Dozens of lawyers, law students, and community members gathered on September 18 to participate in a free legal clinic reaching deep into the Armenian community of Southern California.

"We want to let the community know that we are fully invested in it, and ready to meet their needs," said Haig Siranosian, a member of the Montebello "Vahan Cardashian" chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF).

The clinic took place at the local Armenian Center and was hosted by AYF Montebello in collaboration with the Armenian Bar Association and the Pepperdine University School of Law's Armenian Law Students' Association (ALSA).

Attorneys from the Armenian Bar Association offered hours of free legal consultations in the fields of immigration, landlord/tenant, labor, criminal law and other areas, conducted in both English and Armenian.

Pepperdine's ALSA, along with law school students of different backgrounds from Southwestern Law School, Loyola Law School and other areas schools, assisted community members in communicating their legal issues with the attorneys.

“The collaborative effort between the Armenian Bar Association, the AYF, and the ALSA enabled us to serve the Montebello community and help people in a way we couldn't as individual organizations. We hope to continue co-programming and innovating ways to serve local communities,” stated Tatev Oganyan, President of Pepperdine’s ALSA.

The organizers felt that Armenian refugees who fled from upheavals in Syria and Iraq would particularly need legal services as they navigate the complex immigration system of the United States.   And, in fact, several of the public participants came with immigration-related questions related to their and their families’ exodus from these regions.

The legal clinic with the Armenian Bar Association is part of a larger goal among AYF Western Region chapters to make a positive impact in their local communities. AYF chapters currently offer services ranging from weekly special-needs basketball programs to community health fairs in Pasadena.

 Photo:  Armenian Bar Association lawyers and law students join hands in community outreach