SUMMER 1995 – VOL.6, NUM.2
From the Chair
by Professor Ann Lousin
After six years, the Armenian Bar Association is a mature organization with a solid record of accomplishment.
This year we are consolidating our efforts. First, we are delighted to have Vahe Messerlian as our first permanent Executive Director. Vahe is devoted to the A.B.A. and has set up a modern, permanent office for us. We now have a fax, an e-mail address and permanent files.
We are also pursuing every opportunity to help set up a rule of law in Armenia. The Eurasia Foundation has given us a $50,000 grant – our third foundation grant to–study and monitor the parliamentary elections scheduled for July 5th. Our members in Armenia will play a key role in this study, the first of its kind in Armenia and one of the first in the former Soviet Union.
We hope to obtain funding to pursue other projects in Armenia. We particularly need funds to replenish the Babayan Fund, which Mr. and Mrs. John Yervant so generously established to bring lawyers from Armenia to our meetings. Those lawyers are now among the foremost exponents of democratic institutions in Armenia.
I am very proud to be a member of the Armenian Bar Association. Other bar associations give me a place to lunch, car discounts and fancy membership cards. The Armenian Bar Association, however, gives me a chance to be of real service. I hope you feel the same way.
SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING IN LOS ANGELES
More than 100 members nationwide attend
More than one-hundred attorneys, judges and law students from across the country attended the Armenian Bar Association's Sixth Annual National Meeting at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City, California on March 10-12, 1995.
The Association's activities over the past year were discussed during the business meetings, as members heard reports from the following committees: Armenia Programs, Pro Bono, Rights Watch, Law Student Division, Membership, and Newsletter. Particularly noteworthy were the efforts of the Armenia Programs Committee, with numerous ongoing projects directed toward assisting Armenia in developing a rule of law-based society.
The Association also took up the issues of President Levon Ter Petrossian's December 28, 1995 decree and subsequent events suspending the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the closing of several newspapers. After lengthy discussion and informational presentations made by Armenia guests Tigran Janoyan and Armen Khachaturian, members voted to send a letter of concern to Armenian President Levon Ter Petrossian and Armenia's U.S. Ambassador Ruben Shugarian.
Armenia's former Foreign Affairs Minister Raffi Hovannisian keynoted the Saturday luncheon. Hovannisian is currently the director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies in Yerevan. He spoke eloquently about the legal, political, and financial climate in Armenia. Hovannisian stated that the lack of separation of powers and lack of democratic traditions slows Armenia's development. He identified specific needs that the Armenian Bar Association can help fulfill: work with opposition and local governments; publish and distribute Armenian laws that are now available in limited quantities and not in workable formats; coordinate observer teams and factfinding missions on the state of the rule of the law in Armenia; and train their lawyers.
The conference was also highlighted by a panel discussion including U.S. District Court Judge Dickran Tevrizian and California State Superior Court Judges Aram Serverian and Richard Kolostian. Tevrizian spoke about federal court settlements, Kolostian discussed criminal law including the "Three Strikes" provision, and Serverian focused on civil practice, particularly alternative dispute resolution. Finally, attorney Charles Sevilla, appellate counsel for Hampig Sassounian, talked about the recent appeal of the Sassounian case to the California Supreme Court.
Members were treated to an evening of traditional Armenian hospitality Saturday night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hrand Simonian, indulging in Armenian delicacies and listening to the delightful and inspiring singing voice of Hrand Simonian.
On Sunday, the Association elected its Board of Governors, who selected its executive as follows: Professor Ann Lousin, Chairwoman (Chicago); Lisa Barsoomian, Vice-Chairwoman (Washington, D.C.); Vicken Simonian, Treasurer (Pasadena); and Tom Samuelian, Secretary (Washington, D.C.). Outgoing Chairman Armen Hovannisian stated, "The new Board consists of a cross-section of the Armenian community, as well as the legal community, and represents the best of the Armenian Bar Association," adding that all members of the Association are committed to serve their respective communities and the Armenian people.
The weekend closed with a public panel discussion on legal issues in Armenia today. Several legal scholars were invited from Armenia through the Association's Babayan Fund, established by Mr. and Mrs. John Yervant in 1992 to support exchanges of lawyers and scholars between Armenia and the United States. The speakers were Armenian Presidential legal advisor Armen Khachaturian, criminal defense attorney Tigran Janoyan, former district judge Marine Galabian, and estate attorney Nora Mirzoyan, all of whom gave informative talks regarding their respective fields. There was lively exchange between the audience and panelists, especially regarding the legality of the Armenian President's December 28, 1994 decree suspending the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and various media.
Newly appointed Executive Director and Los Angeles attorney Vahe Messerlian noted, "The meeting was very successful. It is extremely encouraging and exciting to see the Association move into its seventh year of operation. The Armenian community has seen the tangible contributions we have made in the past, and will see the fruits of our labor in the years ahead."
The Armenian Bar Association thanks the organizers, participants, speakers, and hosts for making the meeting a success and invites all persons engaged in the legal field to participate in its year-round functions and activities. Interested persons should contact the Armenian Bar Association at P.O. Box 84375, Los Angeles, California, 90073, (818) 986-0646.
Mid-Year Meeting in Windy City September 9-10
Mark your calander! The Armenian Bar Association's Mid-Year Meeting will be held September 9-10, 1995 at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois. Look for details in the next Newsletter and other mailings.
Armenian Bar Association Appoints First Executive Director, Vahe Messerlian
The Armenian Bar Association has appointed Los Angeles attorney Vahe K. Messerlian as its first Executive Director. Messerlian is a charter member of the Association, having joined as a law student in 1989, and has been active in all aspects of the organization.
As Executive Director, Messerlian will focus on coordinating the Association's activities across the country, increasing the scope of the Association's projects, developing membership, and deepening ties with the Armenian communities and the Republic of Armenia. The appointment was announced at the Association's Sixth Annual Meeting March 10-12, 1995 in Los Angeles. Messerlian commented, "We will build upon the strong foundation that our members have created over the years, and we will continue to forge new partnerships with the Association's expanding membership, the Diasporan communities, and our homeland."
Messerlian is a sole practitioner in Northridge, California. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in 1987 and Juris Doctorate from Southwestern University School of Law (Los Angeles) in 1990.
OBITUARY
Richard Mugalian
The Armenian Bar Association regrets to report the death of one of its members, Richard Aram Mugalian of Palatine, Illinois, who died on March 22, 1995. He was the first Armenian-American member of the Illinois General Assembly.
ARTICLE ON KARABAGH PUBLISHED IN SOUTHWESTERN LAW REVIEW
In the first issue of this year's Southwestern University Law Review a student comment regarding Karabagh was published. Nagorno-Karabagh's Right To Political Independence Under International Law: An Application of the Principle of Self Determination (24 Sw. U. L. REV. 183) was written by Armen Tamzarian.
The article focuses on the following question: Does Karabagh have a right to self-determination under international law? The first part of the article discusses the historical background of the conflict over Karabagh. The article then reviews the applicable substantive international law. Specifically, the article discusses the existence of the right to self determination; the beneficiaries of the right to self–determination; the boundaries of newly independent states; the conflict between the principles of self-determination and territorial integrity; the effect of a territory's de facto independence; and the effect of international recognition (or lack thereof) of a territory claiming independence.
The article then applies the applicable law to the Karabagh conflict. Tamzarian concludes that Karabagh is an appropriate candidate for self-determination, and that Karabagh meets all of the traditional criteria for statehood under international law. Conversely, Azerbaijan's claim that Karabagh's independence violates its territorial integrity is questionable because Karabagh has never simultaneously been under the legal and actual control of an independent Azerbaijani state. However, it is unclear whether Karabagh has a legal right to independence because it has not been recognized as a sovereign state by any other state, and there has been no resolution of the conflicting principles of self-determination and territorial integrity under the existing rules of international law.
Armen Tamzarian is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he received a B.B.A. in 1988. Tamzarian is a recent graduate of Southwestern where he received a Wildman Merit Scholarship.
For a copy of the article please contact the Association a (818) 986-0646.
Association Joins the Information Superhighway!
The Armenian Bar Association has joined the Internet with a subscription to America Online. The Association's E-mail address is ARMENBAR@AOL.COM. Members are encouraged to join the Association on the "Information Superhighway" and take advantage of the instantaneous communication and the enormous amount of information available.
The Association has also subscribed to the "Groong" and "Hayastan" lists, which are private e-mail lists maintained in Los Angeles, California. "Hayastan" is a forum where opinions and commentaries are exchanged regarding Armenian issues. "Groong" is a list for news items relevant to current Armenian issues, which features daily postings of developments in Armenia and the diasporan communities.
For more information about getting online or subscribing to Groong or Hayastan, please contact the Armenian Bar Association at (818) 986-0646.
Armenian Bar Association Wins $50,000 Grant for Election Law Project
by Thomas J. Samuelian
The Association was recently awarded a $50,000 grant by the Eurasia Foundation for an Election Law Project. The aim of the project is to support research by attorneys and public interest advocates in Armenia on Armenia's new election law and process. The project will include a study of the electoral process and a series of brochures to promote public awareness about voters' and candidates' rights and responsibilities in the period leading up to the July 5 Parliamentary Elections in Armenia.
This is the third grant the Association has received to support the development of the rule of law in Armenia. Last year the Association helped to establish a Legal Research Center at the University of Yerevan Law Faculty where laws are databased, studied, and made available to faculty, students, practitioners and the public at large with the support of the Eurasia Foundation and the Babayan Fund. Last year, the Association also completed a civics curriculum with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy. The curriculum included a Democracy Anthology, offering key international documents on human and civil rights in Armenian for the first time, and a well-received series of twelve publications on legal reform, including a monograph on comparative constitutional law and books on the emerging commercial, corporate, environmental, and property laws of Armenia.
In addition to these projects in Armenia, the Association has for the past four years conducted exchanges of jurists from Armenia with the support of the Babayan Fund, endowed by Mr. John Yervant. Visiting jurists have included the Chief Justice of the Armenian Supreme Court, members of Parliament, Dean of the Law Faculty, Head of Parliamentary Legislative Drafting Bureau, the President's legal counsel, leading members of the Armenian bar, defense attorneys, and private practitioners in such fields as estates, commercial transactions, and family law.
Administered pro bono with hundreds of hours of volunteer work, our projects in Armenia and exchanges have earned the Association respect both for our timely, high quality programs and our dedication to promoting the rule of law. We need your support to build on these achievements. Send your tax-deductible contributions to the Armenian Bar Association (projects and exchanges).
Judicial Conference in Yerevan Slated for July 18-20
by Dan Maljanian
On July 18-20, 1995, Technical Assistance for the Republic of Armenia (TARA), with the co-sponsorship of the Armenian Bar Association and Advocates International, will hold a Judicial Conference in Yerevan, Armenia.
The conference will bring six prominent American and Armenian American judges to Armenia for a week of judicial training and study of the Armenian judiciary. Justice Antonin Scalia of the United States Supreme Court (whom the Chief Justice of Armenia met in 1992), Justices Armand Arabian and Marvin Baxter of the California Supreme Court, Judge Paul Michel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Judge Dickran Tevrizian of the U.S. District Court in Southern California and Judge Eric Bruggink of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims are scheduled to attend.
The Armenian judiciary is interested in learning how Western countries have incorporated democratic principles of law into their legal systems. Thus, the conference will address issues of the rule of law, equal justice under law for all individuals and organizations, due process, judicial independence, and the use of precedent in judicial decisions. The conference will also include practical instruction on courtroom procedure, the purpose of motions, and general courtroom decorum. The visiting judges will be able to meet Armenian judges and develop mentoring relationships that will carry on beyond the conference itself, providing the opportunity to get feedback from a well-developed legal and judicial system.
The goals of the conference are 1) to train the Armenian judiciary in principles of the rule of law and an independent judiciary; 2) to enrich the constitutional debate by offering training in democratic principles; 3) to acquaint Armenian judges with Western judges to provide mentoring, positive role-modeling and a better understanding between East and West; 4) to demonstrate Western commitment to Armenia's efforts toward democratic reform; and 5) to promote legal reforms which will buttress economic reform efforts and foster development of a free market economy. The conference is funded by the United States Agency for International Development.
For more information please contact Dan Maljanian, TARA's Executive Director, at (703) 836-9496.
Armenian Law Students to Establish Armenia Exchange Program
by Lousine Varpetian
The Armenian Law Students Association (ALSA) at Southwestern University School of Law has launched a campaign to establish formal ties between Southwestern and the law department at Yerevan State University to enable the academic exchange of students, scholars and legal practitioners.
The students initiated their plans when ALSA Executive Committee member Lousine Varpetian approached Southwestern administrators with the idea of establishing formal ties with an Armenian law school in April 1994. Dean Leigh H. Taylor expressed interest in the possibility of creating ties with Armenian universities, under the auspices of American Bar Association's Central and East European Law initiative (CEELI), and encouraged students to pursue the idea further.
Approximately 25 students of Armenian descent are enrolled at Southwestern. Founded in 1911, the law school is one of the oldest ABA-approved law schools in southern California. Through the American Bar Association, Southwestern already has a sister school relationship with Bulgaria's University of Sofia through CEELI and participates in the African Law Initiative, another sister law school program. Southwestern also offers summer study programs in Argentina, Canada, and Mexico.
The plan received great impetus when ALSA arranged a meeting on March 14, 1995 between a delegation of attorneys from Armenia and a group of Southwestern administrators, professors and students. The Armenian attorneys, who were in Los Angeles to attend the annual meeting of the Armenian Bar Association, included Armen Khachaturian, chief legal advisor to President Levon Ter Petrossian; Tigran Janoyan, partner in Artsakh Law Firm; Marine Galabian, a former family law judge in Baku; and Nora Mirzoyan, a probate attorney. Southwestern officials who participated in the meeting included Dean Taylor, Assistant Dean Catherine Carpenter, and international and comparative law professors Mark Cammack, Anita Glasco and Robert Lutz. ALSA Executive Committee members present were Nazareth Jansezian, Arlene Mayis, Armen Tamzarian, and Ms. Varpetian.
The Armenian attorneys briefed Southwestern officials about the current state of the legal profession and legal education in Armenia. During the Soviet era, the Armenian legal system remained underdeveloped and was unable to reach international standards. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the old legal system, a vacuum emerged. Now, the country urgently needs to develop a legal system on par with those in the West. Yet, no American law school has established an academic exchange program with Armenia.
Both delegations were pleased that the meeting was fruitful and remained confident that it marked the beginning of mutually beneficial relations. Once formal negotiations are conducted between Southwestern and Armenian officials, different programs may be set up enabling American professors to teach in Armenia, and allowing students and instructors from Armenia to study at Southwestern. Through such programs, Armenian students and faculty will be able to examine American constitutional law, international law, foreign investment law, and other areas of interest to the republic. The exchange programs will substantially enhance the training of Armenian lawyers and provide an international scope to that legal training.
Later in March, the students met with the Hon. Armen Baibourtian, Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles. Baibourtian affirmed that such an exchange program would be very beneficial for the legal profession in Armenia. ALSA is currently planning a meeting between Southwestern officials and representatives of the Armenian government so that specific terms and details of the program maybe discussed. According to Mr. Jansezian, "The students have vowed to expend all necessary efforts to make their dream of helping the Armenian legal community a reality."
For more information please contact Nazareth Jansezian, (818) 351-5100 or Lousine Varpetian, (213) 661-3128.
Jurists Discuss Legal Developments in Armenia
by Thomas J. Samuelian
Keeping with its tradition of providing an open forum for the discussion of contemporary legal issues in Armenia, the Association hosted a panel discussion on Sunday afternoon, March 12, as the closing event of its Sixth Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. The panel participants were Mr. Armen Khachaturian, President Ter Petrossian's Legal Counsel; Mr. Tigran Janoyan, partner in the Artsakh law firm in Yerevan and an attorney for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation; Ms. Nora Mirzoyan, estates attorney with the IREKS law firm in Yerevan; and Ms. Marine Galabian, partner in the Artsakh law firm in Yerevan specializing in family law and a former judge for the Nakhimovsky district of Baku.
In his presentation, Mr. Janoyan argued that the President's suspension of the ARF on December 28, 1994, and the Supreme Court's January 13, 1995 ruling upholding the President's action violated procedural and substantive rights guaranteed by Armenian law. Pursuant to the April 1, 1991 resolution of Parliament, Armenia adopted as domestic law the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which include the right to due process, non-discrimination based on citizenship, and the right to representation, which Mr. Janoyan contended had been violated.
Mr. Khachaturian focused on the bases for President Ter Petrossian's order suspending the activities of the ARF in Armenia. He found support for the President's action primarily in the national security provisions of the Law on the President and in the restrictions on foreign participation in political organizations under the Law on Social and Political Organizations and the Law on the Rights of Foreigners.
Ms. Mirzoyan spoke about the growing need for international assistance in estate and probate matters because of the dispersion of the Armenians from the time of the Genocide and more recently the dispersion caused by harsh economic conditions in Armenia. Often inheritances that could help support residents of Armenia cannot be processed efficiently because of the lack of international agreements and difficulties of multinational proceedings.
Ms. Galabian spoke on the many difficulties posed by the social dislocation of Armenian families who have fled from Azerbaijan in recent years. In particular, she noted that many families have been divided and international assistance agreements are not in place to facilitate child support, family reunificaiton, and the resolution of other family law issues, including international adoption.
The well-attended presentation by the four jurists concluded with a lively question and answer period, moderated by Association Board Member Tom Samuelian with the assistance of translator Garen Yegparian. The audience's questions focused on the suspension of the ARF and the curtailment of the rights of newspapers and other political parties. While there were clear differences of opinion among the panelists, the frank and open debate on a contemporary controversy was a tribute to the spirit of principled advocacy that is the hallmark of the legal profession.
The delegation from Armenia also took part in the business sessions of the Annual Meeting, conferred with local law-makers, visited local courts and law enforcement institutions, and became acquainted firsthand with the American legal system during their two-week stay in the United States. Their visit to the United States was supported by the Babayan Fund.
STOP THE VIOLENCE
FOUR SPEAKERS PRESENT THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON
DOMESTIC ABUSE AT ASSOCIATION SEMINAR
by Saro Kerkonian
Every 15 seconds a woman is the victim of a domestic beating! One out of three murdered women are killed by a spouse or boyfriend! These and other similar sobering statistics were the catalyst for a seminar by four experts on domestic violence held on May 24,1995 at the Law Offices of Knapp, Petersen & Clarke in Glendale, California and sponsored by the Armenian Bar Association's Pro Bono Committee.
Association Executive Director Vahe Messerlian welcomed the speakers and guests and thanked the moderator, Pro Bono Committee Chairperson Anahid Gharakhanian. Ms. Garakhanian, citing examples of domestic abuse currently occurring in the Armenian community, stressed the critical need to educate the bar and the community about this serious problem. To meet this need, she brought together four experts who discussed the legal and social issues concerning domestic violence and to share their views about concrete solutions to prevent future abuse.
LYNN MAGNAN-DONOVAN: "Fighting The Conspiracy of Silence"
The first speaker was Deputy Los Angeles City Attorney Lynn Magnan-Donovan. On special assignment to the domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault section of the City Attorney's office, Magnan-Donovan discussed the victim's contact with law enforcement. She described the frustration and challenges she faces when prosecuting the perpetrators of domestic abuse because much discretion is given to the police officers responding to a domestic violence call.
She noted that domestic abuse statutes are usually "wobblers" meaning that the prosecuting authority has the discretion to classify the crime as a misdemeanor or felony. Thus, in Los Angeles County only 10 percent of domestic abuse filings are handled by the District Attorney's office as felonies. The remaining 90 percent are referred to the City Attorney's office as misdemeanors. Once in the City Attorney's office, the matter is often referred to a "City Attorney hearing" which does not result in a criminal complaint being filed against the abuser.
Even after a complaint is filed, the court frequently releases the abuser without ever requiring the posting of bail. In her experience this leads to more acts of violence against the victim. Finally, when a matter does get to trial, she finds that the victim often does not show up, or appears and states the incident was an act of mutual combat, or tends to minimize the abuse. Magnan-Donovon sees this as a symptom of the vicious cycle that victims of abuse go through. She called on society to adopt a policy of zero tolerance for domestic violence.
JUDITH ORSTEIN KULLMAN:
"Domestic Violence Knows No Socio-Economic, Racial or Religious Boundaries"
Also a member of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Domestic Violence Unit, Judith Orstein Kullman dismissed many oftheld myths about spousal abuse. She described how the victim is often perceived as provoking the violence that was brought upon her. According to Kullman, the truth is that domestic violence is never provoked as the abuser can simply walk away. Another commonly held myth is that committing abuse is a behavioral trait. She noted that studies have shown that 80 percent of all abusers learned it from their parents. She explained that the root of abuse is one spouse's quest to control the other. This often involves keeping the victim in a state of economic deprivation so that she has a reason to remain with the abuser. She also noted that the victim is frequently living in a state of denial, staying with the perpetrator out of anger and leaving in fear.
JUDITH E. SEGALL: "The Attorney's Role In Assisting Victims"
Since 1975, Judith E. Segall has been practicing in the field of family law. During the past few years, she has had first hand experience in assisting victims of domestic violence by volunteering her expertise as a Court Advocate for the Family Violence Project of the Jewish Family Service and as a volunteer attorney for the Family Law Center of San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Services and San Fernando Valley Bar Association.
She described how she and other volunteers successfully assist victims to obtain temporary restraining orders against their abusers. She encouraged those present to donate their time to the Domestic Violence clinics in the area.
SOUSAN ALEMANSOUR: "Overcoming Taboos In The Middle Eastern Communities"
A board member and past co-chair of the Southern California Coalition on Battered Women and a volunteer with the Los Angeles City Attorney's office, Sousan Alemansour has taken the courageous stand of bringing into the open the sensitive subject of domestic violence among Middle Eastern communities. She emphasized that each community needs their volunteers who can understand and communicate with those who need assistance.
Alemansour sees as a grave problem that Middle Eastern women tend not to report instances of domestic abuse. She has found that abused Middle Eastern women suffer from a lack of familiarity with the law, law enforcement, the judicial system and support from the family. She said they frequently do not have the financial means to seek redress and they fear being scorned by their friends in the community. She described the problem of the victim frequently being the focus of the problem rather than the abuser. She also has found that abused Middle Eastern women are embarrassed about what society will say.
To stop the cycle of abuse, Alemansour calls on these communities to open lines of communication for victims and to encourage their members to volunteer to assist those who are in need.
ASSOCIATION PROJECTS FORMED
Sparked by the enthusiasm of the speakers, the evening closed with attendees signing up to volunteer for various projects sponsored by the Association's Pro Bono Committee, including representing victims in court, assisting victims with applications for restraining orders and translation of domestic violence and family law pamphlets. Those interested in volunteering, please contact Pro Bono Committee Chairperson Anahid Gharakhanian through the Association's office.
Armenian Law Dictionary Available
Carl Ultricht has prepared an Armenian Law Dictionary in Eastern Armenian, recently published in Yerevan. It contains approximately 3,000 legal, economic, and related terms in each of the English-Armenian and Armenian-English sections. The 100 page book costs $12 and can be ordered from the Armenian Educational Committee, 138 E. 39th Street, New York, NY 10016.
AIMS AND STRUCTURE
The Armenian Bar Association is a non-profit, non-partisan organization formed in 1989 to enable attorneys of Armenian heritage and other interested individuals to better serve the law, the legal profession, and the Armenian community.
The Association provides pro bono services and legal education in Armenian communities across the country and sponsors programs to promote democracy and the rule of law in the new Republic of Armenia.
Coming together socially and professionally, members from around the world have the opportunity to learn from one another as they join their different backgrounds and experiences in Association activities.
The Association is a democratic organization. It is supported and directed by its members, who approve its By-Laws, elect its Board of Governors, nominate prominent jurists as honorary members, and set the Association's annual goals and policies.
The Armenian Bar Association is committed to serving the profession of law, addressing the legal concerns of the Armenian community and fostering respect for human and civil rights.
ACTIVITIES AND BENEFITS
Some of the Association's operations include:
· Continuing Legal Education, Seminars & Professional Workshops
· Pro Bono Program
· Rule of Law Projects in Armenia
· Armenian Rights Watch
· Annual National Meeting
· Association Newsletter
· Membership Directory
· Amicus Curiae Submissions on Issues of Community Interest
· Worldwide Network of Attorneys
· Topical and Regional Practice Groups
· Cooperation with other bar associations and lawyers' societies