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  • Black Robes in the Armenian Bar Association

    Black Robes in the Armenian Bar Association

    Friday, January 9th, 2015
    http://asbarez.com/130575/black-robes-in-the-armenian-bar-association/

    The Honorable Claire Cecchi with Scott A. Ohnegian


    Five Profiles of Judges in the Federal Sector

    BY KARNIG KERKONIAN

    It seems we, in the Armenian Bar Association and beyond, are compelled
    to find unifying threads in the lives of the people we value. Similar
    stories of origin, upbringing, influences and aspirations must
    underpin, we believe, the lives of those holding similar, indeed
    coveted, stations in life. It perhaps comforts one to know that there
    is some teleology to the whole thing--that the path can be gleaned from
    the end itself. And to some extent, of course, there is.

    In glimpsing into the lives of these judges of Armenian origin within
    the federal legal system , themes of ancestral l hardship, paying
    homage to humble beginnings and, of course, giving back to their
    community abound--and for good reason, of course. But what overwhelmed
    me in reading these interviews is just how much more interesting
    everything else was. I heard voices of homage but also of
    self-satisfaction, echoes of humility but also of pride, reflections
    of drive but also of disenchantment. We are a complicated people,
    indeed: it is clear in considering these profiles that our history in
    the deserts escapes none of us, that our titles hide nothing of our
    historic disenfranchisement and, that our future may never outpace the
    memory of whence we came. You will see these themes in these
    interviews--each judge reflecting on them differently, each
    contextualizing the impact personally and, of course, each teaching
    the practical lessons of their path to the bench, and for the future,
    with a tenor uniquely theirs.

    And this is what one should expect when one inquires, as we did, as to
    what advice a judge would give to young Armenian-American lawyers.
    Each was ready to teach, to impart. This, of course, is an amazing
    thing--something for which we, as the Armenian Bar Association, are
    most appreciative. But, there is so much more that was compelling in
    their responses. In reading the interviews, I challenge you to read
    more deeply, to study more critically and to think more broadly about
    our interviewees and their reflections. Look beyond their positions
    and even their common heritage, and capture what emerges in some as
    resounding bells and in others as a marked whisper: that, even in
    achievement, there is always something more that must be sought; that,
    even in our hardship, there is always something that must be
    celebrated; and that, even in our confident identity, there is always
    something that is steadily changing.

    We would like to thank our interviewees for their graciousness and, of
    course, our interviewers for bringing their meaningful stories to us.

    The Honorable Larry Alan Burns

    Honorable Larry Alan Burns
    U.S. Federal District Judge for the Southern District of California
    Judge Burns started our conversation with "Parev, inch bes es?" I knew
    this was going to be a very friendly and pleasant conversation,
    particularly as he recounted to me that he has been married for 35
    years and tells his wife all the time that his next wife will be
    Armenian. He attributed much, including a long and successful
    marriage, back to his Armenian roots and the fact that he is a
    religious individual. He insisted that being a good person has led him
    to have a blessed life, for which he has immense gratitude and then
    reminded me: "God's providence has had implications on culture and
    people as well."

    Judge Burns was nominated to the federal bench in the Southern
    District of California by President George W. Bush in 2003, and
    confirmed shortly thereafter by a 91-0 U.S. Senate confirmation vote.
    Previously, he had served a magistrate judge in the same court and,
    prior to that, a state and federal prosecutor. His passion for trying
    cases was unavoidable as he recounted his own experiences and offered
    advice that every attorney, at some point, should try cases and not
    shy away from sitting first or second chair in at least a handful of
    trials. His most important piece of advice, however, was abundantly
    clear: "Always consider your reputation in any action you take as a
    lawyer." Reflecting on his 36 years of experience, Judge Burns added:
    "Law isn't everything--it's just your chosen profession" and
    recommended that attorneys should strive to strike a balance among
    family, health and work. One of his few regrets, he said, was not
    taking more time to enjoy his life along the way.

    Considering the achievements of the Armenian-American community, Judge
    Burns stated matter-of-factly: "Of course we are successful, we are
    Armenian." He described the collective Armenian people as industrious,
    hard-working, smart, and highly-motivated--a people who are able to
    overcome adversity. In fact, he attributed his own personal success to
    the fact that he is half-Armenian. He recalled with visible somberness
    that his grandfather only survived the Armenian Genocide because his
    mother hid him beneath her undergarments and bribed a Turkish guard to
    secure their escape. These and similar stories of survival, reminded
    Judge Burns, have had a profound impact in shaping our people. He
    remains proud to carry his heritage forward by hiring Armenian law
    students when he can and maintaining a close relationship with his
    local Armenian church: "As Armenians, we have overcome a great deal
    and, therefore, we each must do our part to advance our collective
    interest."

    Honorable Claire Cecchi
    U.S. Federal District Judge for the District of New Jersey
    Claire (Chadirjian) Cecchi was raised in Whitestone, New York, the
    daughter of second generation Armenian-American parents. She explained
    that her ancestors came with nothing but their traditions, hoping to
    build a better life for themselves and their offspring. They were
    proud to be Americans, overcoming great obstacles as did other
    immigrant groups while, at the same time, true to the great moral
    courage and work ethic of the first generation of Armenian-Americans.
    She considers Armenian-Americans' greatest achievement as becoming an
    integral part of building this country, living the American dream, and
    distinguishing themselves in the arts, politics, law and business.

    Judge Cecchi grew up and attended the Bronx High School of Science,
    Barnard College, Columbia University and Fordham University School of
    Law in New York City, the original American melting pot. She met her
    husband, James Cecchi, on her first day of law school. She believed
    that becoming a lawyer would give her a unique opportunity to give
    back to the community. Judge Cecchi's first post-law school position
    was in the office of the Corporation Counsel of New York City, then on
    to private practice as a litigator in New Jersey for 24 years until
    being selected as a United States Magistrate Judge. Judge Cecchi was
    then nominated by President Obama to the United States District Court
    for the District of New Jersey where she continues to serve today. Her
    advice to newly admitted or aspiring attorneys is to be courteous and
    civil while remaining a strong advocate. Excellent attorneys, she
    maintains, present all facts to the Court, even those that are not
    favorable, and they know when to yield an argument if their position
    is not strong.

    She is always mindful of how we, as Armenian-Americans, have
    distinguished ourselves in many fields and finds it inspiring to look
    back upon her own family--and to remember what they did to make what
    she and the rest of us have today possible. Judge Cecchi views our
    role going forward as working to ensure that, as time passes, our
    children continue to learn about our great cultural heritage: "If we
    do that, we forge a bond between ourselves and our past and, in doing
    so, maintain our ongoing success within the multicultural American
    community."

    The Honorable Jacqueline Chooljian

    Honorable Jacqueline Chooljian
    Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court of the Central
    District of California
    "As I'm not quite five feet tall, it's a definite novelty and not an
    unattractive perk of the job to be the tallest person in the room when
    I sit on the elevated bench in the courtroom," says Judge Chooljian.
    When she was applying to the bench, there were no female Armenian
    judges in the country, she remembers--a fact that is no longer the
    case. She loves the intellectual challenge of "getting to drill down"
    to the facts and make educated decisions in a variety of areas of the
    law, and reminded us that "the civilized and peaceful resolution of
    disputes/conflicts - especially when one looks around the world today
    - is a heck of a lot better than the alternative." One of her
    motivations to become a federal magistrate judge, was "so that other
    Armenian female lawyers/aspiring lawyers . . . could see that being a
    federal judge was a realistic possibility for them."

    Judge Chooljian's career path was certainly marked with achievement.
    Upon graduation, she clerked for U.S. Federal District Judge
    Alicemarie H. Stotler, then spent two years working at Gibson, Dunn &
    Crutcher. She then spent the bulk of her legal career at the United
    States Attorney's Office in Los Angeles prosecuting a variety of
    federal criminal cases. Reflecting on opportunities available to
    lawyers seeking federal experience, she recommended that members of
    the bar should take advantage of the many possibilities available in
    Los Angeles, such as volunteering to work on a pro se civil rights
    cases, undertaking limited engagements to assist with discovery or
    motions, and even participating in pro se clinics where lawyers can
    volunteer for discrete hours at a time.

    Judge Chooljian is proud that Armenians have made contributions to
    American society in many fields such as law, medicine, literature,
    politics and others while, at the same time, retaining a unique
    cultural identity. "We, like many other ethnic groups, contribute to
    the rich cultural fabric that makes America what it is." She concluded
    with a thought: "Maintaining that balance of being modern American
    citizens but retaining our unique cultural identity will always be the
    challenge--ensuring that our 'Armenianness' doesn't melt away in this
    great melting pot that is America."

    Honorable Amy C. Hoogasian
    United States Immigration Judge with the U.S. Department of Justice's
    Executive Office for Immigration Review
    Judge Amy C. Hoogasian grew up in suburban Chicago--under the
    encouraging eye of her late father, the Hon. Jack Hoogasian and her
    lawyer mom, Claudia Aho Hoogasian. The late Judge Hoogasian served on
    the Board of Governors of the Armenian Bar Association as did the
    current Judge Hoogasian. Her father's election as a Circuit Court
    Judge certainly motivated her to pursue a career in law, she recalled.
    After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she
    attended The John Marshall Law School in Chicago and also studied law
    at Uppsala Universitet in Sweden. Her passion for international law
    was born of her family's history--her grandparents' ship manifests
    evidencing their arrival to Ellis Island in 1923 adorn the wall in her
    chambers and, she added, serve as a constant reminder of her
    grandparents' hardship in immigrating to the United States.

    The Honorable Amy C. Hoogasian

    Like her father and mother, Judge Hoogasian served as a county
    prosecutor when she graduated from law school. Her interest in
    environmental law then led her to a position with the Illinois
    Pollution Control Commission where she served as a hearing officer
    writing hundreds of decisions. In 1999, she joined the U.S. Department
    of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a
    prosecutor. Looking to broaden her experience, Judge Hoogasian then
    served as chief counsel to Illinois-based Uline Inc., a
    privately-held, billion-dollar company, launching and managing its
    in-house legal department. In 2010, Judge Hoogasian applied for and
    was appointed a U.S. Immigration Judge in San Francisco, California
    where she currently serves.

    Throughout her career, Judge Hoogasian has taken the time to mentor
    law students and attorneys. She maintained that the decision to become
    a judge was not necessarily part of an overall plan but makes sense
    now as she looks back and connects the dots--even tracing the dots back
    to the steps her Armenian grandparents and Finnish ancestors took to
    come to America. Judge Hoogasian said it reminded her of a quote from
    Steve Jobs, who once said, "[y]ou can't connect the dots looking
    forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to
    trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future[.]" So true,
    in the case of Judge Hoogasian.

    The Honorable Dickran M. Tevrizian, Jr.

    Honorable Dickran M. Tevrizian, Jr. (Ret.)
    Former U.S. Federal District Judge for the Central District of California
    "I was a big fan of the Andy Hardy movies starring Mickey Rooney,"
    said Judge Tevrizian, "where Andy Hardy's father was a Judge, and I
    thought that was really cool." Judge Tevrizian was only 31 years old
    when he joined the California municipal bench after having made
    partner at the Law Offices of Kirtland and Packard only two years
    earlier. He served on the Los Angeles Municipal Bench for 4 years and
    then in the Superior Court for 6 years. He was appointed by President
    Ronald Reagan as a United States Federal District Court Judge for the
    Central District of California in 1985. Today, he is retired from the
    federal bench and, in addition to being a mediator/arbitrator with
    JAMS, he serves on the legal advisory board for Legal Zoom and the
    AGBU.

    His advice to aspiring attorneys was specific: "Go to college and get
    a technical background in science, computer science, medicine, or
    chemical engineering." He insisted that diverse course experience is
    essential and, moreover, that law schools and the legal profession are
    looking for people with technical and engineering backgrounds.
    Interestingly, after law school Judge Tevrizian worked for the
    accounting firm of Arthur Andersen before beginning his career in law.
    He believes that the legal profession is in need for more stability
    and more professionalism and that a change in such direction is
    necessary.

    Judge Tevrizian's efforts to assist the Armenian Bar Association and
    mentor numerous Armenian lawyers has been important to bringing
    cohesion to, and awareness of, the Armenian legal community,
    particularly in southern California. That said, he views the
    contributions of the Armenian community to the American society in a
    broader context: "Our contributions are no different from the other
    ethnic communities with regard to the cultural contributions they made
    to make America a diverse mosaic of interests." And his advice for
    what the Armenian community must do moving forward is as pragmatic as
    it is aspirational: "We need to reduce the number of Armenian
    defendants in the criminal justice system." Together with our
    achievements as Armenian-Americans, there are certainly difficulties
    we must face--and this particular challenge weighs heavily on the mind
    of Judge Tevrizian.

    Afterword
    As we reflect on these thoughts, we should not forget how fortunate we
    are as an Armenian Bar Association to have among us judges in the
    federal system whose stories show us the possibility of achievement
    within the greater American legal community and whose consciences
    remain steadfast on the challenges we face as Armenian-Americans. We
    thank each of the judges for allowing us the opportunity to bring
    their stories to you, and we trust you have found these brief insights
    meaningful.

    The interviews above proceeded with the following pairings, Judge
    Larry Burns with Vanna Kitsinian, Judge Claire Cecchi with Scott A.
    Ohnegian, Judge Jacqueline Chooljian with Saro Kerkonian and Lucy
    Varpetian, Judge Amy Hoogasian with Haig Baghdassarian, and Judge
    Dickran Tevrizian with Tina Odjaghian.

    Karnig Kerkonian, from Chicago, is a distinguished graduate magna cum
    laude of Harvard University who holds two law degrees--a Doctorate in
    Law from the University of Chicago and a post-doctoral Diploma in
    International Law from Cambridge University, England. Since 1999,
    Karnig has represented numerous U.S. companies and multinational
    entities in transactional matters as well as complex business
    litigation matters. He is well recognized for his work in
    international law, both public and private, and has been tapped as
    specialized counsel in cross-border matters as well as a leading
    speaker before law associations on various international legal issues.

    Haig Baghdassarian, from San Francisco, is the principal attorney of
    the Law Office of Haig Baghdassarian. He has extensive experience
    advising clients and litigating labor and employment, municipal law,
    and governmental relations matters. Haig also has an active
    immigration law practice, handling most aspects of immigration issues,
    including asylum claims, family-based petitions and employment and
    investor based immigration matters. He is a graduate of Hastings Law
    School.

    Saro Kerkonian, from Glendale, has been an attorney for 26 years and
    is a partner in the firm of Kerkonian & Chakerian, LLP, where the
    practice areas include workers' compensation, personal injury and
    social security law. He is certified by the California State Bar as a
    specialist in the field of workers' compensation law. Besides his
    family and law practice, Saro has devoted his life to the Armenian Bar
    Association of which he is a founding member and a current Executive
    Committee and Board Member.

    Vanna Kitsinian, from Los Angeles, who is a member of the Armenian
    Bar's Board of Governors, is a graduate of Pepperdine University
    School of Law, where she was a member of the Law Review. Vanna's
    practice is in civil litigation matters with an emphasis on
    pharmaceutical liability, product liability and personal injury cases.

    Tina Odjaghian, from Los Angeles, who is the newest member of the
    Armenian Bar's Board of Governors, practices workers' compensation
    litigation with an emphasis on complex and high-stakes brain injury
    litigation. Tina also represents a select group of insurance companies
    and self-insured employers in workers' compensation matters. She is a
    graduate of Loyola Law School.

    Scott A. Ohnegian, from northern New Jersey, is co-chair of Riker
    Danzig Scherer Hyland Perretti, LLP's Labor & Employment Group. He
    focuses on the representation of management in litigating federal and
    state employment matters including claims involving allegations of
    discrimination, whistleblowing, harassment, Sarbanes-Oxley
    retaliation, misappropriation of trade secrets and restrictive
    covenant claims.

    Lucy Varpetian, from Los Angeles, is a Senior Assistant City Attorney
    in the Office of the Glendale City Attorney, where she focuses on
    general municipal transactional matters. She is a graduate of
    Southwestern University School of Law, and the former President of the
    Glendale Bar Association and former Executive Director of the Armenian
    Bar Association.



    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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