Volume 5, Number 1 - Spring 1994
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL MEETING Leave your tax work behind on April 15 and join us in scenic Cambridge, Massachusetts, to enjoy the famous Patriot's Day Weekend (culminating with the Boston Marathon on Monday!) in the company of your friends and colleagues at the fifth annual meeting of the Armenian Bar Association! Whether it's watching the local teams (Celtics basketball, Red Sox baseball) or shopping at Filene's Basement or a romantic walk along the Charles River past Harvard, MIT, and Boston University or pasta at the North End, dim sum in Chinatown, the whale watch expedition or one of the many world class museums (Science, Fine Arts, Children's...) you will LOVE being in the center of New England for the Association's annual membership meeting! Convention Chair Anthony Barsamian and his team of local folk have put together a weekend filled with fun and excitement, right in the heart of one of the oldest Armenian communities of the USA. And community it is - we will be patronizing Armenian establishments, beginning with the SHERATON COMMANDER HOTEL (call (617) 547-4800 for reservations at our special rate!) meeting headquarters located at 16 Garden Street in Harvard Square. Our grand reception, which is open to the public, will be held Saturday evening, April 16 at 7:30 at the beautiful ARMENIAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM in Watertown Square. It will be an evening of coming home to the community, short on speeches and long on celebration: fun, food and music by local groups that may remind you of the “good ‘ole days”. Special honorees will be former speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives George Keverian and noted community leader Carolyn Mugar, who have been named honorary members of the Association in recognition of their unique contributions and service. The Association's business sessions will be conducted at Austin Hall of Harvard Law School all day Saturday, April 16th. An array of interesting topics will be addressed by guest attorneys from Armenia, ranging from traditional Armenian law to the challenges of coping with new property concepts in a formerly soviet regime or advising on compliance with local corporate and tax laws or developing a law school curriculum for the next century. In addition, Prof. Ann Lousin of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL, and Victor Boyajian, Esq. of Sills, Cummis, in Newark, NJ, will present continuing legal education lectures on NAFTA and capital formation respectively. And there is more to come... On Sunday morning, the Association will have a joint brunch with the Armenian Network at the Sheraton Commander Hotel. Discussing the issues of supporting a genocide curriculum in the public schools will be the only Armenian member of Congress, California representative Anna Eshoo (D-14th) and NJ Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian. To participate fully in the meetings of the Association,
one must be a member in good standing. However, all social events,
including the Saturday evening reception at the Armenian Library & Museum
and the Sunday brunch with the Armenian Network, are open to the
public. To join the Association, send tax deductible 1994 dues of
$100.00 for lawyers and $25.00 for law students to the Association
treasurer, For more information or to register for the annual meeting, call Anthony Barsamian, Esq., at (617) 431-2231. Founded in the spirit of service to the Armenian community and dedicated to fostering a democratic, civil society under law in Armenia, the Armenian Bar Association is a non-profit organization of volunteers. Its members span the continents but are concentrated in North America and headquartered in Los Angeles. This year's annual meeting is a special call to lawyers and law students all over New England, from Worcester to Providence, Boston to Cape Cod, Springfield, and Hartford. Come join the celebration and be part of a proud tradition in the making. |
ASSOCIATION WINS SECOND MAJOR GRANT The Eurasia Foundation awarded the Association a $17,850 grant for a project to promote the rule of law in Armenia. The year-long grant will be used to support the newly established Legal Research Center at the University of Yerevan Law Faculty. The University Center aims to encourage the development of new law courses and curricula and to provide law students, practitioners, foreign investors and the public at large with up-to-date information about Armenia's new laws. Project activities include assembling a library of verified texts of new laws, abstracting and analyzing the laws in Armenian and English, and eventually developing a computer-assisted text-retrieval system. The Association, through the Babayan Fund and in-kind donations, is providing books and equipment to assist the project. |
FROM THE CHAIR It's been a rough winter, but the Association has been anything but dormant. Here's a sampling of our recent activities: The Convention Committee has been busy organizing our Fifth Anniversary Meeting to be held April 15-17 in Boston at Harvard Law School. The meeting promises to be a memorable event, featuring presentations by leading scholars and attorneys from Armenia, several continuing legal education seminars by outstanding practitioners from the Association, and a reception for our 1994 honorary members and our charter members. We look forward to seeing everyone there, new and old. The Pro Bono Committee has just published four Armenian-language legal brochures in conjunction with the California State Bar and is holding community meetings to promote a better understanding of the legal system. The Armenian Rights Watch Committee is working with the California Department of Education to see that the legislatively mandated program on the Armenian Genocide is implemented in the public schools. The Armenia Liaison Committee has established four new programs in Armenia with the nearly $45,000 in grants it has won for rule-of-law projects: a Legal Research Center at the University of Yerevan Law Faculty, a Civics Curriculum being developed by the Institute of Law and Philosophy, a non-partisan Legal Affairs Column that appears in newspapers across the political spectrum and a Democracy Anthology containing documents on human rights in pluralistic society. The Association's Fifth Anniversary membership drive has reached out to hundreds of Armenian attorneys through a new brochure and a telephone campaign urging everyone to become more active in the Association. As we build momentum toward our Fifth Anniversary Celebration, we hope that you too will join in. I look forward to seeing each and every one of you in Boston this April! |
ARMENIAN BAR ASSOCIATION HOLDS 1993 MID-YEAR MEETING IN CHICAGO The Mid-Year Meeting of the Armenian Bar Association for the 1993-94 term was held in Chicago, Illinois, on October 30-31, 1993. The Mid-Year Meeting is one of two opportunities each year for interested lawyers and individuals from across the United States and the world to gather and set the Association's agenda for the upcoming months. The Association's business meeting took place at the John Marshall Law School and was followed by a panel discussion on the current state of legal reform in Armenia, attended by the Chicago area community. The panelists were Vartan Astsatrian, Armen Hovannisian, and Tamar Hajian. Mr. Astsatrian is a political thinker and commentator on the United States Constitution. He has been active in the Armenian democratic movement since its inception and was an early leader of the Union for National Self-Determination, founded by Paruir Hairikian. Mr. Astsatrian also served as editor of the newspaper “Independence” and published extensively on the issues of rule of law and reform of the government. In 1990, he drafted a bill to hold a constitutional convention in Armenia, which was rejected by the Parliament, after a lengthy debate. Mr. Hovannisian is a practicing attorney with the law firm of Chadbourne and Parke in Los Angeles and Vice-Chair of the Association. He returned to the United States the day before the meeting, after a two week trip to Armenia. Mrs. Hajian is Vice President and General Counsel at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts and a member of the Association's Board of Governors. She most recently furthered Association activities in Armenia in September, 1993, after the Association was awarded a grant by the National Endowment for Democracy. The award was the result of a successful grant proposal submitted by the Association. The Association subsequently received a grant by the Eurasia Foundation. The panelists drew upon their recent experiences in Armenia to discuss the current state of legal reform and standard of living in Armenia. After their respective presentations, the panelists entertained numerous questions from the audience. Following the panel discussion, Association members enjoyed a reception at the John Marshall Law School and dinner in downtown Chicago. Ann Lousin, Professor of Law at the John Marshall Law School, organized the event and Gahmk Markarian, an attorney with Chapman & Cutler in Chicago, coordinated the social portion of the program. In addition to participating in the Mid-Year Meeting, Mr. Astsatrian met with scholars at the John Marshall Law School and the University of Chicago and observed the workings of the United States government in Washington, D.C. He also held meetings to discuss legal reform in Armenia with the Armenian community and in New York he met with human rights organizations. Mr. Astsatrian's visit to the United States was made possible through the Association's Babayan Fund, established in 1992 to support exchange and promote the rule of law in Armenia. The Association's recent activities include rendering pro bono assistance to indigent Armenians in the United States; lecturing and publishing, in Armenian, on the rights and responsibilities of residents and citizens in the United States; translating and distributing drafts of Armenian legislation and proposed constitutions; mentoring law students; and sending computers and law books to Armenia, the shipping of which was courtesy of the United Armenian Fund, in order to promote rule of law projects there. In addition, the Association addressed a letter to the United States Department of State. The Associations Annual Meeting will be headquartered at the Sheraton Commander Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 15-17, 1994. A variety of sessions will be held at the Harvard University Law School and the Armenian Library and Museum in Watertown, Massachusetts. Many of the activities planned for the weekend will be open to the public. Anyone interested in further information about the Association should write to: Armenian Bar Association, P.O. Box 84375, Los Angeles, CA 90073. |
STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT REELECTS ASSOCIATION'S LETTER Recently the State Department submitted its annual “Country Reports on Human Rights” to Congress. However, unlike last year's report on Armenia, which contained many material omissions, this year's report evaluates Armenia's rights record more fully and objectively. During the past year, the Association took an active role in setting the record straight. Last year's report overlooked many legal facts, such as Armenia's adoption, in April 1991, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as the supreme law of the land and completely ignored the Armenian Parliament's implementation of those rights through legislation. In addition to contributing to the critique by such organizations as Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, our response challenged the objectivity of the Report. In May, 1993, Peter Kupelian and Mark Momjian of the Armenian Rights Watch Committee and Thomas Samuelian, wrote a letter to Secretary of State Warren Christopher. The letter provided documentary evidence demonstrating that “the Report contains numerous factual errors about the laws in force and the civil rights protected by law in the new Republic of Armenia.” The letter continued, “[a]t issue is the Department of State's failure to cite facts of record that would challenge cogently the Report's assertion that the observance of human rights in Armenia appears precarious.” The impact of the Association's letter is evident throughout this year's report. The new report notes Armenia's adoption of the Covenant, cites the Armenian laws documented by the Association, and finds that “[w]ithin this framework, Armenia generally respects human rights...” This finding is important because Congress and the President rely on the Report to formulate U.S. policy on trade and foreign relations with Armenia. The Association's recent activities include rendering pro bono assistance to indigent Armenians in the United States; lecturing and publishing, in Armenian, on the rights and responsibilities of residents and citizens in the United States; translating and distributing drafts of Armenian legislation and proposed constitutions; mentoring law students; and sending computers and law books to Armenia, the shipping of which was courtesy of the United Armenian Fund, in order to promote rule of law projects there. In addition, the Association addressed a letter to the United States Department of State. The Associations Annual Meeting will be headquartered at the Sheraton Commander Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 15-17, 1994. A variety of sessions will be held at the Harvard University Law School and the Armenian Library and Museum in Watertown, Massachusetts. Many of the activities planned for the weekend will be open to the public. Anyone interested in further information about the Association should write to: Armenian Bar Association, P.O. Box 84375, Los Angeles, CA 90073. |
“KNOW YOUR RIGHTS” LECTURE SERIES CONTINUES Henry Tovmassian, a partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Kehr, Crook, Tovmassian and Fox, and a member of the Armenian Bar Association (ABA), was a guest speaker at the Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center in Glendale, on January 26, 1994. The presentation was coordinated by the ABA's Pro Bono committee. The Speech was the most recent in a series sponsored by the ABA and known as the “Know Your Rights” lecture series. Tovmassian's lecture focused on starting a business. He gave an in-depth explanation of the responsibilities, rights and liabilities involved, including the differences among sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations. Required filings, management and control and insolvency problems were also discussed. The lecture was well received and covered numerous questions from the inquisitive audience. Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center moderators Alice Kodjababian and Nora Ashjian were instrumental in organizing the lecture, and enthusiastically asked Tovmassian for further speaking engagements. More lectures are being scheduled at the social service centers in Glendale and Hollywood. Tovmassian's firm handles cases in the area of general business, corporate transactions, civil litigation and estate planning. He has been practicing law for six years and is a graduate of UCLA School of Law. He was born in Yerevan, Armenia, moved to the United States in 1976, and received his undergraduate education at New York University. He is currently a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the ABA. The “Know Your Rights” lecture series was initiated in 1991 by attorneys Saro K. Kerkonian and Zaven V. Sinanian. The series has included lectures to various community groups including the Armenian Relief Society and Head Start. The topics have included “know the legal system”, “crime prevention”, “traffic laws and gang violence”, “immigration” and “landlord/ tenant matters”. Those interested in organizing a lecture should contact the ABA at (818) 986-0646. |
ABA PUBLISHES AND DISTRIBUTES STATE BAR LEGAL INFORMATION PAMPHLETS Legal information pamphlets focusing on the areas of small claims cases, wills, landlord/tenant disputes and divorce have been translated from English to Armenian by the Armenian Bar Association (ABA) and are currently being distributed to the community through various social service organizations. The project was initiated by former ABA Pro Bono Committee Chairman Saro K. Kerkonian, and completed by current Pro Bono Chair Vicken I. Simonian. The process included obtaining official approval from the California State Bar to translate the pamphlets, obtaining funding for the project, then having the pamphlets translated, proofread and printed. Initial indications are that the project is being well received by the community. “Our constituents have been very interested in the pamphlets and have told us they are very informative”, said Alice Kodjababian of the Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center in Hollywood. The State Bar of California publishes ten such “general legal information” pamphlets and distributes them throughout California. Those pamphlets have been translated into other languages, and the Pro Bono Committee felt the Armenian community would benefit from the information contained therein. Initially, the committee chose to publish the four areas of law most likely to be of interest to the community. The committee plans to publish the other State Bar pamphlets in the future. The process of obtaining funding included applying to the Foundation of the State Bar of California to obtain a grant. The Foundation is a branch of the California State Bar which receives donations from Bar members and uses those donations to help in legal education and other legal assistance projects. The Foundation graciously provided a $2000.00 grant for the ABA pamphlet project. The ABA treasury matched that amount to complete the funding. An additional application has been made to the Foundation for a grant in 1994. That application will be considered in April. |
SARKIS ASSADOURIAN ELECTED TO CANADIAN PARLIAMENT The Armenian community in Canada is celebrating the election of the first Armenian-Canadian member of Parliament. Sarkis Assadourian, the Liberal Party candidate in the federal riding of Don Valley North, won a landslide victory with a 15,000 vote margin over the nearest rival. Assadourian had lost the 1988 election by a slim 604 vote margin. Assadourian will be the first Armenian-Canadian member of the Canadian Parliament. Throughout his campaign he stressed the issues of employment and the stimulation of the economic growth in the riding of Don Valley North. Members of the Armenian community played an integral role in the Assadourian campaign. Assadourian has been actively involved in the Toronto Armenian community since moving to Toronto in 1972. He has been a Board Member of the Armenian Community Centre, a member of the Liberal Task Force on the Deindustrialization of Canada, a member of the Ontario Advisory Council on Multiculturalism and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Willowdale Legal Community Service Clinic. Assadourian was instrumental in establishing the Outstanding Canadian Award given annually by the Armenian Community Centre. This Award has played a significant role in enhancing the image and the profile of the Armenian community among the business and political leaders in Canada. Among the recipients of the Award have been former Canadian UN Ambassador Steve Lewis, Ontario Lt. Governor Lincoln Alexander, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, UAW President Bob White, Ontario Premier William Davis, author Margaret Atwood and space shuttle astronaut Robert Bondar. Assadourian is a graduate of the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, has a strong background in small business and is married with four children. In 1992, he received the Outstanding Father Award from St. Mary Armenian Church of Toronto. |
“STREET LEGAL” CANCELLED AFTER EIGHT SEASONS Street Legal, the popular Canadian television series about lawyers, has been cancelled by CBC after eight seasons. The one-hour show about the storefront law firm of Barr, Rabinovitch, Tchobanian and Novak attracted about a million viewers a week. Often compared to L.A. Law, Street Legal featured a smaller cast and was filmed in downtown Toronto. The building in which their office was located was a well-known landmark in a trendier area of the city. Chuck Tchobanian, played by Canadian actor C. David Johnson, was a fun-loving corporate lawyer who never seemed to know his limitations in either his legal practice or his personal life. Chuck and his partners will now join the ranks of the unemployed lawyers and actors in Toronto. |
ARMENIAN BAR ASSOCIATION AND ARMENIAN LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION OF LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL HOST SECOND ANNUAL “CAREERS IN LAW” SEMINAR On November 6,1993, the Armenian Bar Association (ABA) and the Armenian Law Students Association of Loyola Law School hosted the second annual “Careers in Law” Seminar, at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, CA. After a continental breakfast, Caroline Manankichian of the ABA opened by discussing the role of the ABA and its Student Affairs Committee, and encouraging Armenian law students from other schools to organize future events. Saro Kerkonian then introduced Vartan Astsatrian, a visiting legal scholar from Armenia. Katie Atikian of Loyola Law School introduced the five speakers. The first speaker, criminal defense attorney Christopher Armen, provided encouraging words to law students interested in criminal law. He noted the many benefits of being a sole practitioner and explained that while being one's own boss can be extremely hard work at times, in the long run it pays off. As experience builders, Mr. Armen recommended judicial externships and participation in clinical programs. Linda Berberian, an attorney with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), stressed the importance of writing skills. Based on her experience as a federal judicial clerk, she emphasized that accurate, clear, concise motion-writing plays a highly significant role in judges' rulings. She advocated variety in summer clerkship positions, to assist students in making informed career choices. Viken Pakradouni, who recently opened a new firm, Gustafson, Pakradouni & Raskovich, encouraged law students to pay close attention to their classes, learn all they can, and apply that knowledge later on in the legal workplace. Although he advised students to first gain experience by working in an established firm, he explained that opening an office of one's own is always possible. Arpie Balekjian, an associate with Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Oliver, recommended that students get as much experience as possible while still in school. Trial advocacy programs, externships, internships, and other clinical programs were among her recommendations. She also stressed the importance of writing skills. Ms. Balekjian urged each individual to find an area of law he or she finds particularly interesting, learn as much as possible about that area, and become somewhat of an expert; this special knowledge will then prove an invaluable tool, both in marketing oneself and later on in practice. Deputy District Attorney James Bozajian spoke about the various career opportunities available in the D.A.'s office. He explained that although prosecuting criminal cases can often be stressful, there are several advantages: the work is interesting, the job is secure, and the trial experience is phenomenal. He advised interested students to gain trial experience while still in school via the student certification program, and stated that although the D.A.'s office is temporarily in a hiring freeze, externships and internships are still available. Following the interesting and informative program, seminar attendees enjoyed a delicious catered lunch. This gave everyone an opportunity to converse on an informal, comfortable level, and gave students the opportunity to gain further insight to the various panelists' specialties and personal experiences in the legal profession. The second annual “Careers in Law” Seminar once again was a success. If you would like to be on the mailing list for future events organized by the Loyola Law School Armenian Law Students Association, please send your name, address and phone number to ARMENIAN LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION, C/O LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL, 1441 WEST OLYMPIC BLVD., LOS ANGELES, CA 90015. |