San Diego--California State Senator Chuck Poochigian and Federal District Court Judge Larry Burns, both attorneys and luminaries in their respective fields of politics and the judiciary, were honored by the Armenian Bar Association (Armenbar) at its 16th Annual National meeting at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, in San Diego, California the weekend of April 1-3, 2005.
They were joined by over 200 lawyers, judges, politicians, dignitaries and members of the public at a gala Saturday evening reception at the Hyatt, which is the largest waterfront property on the West Coast. The reception room was picturesque, with a vista of the San Diego harbor including the historic World War II battleship "Midway", which now serves as a floating museum.
Burns, who was appointed to the Federal Bench at the young age of 48 by President George W. Bush, gave a moving acceptance speech. He was joined by his parents, wife and youngest son, and read a letter written to him by his father, detailing the survival of his grandparents during the Armenian Genocide. The speech nearly drove everyone in attendance to tears. Burns was introduced by his friend Dickran Semerdjian, a prominent attorney in San Diego, and a partner in the prestigious law firm of Schwartz, Semerdjian, Haile, Ballard & Cauley.
During the ceremony, Judge Burns was presented with a proclamation from the State of California by Poochigian, and was awarded an Honorary Member plaque by Frank Zerunyan, a Councilman for the City of Rolling Hills Estates, Armenbar Vice-Chairman, and meeting organizer.
"The warmth and pride in our Armenian heritage generated at this meeting equaled or surpassed any event we have ever held," said Vicken Simonian, Treasurer and former Chairman of Armenbar. "We are thankful to Senator Poochigian and Judge Burns for their participation, and we will continue to honor the best and brightest our community and profession have to offer," said Simonian.
The guest list, which read like a judicial and political who's who, included Poochigian, Joe Kellegian, Mayor of the City of Solana Beach, San Diego Federal Judges Burns, Dana Sabraw and Thomas Whelan, all of the Southern District, Dickran Tevrizian, a Federal Judge in the Central District in Los Angeles, Armand Arabian, Justice of the California Supreme Court (retired), San Diego Superior Court Judges Frank Brown and Louis Hanoian, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judges Alice Altoon and Zaven Sinanian, Aram Serverian, San Mateo County Judge (retired), Pat O'Toole, interim U.S. Attorney in San Diego, and Robert Philibosian, former Los Angeles District Attorney.
Also in attendance were Raffi Hovannisian, founder of Armenbar and the first Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Bob Barsam, past Grand Commander of the Knights of Vartan, and past Armenbar Chairpersons David Balabanian, Robert Cannuscio, Armen Hovannisian, Ann Lousin, Robert Roomian, Vicken Simonian and Ara Tramblian.
Tevrizian, another Honorary Member of the organization, was presented with a plaque acknowledging his service to the judiciary, legal community and to his heritage. He gave words of praise to his friend and colleague Burns. Kellegian, who is the Mayor of the beautiful north San Diego City of Solana Beach, presented Burns with a proclamation from the San Diego County Supervisor's office.
The office of Dick Murphy, Mayor of San Diego, also presented a proclamation, officially designating April 1-3, 2005 "Armenian Bar Association Weekend in the City of San Diego." In recognition of Burns' contribution to his local Armenian Community, Bob Barsam presented an award to the judge from the Knights of Vartan. Several members of the local lodge were in attendance to support their commrade.
Poochigian, who is a leading candidate for the upcoming Attorney General's race in California, and who is a star in the California political landscape, was the keynote speaker at the convention luncheon. He also participated in a panel discussion about the recent legislative changes to California's worker's compensation law. The law he authored last year was the most significant change in the 90 year history of the code. Expert practitioners Saro Kerkonian and Edvin Minassian joined Poochigian in the presentation of the continuing legal education lecture.
Poochigian was introduced at the luncheon by Zerunyan. Both the introduction and speech by Poochigian were inspirational and poignant. Zerunyan presented Poochigian with an Honorary Member plaque, in recognition of his great service to his community, the State, and the legal profession.
Also receiving plaques at the luncheon, in recognition of their service to Armenbar and the legal community were Justice Arabian and Lucy Varpetian, past Executive Director of the organization. Ann Lousin, a professor of commercial law at the John Marshal Law School in Chicago, accepted a plaque on behalf of Samuel Der Yeghiayan, who, along with Burns and Tevrizian, are the only U.S. Federal Judges of Armenian descent.
The conference kicked off with a golf tournament at the Riverwalk golf course in the Mission Valley area of San Diego, and was followed by a meeting of the Board of Governors at the Hyatt, which is walking distance from the trendy Gas Lamp Quarter and Seaport Village areas near San Diego Bay.
In addition to the worker's compensation lecture, the program included a panel on "The Survival of the Armenian Church and Community in the Historic Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem" and "The Inclusion of Turkey in the European Union."
Panelists for the Armenian Quarter discussion were Bedros Der Matossian, a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University and a resident of Jerusalem, and Karnig Kerkonian of Chicago, a Harvard graduate who received a post-doctoral diploma in International Law at Cambridge University. The panel focused on the future existence of the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem, which after 1500 years in the Holy Land is at risk of being lost. Der Matossian presented the historical background and current reality of the dilemma facing the Armenian Community in Jerusalem, while Kerkonian discussed possible legal remedies.
Turkey's inclusion to the European Union was the topic of international legal expert Olivier Roumelian of Paris, France. His presentation included an analysis of the history and politics of the Union, and whether Turkey will be required to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and solve its dispute with Cyprus as a precondition to its admittance into the Union.
The Board of Governors elected Gary Moomjian, a mergers and acquisitions specialist from New York City, as the new Chairman of the organization. "I am honored by my appointment as Chair by my colleagues, and look forward to leading our outstanding organization of attorneys in the coming year," said Moomjian.
"We have made great strides over our 16 year history and we plan on capitalizing on those achievements. I will work toward the goal of increasing our membership, maintaining our integrity, and providing an outlet for the exchange of ideas in the Armenian legal community," said Moomjian.
The group will next meet in San Francisco the weekend of September 23, 2005 for its Midyear meeting, which will include the participation of California Supreme Court Justice Marvin Baxter. The Board resolved to hold its 2006 Annual National Meeting in Washington, D.C.
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