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Happening Now |
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April 30, 2013 |
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WELCOME NEW (2013-2014)
IALA OFFICERS & BOARD OF DIRECTORS
It is with honor and great pleasure to announce the Officers and members of the Board of Directors of the Iranian American Lawyers Association for year 2013-2014 (May 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014) as follows:
OFFICERS:
President: Mark Ameli
President-elect: Roshi Rahnama
Treasurer: Jacob Sharifi
Secretary: Fay Nia
DIRECTORS:
Hajir Ardebili,
Patrick Ashouri
Michael Kade
Kata Kim
Hanieh Shahnematollahi
On behalf of the current Officers and Board members, I welcome each and every one of our newly elected colleagues and wish them utmost success in serving the Iranian community and the Iranian American Lawyers Association.
Respectfully,
Abbas Hadjian
President
Iranian American Lawyers Association
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19 Sept, 2012 |
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Jacobson & Han LLP, Attorneys at Law [Immigration & Workers' Compensation], www.jacobsonhan.com
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Rafik Ayvazi [Business, Construction and Real Estate Litigation & Transaction], www.ayvazi.com
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Abbas Hadjian, APC, CFLS [Certified Family Law Specialist], www.abbashadjian.com
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Mark Ameli, Diversified Dispute Resolution [Your Center for Cross Cultural Mediation], www.DDRLLC.org
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David Yacobi, D.R.G. Enterprises, Inc. [Artistry in Picture Framing], www.drgframing.com
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 The Place for Persian Books, http://www.ketab.com/
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 Iranian Information Center, http://www.08.net/
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14 Aug, 2012 |
LOS ANGELES -PRESS CONFERENCE & RELEASE
August 14, 2012
DEEEPEST SYMPATHIES TO THE
VICTIMS OF IRANIAN EARTHQAUAKE
OFAC GUIDELINES FOR RELIEF
BY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANZATIONS
On Saturday, August 11, 2012, two earthquake measuring 6.4 and 6.3 on the Richter Scale struck the northwestern region of Iran near the towns of Tabriz and Ahar and according to the most recent news reports, at least 300 people have died, more than 5,000 have been injured, and over 130 villages have been leveled flat and completely destroyed as a result of these earthquakes.
The Iranian American Lawyers Association (IALA) expresses its deepest sympathies for the casualties, the injured, the misplaced and their families and in an attempt to provide guidance to properly and in compliance with the latest Iran Sanction laws and regulations, has contacted the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to obtain the most up to date guidelines for individuals and organizations who wish to provide relief help to the survivors of this devastation.
Below are some of the key highlights of the OFAC’s memo which is attached to this press release in its entirety. IALA strongly suggests for individuals and organizations who wish to offer help, to adhere to requirements in order to be in legal compliance and also not to fall victim themselves to opportunists who may want to take financial advantage of the donors.
· Donations of food and medicine, when intended to be used to relieve human suffering, are exempt from the sanctions on trade between the U.S. and Iran, as long as the donations are not being sent to the Government of Iran or any Iranian individual or entity on the Treasury Department’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List). For all practical purposes, such donations to the Iranian people, including transactions needed to ship permissible donations, can occur without a license from the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
· OFAC generally regards the exportation or re-exportation of medical devices to Iran, whether donated or for sale, to require a license under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA).
· Since 1995, OFAC has permitted U.S. financial institutions to process noncommercial, personal remittances to Iran. Such transactions, which may include a personal transfer of funds from the U.S. to Iran to assist a friend or family member, may originate from a U.S. financial institution but must be processed through a third-country financial institution before reaching Iran.
· If a donation is not a personal remittance, charitable donations of funds to Iran require a specific license from OFAC. Individuals or groups can apply for a specific license for this purpose, and OFAC will give high priority to processing the license application.
· Nongovernmental organizations wishing to engage in earthquake relief efforts in Iran can apply for a specific license for this purpose. OFAC will give high priority to processing such license applications.
Abbas Hadjian
President,
Iranian American Lawyers Association
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23 July, 2012 |
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Recognition of Foreign Divorces, Marriages and
Premarital Agreements in California Divorce
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Dear Friends and Colleagues:
On Wednesday, August 29, 2012, The Iranian American Lawyers Association (IALA), will present a seminar addressing the impacts of foreign divorces, marriages and premarital agreements in California divorce cases. The seminar is sponsored by the Family Law Section, The Los Angeles County Bar association (LACBA), and the University of West Los Angeles (UWLA).
Four experts in Family Law in Southern California, including Honorable Michael J. Convey, Judge of the California Superior Court (Family Law Dept. K, Van Nuys), Alexandra Leichter, Esq., California Certified Family Law Specialist, will examine the issues arising from religious marriages and divorces. IALA’s first President, Family Law Professor Steve Zand, Esq., also a California Certified Family Law Specialist, will moderate the discussions.
In the seminar, among other issues, the meaning and application of the Iranian Mahr (Dowry), Islamic divorce Talaq, and Jewish divorce Get will be discussed. Also remedies the court can fashion in order to address these issues will be analyzed. As part of this analysis, the constitutional prohibitions against state involvement in religion, the policies, statutes and case law in California and other states will be reviewed.
The seminar will be conducted from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm on Wednesday, August 29, 2012, in the University of West Los Angeles, School of Law, 9800 S. La Cienega Blvd., 12th Floor, Inglewood, CA 90301. It is approved for two hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) by the State Bar of California.
I invite you all to join in this unique discussion. Please come and bring your interested colleagues, friends and family with you. Whether or not your practice includes family law, please come and learn about the issues directly impacting the lives of our family and friends, and, of course, our clients. The link to the Registration Form for the seminar is http://www.ialawyers.org/multi-national-cultural.php. Also, if you have not done so yet, the following is a link for becoming an IALA member free of charge until December 2013https://www.ialawyers.org/secure-online-application.php. Membership in IALA will entitle you to many benefits, including attending the August 29 CLE at a discounted rate.
Your Sincerely,
Abbas Hadjian, President
Iranian American Lawyers Association
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July 2, 2012 |
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RSVP to: info@ialawyers.org
INFORMATION: 818.783-3444, 818.9080808 |
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June 27, 2012 |
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DIRECTIONS TO DODD HALL |
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For those of you not familiar with the UCLA, the Dodd Hall is located in the north-east portion of the campus, often called North Campus. To reach Dodd Hall from parking structure 2, walk north along Charles Young Drive. Dodd Hall is about three buildings to the north, just north of Murphy Hall (the main administration building). |
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From the south (San Diego, Irvine, LAX), take the 405 freeway north, and exit on Wilshire Blvd. heading east. At Westwood Blvd.(third traffic light) turn left (north). This takes you through Westwood Village and then onto the campus. Make a right (east) on Charles E Young Drive. Park at Structure 2 (pay for parking first at the kiosk just across the street to the north of the parking structure).
From the north (Northridge, Santa Barbara), take the 405 freeway south to Sunset Blvd. Exit and head left (east) on Sunset. Continue on Sunset to Hilgard (about two miles). Make a right (south) on Hilgard and continue to Westholme. Make a right (west) onto campus and immediately bear right to the parking kiosk for Lot 2.
Please go to http://www.ialawyers.org/trade-sanctions-new-developments.php, and order your tickets on-line for the June 28, 2012, Continuing Legal Education on the U.S. Iranian Trade Sanction. If you need further assistance please call IALA at (818)783-3444 and we will be glad to help.
Yours Sincerely
Abbas Hadjian
President
Iranian American Lawyers Association |
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June 27, 2012 |
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LOSS OF A FRIEND |
It is with utmost sadness and sorrow that I have to announce the sudden loss of our dear colleague, Tabandeh (Tabi) Katouzi, Esq., a friend to many of us in the Iranian community and the Iranian American Lawyers Association. On behalf of the IALA's general membership, Board of Directors and Leaders, I would like to extend our most sincere condolences to the members of Tabi's family and her friends among us. We share your grief and pain.
The Funeral will be held today, Wednesday June 27th at 1:00 pm at Westminster Memorial Park, 14801 Beach Blvd., Westminster CA, 92683.
The Memorial Service will be held on Sunday July 1st. 6-8 pm at Hyatt Regency Irvine 17900 Jamboree Rd., Irvine California.
Yours Sincerely
Abbas Hadjian
President
Iranian American Lawyers Association |
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May 26, 2012 |
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Make Memorial Weekend, Memorable |
Dear Friends and Colleagues: I would like to wish all of you a very safe and happy long weekend. While you are enjoying your weekend with your family and friends, please remember that IALA's MEMBERSHIP DRIVE is still going strong and you can still become a member FREE OF CHARGE and enjoy its benefits. Our next MCLE program will be on Thrsday, June 27, 2012. At the MCLE, we will examine impacts of the Iranian economic sanction on our parctice, in California and U.S.A. We will also have a fun and enjoyable evening at the W Hotel in Westwood in July.
If you become a member, you can participate in the MCLE program at a reduced cost and join us for networking and fun at our event in July. Those attorneys who apply (or reapply) during the period of May 1, 2012 through August 1, 2012, may register with no payment through December 31, 2013. Please join us and enjoy the benefits of IALA – Reduced rate MCLE programs, networking and fun events with your colleagues and others. Here is a link to our Website and Application to join https://www.ialawyers.org/secure-online-application.php.
Yours Sincerely
Mark Ameli
President Elect
Iranian American Lawyers Association |
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May 20, 2012 |
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FREE IALA MEMBERSHIP |
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Dear Friends and Colleagues:
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Iranian American Lawyers Association, IALA, is in the middle of its largest Membership Drive. Those attorneys who apply for the first time or the members who re-apply during the period of May 1, 2012 through August 1, 2012 may register free of charge for the period through December 31, 2013. Please join us and enjoy the benefits of IALA – Reduced rate MCLE programs, networking and fun events with your colleagues and others. After August 1, 2012, the membership dues will go back to their normal rates.Here is a link to our Website and Application to join https://www.ialawyers.org/secure-online-application.php.
Yours Sincerely
Mark Ameli
President
Iranian American Lawyers Association |
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May 12, 2012 |
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IALA's Message on Mother's Day Weekend |
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Dear Friends and Colleagues:
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Let me first welcome our new members who have responded to our Membership Drive by joining us for 18 months membership free of charge. Here is a link to our Website and Application to join https://www.ialawyers.org/secure-online-application.php. It's with great pleasure to announce a new season in IALA's history of activities within the Iranian American legal community and hope to establish a more proactive group in the coming year.
In order to further reach out to our members, I will be posting periodical commentaries, editorials, and messages from our membership. I invite all of you to play an active role in sending your comments and statements to be posted on our website. For time deadlines and requirements, please contact me at abbashadjian@sbcglobal.net, and feel free to forward this e-mail to other Iranian American attorneys and professionals.
Yours Sincerely
Abbas Hadjian
President
Iranian American Lawyers Association |
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May 12, 2012 |
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Happy Mother's Day to our MomVocates |
By: Zohreh Mizrahi
Chair Media Committee |
Strange! Not really, since we live in an era where new terms and vocabularies are springing up on a daily basis to reflect our changing world. In this case when we face so many women, single-handedly, embracing motherhood as well advocacy, why shouldn't we become more innovative and spare each other the use of extra terminologies describing attorneys and advocates that are mothers. How about just referring to them as "Momvocates"?
Many women have shouldered motherhood by carrying their off-springs in their wombs while takings on the responsibilities of demanding careers on a daily basis, thus creating a new phenomenon in the work industry and yet quite capable in achieving excellence in both fields.
For the Iranian-American community the transformation has been rather like a quantum leap where many momvocates have, as the first generation of attorneys in their families, established their own law practice so as to cater to the needs of their families as well as the demands of their clientele. Astonishingly by incorporation of their motherly instincts with the adopted skills as advocates the results have been staggering in their path to success. Simply put, recognizing symptoms of crankiness, sulking, and brooding in a disgruntled child and the virtues of a nurturing relationship has facilitated these advocates with an inherent confidence to deal with a difficult client, an obstinate adversary and unapproachable Judges. Conclusion: keeping all parties involved content.
To further complicate the challenges faced by this group of attorneys, is the fabric of the traditional Iranian patriarchal community where fathers and men were the ultimate decision-makers and not so trusting of women as decision makers, especially in the field of law. Again, our Momvocates applying the same principals of motherhood smoothly and diplomatically have risen to the challenge and conquered the trust and confidence of this mighty cynics, thus transforming the standards to that of competence, effectiveness, and resilience.
In that spirit, let's acknowledge the accomplishments of our Momvocates, cherish the sacrifices that all mothers have made so we excel at whatever endeavor we take on and salute three exceptional Momvocates in our own IALA leadership, Nikki Jacobson (our immediate past president and current chair Social Media), Zari Hadjian (our Treasurer and Co-chair Financial Committee), and Rozita C. Yaghoubi (our Secretary), our as they honor us with taking on more responsibilities next to their families and offices. |
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May 5, 2012 |
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Introducing New Officers, Directors & Chair of Committees |
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Dear Friends and Colleagues:
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Allow me to introduce the newly elected Officers, Directors, and Chairs of the Committees of the Iranian American Lawyers Association (IALA). I am privileged to have been trusted with navigating the Iranian American Lawyers Association, in collaboration with our outstanding Officers, Board of Directors and Bar leaders, in the coming year, celebrating its18th year of activities and leadership in the Greater Iranian American Community.
In my years of advocacy in family law, I have participated in many educational and informative activities, written articles, published books, conducted seminars, anchored radio and television programs, and appeared in leading roles in many reputable local and statewide Bar associations and organizations. Yet serving you as a member of the IALA is a dream come true. The most rewarding part of my assignment is sharing responsibility with many other well-known leaders of the Iranian American Bar community to present an invigorating agenda to our membership, more effectively and fluidly.
As a team, we have pledged to provide you and all Iranian attorneys in California with the following opportunities to enhance your personal and professional success in serving your community:
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Least expensive yet most informative MCLE programs approved by the California State Bar.
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Bridging your practice with potential Farsi speaking Clients via well organized and publicized Law Days.
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Gathering you and other interested professionals in entertaining networking opportunities.
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Opening membership of IALA to all free of charge for the next 18 months for those of you who join or rejoin us in the next 3 months.
These and other similar programs are among the many detailed projects your IALA Board has planned ahead. Like you, we are committed professionals in search of like professionals dedicated to excellence in their personal and professional life. Please take few minutes, go to our websit http://www.ialawyers.org/, look at our glorious background and Membership Application https://www.ialawyers.org/secure-online-application.php, and join us in the most vital, non-political, non-profit, legal association in the nation.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS (2012-2013 TERM)
President: Abbas Hadjian
President-Elect: Mark Ameli
Treasurer: Zari Hadjian
Secretary: Rozita C. Yacobi
Director: Patrick Ashouri
Director: Rafik Ayvazi
Director: Michael Kade
Director: Mike Manesh
Director: Zohreh Mizrahi
CHAIRS OF COMMITTEES (2012-2013 TERM)
Administration & Management: Rafik Ayvazi
Associations & Organizations: Patrick Ashouri
Financial: Zari Hadjian & Kayhan Shakib Kayhan, Co-Chairs
Judiciary: Mark Ameli
Law Schools and Universities: Steve Zand
MCLE: Abbas Hadjian & James Sadigh, Co-Chairs
Media (including Annual Gala): Zohreh Mizrahi
Membership (Including Fund Raising & Law Day): Michael Kade and Cameron Yadidi, Co-Chairs
Social Media: Nikki Jacobson Chair
Yours Sincerely
Abbas Hadjian
President
Iranian American Lawyers Association |
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