Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Page 11
SNIPPETS (Column)
Armenian Bar Installs Garo B. Ghazarian as President
The Armenian Bar Assn. has provided this report on its recent annual national convention:
On the weekend of May 18-20, 2012, the Armenian Bar Association hosted its 23rd Annual Meeting at the Glendale Hilton in Glendale, CA. The weekend was highlighted by the presentation of the coveted Hrant Dink Freedom 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 justice in Armenia.
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. Ghazarian 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 and as a Civil Service Commissioner for the City of Glendale. Among numerous television and radio appearances as an expert legal commentator, Ghazarian has been interviewed on Larry King Live and shared his expertise with Jane Vellez-Mitchell on her program concerning current legal issues.
“I am humbled and very honored for the opportunity to serve as Chair of the Armenian Bar Association and I pledge to continue to fulfill the vision of Raffi K. Hovannisian, the founder of our organization, in assisting those in need, of helping to establish the rule of law in Armenia, and protecting the legal rights of Armenians everywhere,” said Ghazarian during a sold-out gala banquet held on May 19, 2012, at the luxurious Armenian Society of Los Angeles Banquet Hall.
Chairman Ghazarian expressed further gratitude when he stated “I wish to thank immediate Past Chair Edvin Minassian for his exemplary and tireless service of the last two years, with whom I was honored to serve as Vice-Chair of the bar the last two terms and whose insight and wisdom I will continue to seek and employ.” Ghazarian also noted the continued service on the Board of Governors of Minassian’s predecessor Chair, Sonya Nersessian, and vowed to build upon the legacy of these two exceptional past chairs and their service to the bar and the Armenian communities of the world and to Armenia these past four years. Ghazarian concluded his remarks by stating that “Each of the 17 board members is capable of leading the Armenian Bar, and though I may be the face of the bar during my tenure as Chair, the leaders of the bar remain, as they always have been, each one of my fellow colleagues and friends on the Board of Governors.”
Joining Garo Ghazarian on the Executive Committee of the board are Vice-Chair (West Coast) Armen K. Hovannisian of Los Angeles, California, Vice-Chair (East Coast) Harry Dickranian of Montreal, Canada, Treasurer Sara Bedirian of Beverly Hills, California, and Secretary Hovanes Margarian of Sherman Oaks, CA. Outgoing Chair Edvin Minassian will continue to serve the Executive Committee of the board as its Chair Ex-Officio. Minassian said, “I look forward to working closely with Garo Ghazarian in the coming year and keeping the momentum which the Armenian Bar Association has realized in recent years, growing ever stronger under Garo’s leadership.”
The general membership in attendance at the conference also filled five vacancies on the board by voting in favor of the following long-standing members: The Honorable Judge Amy Hoogasian (U.S. Immigration Judge, San Francisco), Assistant United States Attorney John Lulejian (Los Angeles), Hovanes Margarian (Sherman Oaks), Sonya Nersessian (Boston) and Saro Kerkonian (Glendale). The remaining current members of the board—Christine Engustian (Providence), Michael Amerian (Los Angeles), Robert Cannuscio (Philadelphia), Gary Moomjian (New York), Katherine Ossian (Detroit) and Laura Karabulut (Toronto)—joined Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Zaven Sinanian on the banquet podium where Judge Sinanian administered their oaths of office. Vicken I. Simonian also serves on the Board of Governors in his capacity as Chairman Emeritus.
•The Beverly Hills Bar Assn. Barristers will hold a “workshop” lunch program June 14 on “Nuts and Bolts of Intellectual Property Law: Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights.”
A meeting announcement says:
“This program will provide introductory law and information on the major areas of intellectual property (IP) law, and it is particularly designed for newer attorneys and those unfamiliar with IP topics. Utility patents, design patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets will each be covered in the program, and extensive materials will be provided.”
The speaker will be Mark D. Nielsen, a partner in Cislo & Thomas LLP.
Lunch will be served at noon and the program is slated to start at 12:30 p.m. One hour of MCLE credit will be provided.
The event will take place at the Beverly Hills Bar Association Conference Center, 9420 Wilshire Boulevard, 2d Floor, in Beverly Hills. Two hours of free parking will be provided at 241 North Canon Drive.
For those who pay in advance, the cost is $35 for BHBA law students; $45 for other law students; $55 for BHBA Barrister/Intellectual Property Section members; $65 for other BHBA members; $80 for non-members. Persons in each category who pay at the door will be assessed an additional $10.
•The San Fernando Valley Bar Assn. Family Law Section will present a June 25 talk by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maren Nelson on “Hearsay in Family Law.”
The meeting, to be held at Monterey at Encino Glen, 16821 Burbank Blvd. in Encino, will start at 5:30 p.m. will discuss the Rules of Evidence.
The cost for those with reservations is $45 for members, and $55 for non-members, with an additional $10 for those paying at the door. One hour of MCLE credit will be provided.
Reservations can be made by telephoning (818) 227-0490.
Copyright 2012, Metropolitan News Company