow attorneys in the particular Trial Lawyers’ Association and a gun a two-year clerkship with the - member of NYS Bar Association’s United States Tax Court in Wash- ner in the prestigious Detroit law standing committee on Civil Pro- ington, DC. In May, Catherine area of practice. Kathryn is a part cedure Law and Rules. earned her LL.M. in Taxation from been on the Armenian Bar Board Last year, Mr. Israelyan briefed New York University, where she offirm Governors of Miller, since Canfield, 2010. and has and argued one of the most im- edited The Hotchpot and chaired portant decisions at New York’s the Tax LL.M.