Judges’ Chambers

Judges’ Chambers

At the Armenian Bar Association, we are drawn to find common threads in the lives of those who set professional standards of excellence and personal examples of integrity. We find that shared origins, influences, and aspirations shape those in similar, often coveted, positions of influence. While it’s understandable to think that a path can be predicted from its outcome, the full story is always more complex.

 In exploring the lives of American judges with Armenian heritage, themes of ancestral hardship, honoring humble beginnings, and giving back to the community are prevalent. Yet, what struck us most was how much deeper their stories go. Their voices combine humility with pride, drive with disenchantment, reflecting the complexity of our shared identity. These judges’ experiences remind us that our history of struggle and resilience remains with us, shaping both our past and future.

 When asked for advice for young Armenian-American lawyers, each judge was eager to teach—a generosity we deeply appreciate. But their responses offer more than guidance. We encourage you to read thoughtfully and reflect on their deeper lessons: that even in success, something more remains to be sought; in hardship, something must be celebrated; and in our identity, change is constant.

 We are fortunate to have judges within the Armenian Bar Association whose stories show the vast and rewarding possibilities for Armenian-Americans in the legal community. We thank them for sharing their insights, and hope you find meaning and inspiration in their reflections.

United States Court of Appeals

There are 13 appellate courts that sit below the U.S. Supreme Court, and they are called U.S. courts of appeals. The appellate court’s task is to determine whether the law was applied correctly in the trial court or federal administrative agency. Learn more about courts of appeals.

Federal Circuit Judge John Nalbandian

Judge John Nalbandian is a remarkable jurist with an exceptional story of professional achievement.  Because this column appears in the Armenian Bar Association’s information space, it must be said, and we say it with equal parts heartfelt pride and sincere tribute, Judge Nalbandian is currently the only U.S. federal circuit judge of Armenian heritage. He is among other stellar judicial members of the Armenian Bar who bolster the rule of law from the bench, including dozens of Armenian-American state trial and appellate court judges, as well as federal district court judges and magistrates. You may have read about the other amazing trailblazers in our prior posts.

Since 2018, Judge Nalbandian has served as a U.S. Circuit Judge from Kentucky on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. His path to the federal bench emerged at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance. While at U.Penn, courses on constitutional interpretation and legal theory sparked his interest in and spurred his lifelong devotion to the legal profession. After obtaining his undergraduate degree, Judge Nalbandian matriculated at the prestigious University of Virginia School of Law from which he earned his Juris Doctor degree, was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as managing editor of the Virginia Law Review.

Before scaling up to the bench, Judge Nalbandian had an outstanding legal career. He was a partner in the litigation practice group of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP in Cincinnati, where he served as the firm’s lead appellate lawyer and also practiced complex litigation in state and federal courts. Judge Nalbandian was board certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a specialist in appellate law. Before joining Taft, Judge Nalbandian practiced for five years in the appellate section of Jones Day in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from law school, Judge Nalbandian clerked for the Honorable Jerry E. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston. While in private practice, he also served as a board member of the State Justice Institute, a nonprofit organization established by the federal government to improve the administration of justice in state courts. He has served as President of the Cincinnati Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society. He has also been involved in his community as a board member of the Greater Cincinnati Minority Counsel Program, and as a board member of the Asian Pacific Bar Association of Southwest Ohio.

Judge Nalbandian would have doubtlessly continued to excel as a legal practitioner, but something deeper, something to which he was thoroughly suited, kept calling to him. The idea of serving on the bench was borne from the bud of his service as a law clerk. “Any law clerk will say they think about what it’s like being on the ‘big chair,’” Judge Nalbandian told me. The idea of sitting on the big chair for Nalbandian started to take shape after the 2016 presidential and congressional elections.  It wasn’t long before the humble idea became a spectacular reality.

Judge Nalbandian’s Armenian and Japanese heritages have offered him unique insights as he champions a broad world view and maintains an open, fair, and disciplined approach to justice. He acknowledges the existence of differing perspectives that must be respected, taken into mutual account and, if possible, harmonized. His mother was born in a Japanese American internment camp in Arizona during World War II and his father’s Armenian lineage is one of so many marked by resilience and the promise of safety and prosperity for future generations. With a variety of cases on his docket, Judge Nalbandian has embraced a special interest in hearing complex commercial issues, taking him back to the practice area where he found substantial success.

Another burgeoning and challenging topic in the legal industry which intrigues Judge Nalbandian is the exponential spread of artificial intelligence. He remains optimistic about the direction in which innovative technology is headed, bringing the prospect of more accessible and egalitarian legal services. He believes we are equipped with tools to monitor and regulate A.I. with the rules already in place. Still, he advises caution, supporting efforts by bar associations, courts, and the federal judiciary to comprehensively study more subtle legal questions, such as confidentiality and client consent issues. “Artificial intelligence will change the way we practice. We need to adapt,” presciently added Judge Nalbandian.

Judge Nalbandian closed by offering the following words of wisdom to law students and junior attorneys:

“Do the things you control well. The goal is to become trustworthy and be the go-to person. Develop a reputation for good work, integrity, honesty—that’s stuff you can control. A legal career is a marathon; it’s not necessarily choreographed, and it can go in lots of directions. As long as you maintain a good reputation, you will adapt and be in good shape.”

United States District Courts

The nation’s 94 district or trial courts are called U.S. district courts. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying the law to those facts. Learn more about district courts.

Hon. Larry Alan Burns (Ret.)
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.”

Hon. Claire C. Cecchi
U.S. Federal District Judge for the District of New Jersey

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.”

Hon. 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 reminds 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.”

Hon. Dickran M. Tevrizian, Jr. (Ret.)
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.

Hon. Samuel Der-Yeghiayan (Ret.)
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

After graduating from Evangel University in 1975, Samuel Der-Yeghiayan earned his law degree at New Hampshire Law School (formerly Franklin Pierce Law Center) in 1978, and then began his law career in the United States Attorney General’s Honors Program.  He served in various capacities with the Justice Department’s Chicago District of Immigration and Naturalization Service, including as a trial attorney from 1978 to 1982, district counsel from 1982 to 2000, and acting district director from 1986 to 1987.

Notably, for twenty consecutive years from 1981 to 2000, Samuel Der-Yeghiayan received Outstanding Performance Ratings as a U.S. Justice Department Attorney from different U.S. Attorneys General. In 1986, he received the Frank J. McGarr Award of the Federal Bar Association as the Outstanding Federal Government Attorney in Chicago.  In 1998, he received the District Counsel of the Year Award from the Commissioner of the INS and Attorney General Janet Reno.  In 2000, Samuel Der-Yeghiayan was appointed, under the Clinton administration, an immigration judge in the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Judge Der-Yeghiayan was nominated by President George W. Bush on March 5, 2003, for the district court seat vacated by Marvin E. Aspen, and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on July 14, 2003.  He received his judicial commission on July 15, 2003.  Aside from his own docket, on many occasions Judge Der-Yeghiayan has served as acting Chief Judge for Northern District of Illinois; he has served on key committees for the Court and, in fact, has served, by designation, on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.   The Judge has hired exceptional Armenian-American judicial law clerks, interns and externs and always has opened his courtroom for important events—including, most recently, a formal hearing conducted by U.S. Senator Kirk on the plight of Christians in Syria and Iraq due to the rise of ISIS.  The Judge has hosted visiting dignitaries from the Republic of Armenia such as former Armenian Foreign Minister, Raffi K. Hovannisian; sitting judges from the Republic’s highest courts; Deputy Public Defender of Armenia, Varser Karapetyan, and many others.  

Some of Judge Der-Yeghiayan’s contributions to the Armenian-Americanexperience are well known:  he is the first immigrant Armenian-American federal judge in the United States; he has assisted young Armenian lawyers in navigating judgeships; he has spoken at numerous bar association events; and, of course, he recently represented Armenians on the very first Armenian float at Rose Bowl.  But there is more that deserves telling: his travels to the Soviet Union as a representative of the United States Government in 1988 are stories fit for a New York Times best-seller. His impressions on the impact of Soviet atheism and stagnation on human progress, which he witnessed firsthand in the late 1980s while in Soviet Armenia, are deserving of publication themselves.  His relationship with Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, is a remarkable story of a childhood friendship rising to one of global substance.  His relationships with U.S. senators, U.S. congressmen, governors and statesmen are true, meaningful stories of a professional and personal life lived purposefully.

United States Department of Justice Administrative Court

Honorable Amy C. Hoogasian
(May 5, 1968 – November 14, 2021) 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.

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, 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, Hoogasian applied for and was appointed a U.S. Immigration Judge in San Francisco, where she currently serves.

Throughout her career, 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. Hoogasian said it reminded her of a quote from Steve Jobs, who once said, “You 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.

Highest Court of a State

California

The Supreme Court of California consists of the Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, each appointed or nominated by the Governor. The state Constitution gives the Supreme Court the authority to review decisions of the state Courts of Appeal. This reviewing power enables the Supreme Court to decide important legal questions and to maintain uniformity in the law. The court selects specific issues for review, or it may decide all the issues in a case. The Constitution also directs the high court to review all cases in which a judgment of death has been pronounced by the trial court. Under state law, these cases are automatically appealed directly from the trial court to the Supreme Court.

In addition, the Supreme Court reviews the recommendations of the Commission on Judicial Performance and the State Bar of California concerning the discipline of judges and attorneys for misconduct. The only other matters coming directly to the Supreme Court are appeals from decisions of the Public Utilities Commission.

Justice Marvin Baxter

Sitting down with Justice Marvin Baxter felt like stepping into a rich tapestry of history, public service, and pride in heritage. His journey from a small-town upbringing to the highest echelons of California’s judiciary inspires Armenians everywhere. 

Born in 1940 in Fowler, California—a small, multicultural farming community near Fresno—Justice Baxter reflected with profound gratitude on his upbringing in a town that embraced inclusion and diversity. He described how Fowler’s single school became a melting pot, fostering friendships that transcended ethnic and racial boundaries, noting, “Friendships were born across racial and ethnic lines.” 

His ancestors changed the family surname from Bagdasarian to Baxter due to lingering prejudice and discrimination against Armenian Americans in Fresno County and for other practical challenges. Many Armenian families took similar steps to navigate societal barriers, though they remained deeply connected to their heritage. For example, Hatsakordzian became Baker, Khachigian became Cross, Terzian became Taylor, Bouloudian became Cloud, Tufenkian became Gunner, Bedrosian became Peters, and Pilibosian became Pilibos. Today, he emphasized that being recognized as an Armenian American in Fresno is a source of pride, crediting the resilience and accomplishments of our ancestors for paving the way for future success.

Justice Baxter also expressed immense pride in his parents. Despite having only a high school education, his father became a successful small-town Chevrolet dealer, farmer, inventor, and home builder. More importantly, he was deeply committed to his community, developing one of the first subdivisions that provided housing opportunities for immigrant Armenian families and others at a time when discriminatory housing covenants were widespread. His mother, Margaret Laloian Baxter, was a loving and supportive homemaker who devoted her life to the family.

Reflecting on his time at Fresno State College, Justice Baxter discussed how his interest in leadership blossomed when he was elected Student Body President in 1962. He credited the groundbreaking election of George Deukmejian to the California State Assembly that same year as a pivotal moment. “I was amazed that someone with the name Deukmejian could accomplish that. So, there were several young Armenian Americans at different universities who all of a sudden decided to run for student body offices. There was this outpouring of initiative largely because of George Deukmejian’s success in 1962, and we became aware of opportunities that maybe we were unaware of before.”

Justice Baxter was also a Coro Foundation Fellow, thereby obtaining practical experience in public affairs. During this fellowship, his interactions with lawyers in diverse leadership positions sparked his interest in the legal profession. 

He began his legal career as a Deputy District Attorney in Fresno County. After two years, he transitioned to civil law, joining a firm that handled a broad range of cases. Embracing the diverse nature of the practice, while initially interested in tax and corporate law, he found himself gravitating toward family law, enjoying the challenge of navigating both its emotional and legal complexities, as it was often the most intense and personal experience for clients. 

In 1970, while working as a young Deputy District Attorney in Fresno, he was introduced to Governor Deukmejian’s campaign as the state’s Attorney General. In years to come, his connection to Governor Deukmejian deepened when he co-chaired Governor Deukmejian’s campaigns in Fresno County and later as his Appointment Secretary. As Justice Baxter stated, his role as Governor Deukmejian’s Appointment Secretary provided invaluable insight into the judicial system and paved the way for his interest in the judiciary and later his appointments to the California Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court.

Justice Baxter shared valuable insights for aspiring lawyers, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a solid reputation and ethical conduct. He believes integrity is the cornerstone of a legal career, particularly for those with judicial aspirations. He also expressed a desire for change in how the legal profession presents itself, advocating for a reevaluation of lawyer advertising to preserve the dignity of the field and uphold the law as a noble calling.

Justice Baxter is a charter member of the Armenian Bar Association, having attended and participated in our first annual meeting in 1989 and then on many occasions in the following years.  He has headed various panel discussions on public service and provided insights on the judicial application and appointment process and, most memorably, hosted the Armenian Bar at the California Supreme Court in San Francisco for an Annual Meeting and for a Judges’ Recognition Program and Gala in Fresno.  Justice Baxter continues to mentor young practitioners and advise the Armenian Bar’s Judicial Evaluations Committee.

When asked about Armenians’ contributions to American society, Justice Baxter highlighted numerous examples of Armenian families achieving remarkable success. He noted that while many began and continue in agriculture and fruit packing and shipping, their accomplishments have extended far beyond those fields. He added that today, Armenians continue to excel in public service, medicine, law, and, notably, the judiciary. 

He emphasized the value of public service careers for Armenian Americans, inspired by leaders like Governor Deukmejian’s legacy of dignity and dedication to uplifting others. 

Our conversation made it clear to me that for Justice Baxter, success goes beyond personal achievement. It is about contributing to the greater good, fostering community, and leaving behind a legacy of service, integrity, and excellence.

Justice Armand Arabian

Armand M. Arabian (December 12, 1934 – March 28, 2018) was an influential American lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California from 1990 to 1996. Born in New York City to Armenian immigrant parents who fled the 1915 Armenian genocide, Arabian’s early life was marked by the resilience and determination of his family. He graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Boston University in 1956, after which he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958. Following his military service, Arabian earned a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1961 and an LL.M. from the University of Southern California Law Center in 1970.

Arabian’s legal career began as a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County from 1962 to 1963, after which he entered private practice in Van Nuys, California. His judicial path began in 1972 when he was appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the Los Angeles Municipal Court, and later elevated to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In 1979, his appointment to the Court of Appeals became a political controversy, but ultimately he was appointed in 1983 by Governor George Deukmejian, where he served until 1990. It was in 1990 that Governor Deukmejian appointed Arabian as an Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court.

Known for his law-and-order stance, Arabian made a significant impact during his time on the court, particularly in the reform of California’s rape laws. He was a key figure in landmark decisions such as People v. Iniguez (1994), where he expanded the definition of rape to include cases where there was no physical struggle. After retiring from the Supreme Court in 1996, Arabian transitioned to a career as a mediator and arbitrator, also serving on the Board of Visitors at Pepperdine University School of Law.

A founding member and staunch supporter of the Armenian Bar–literally traveling the world for 25 years to participate in and headline our programs–Justice Arabian’s contributions to humanity and to jurisprudence were so vast and exceptional that he is one of only a select few who has been conferred with the highest honor of the Armenian Bar Association, an Honorary Life Member.

Throughout his career, Arabian received numerous accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Fernando Valley Bar Association and several honorary Doctor of Law degrees from prestigious institutions. He was married to Nancy Megurian in 1962, and they had two children, Allison and Robert, the latter also a practicing attorney. Arabian passed away on March 28, 2018, at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy of legal reform and service to the community.

Massachusetts

The Supreme Judicial Court is Massachusetts’ highest appellate court. A chief justice and six associate justices make up the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC). The seven justices hear appeals on a broad range of criminal and civil cases and issue written opinions. The SJC also supervises the judiciary and the bar, makes or approves rules for court operations, and gives advisory opinions, upon request, to the governor and the legislature.

Justice Gabrielle Wolohojian
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”)

Before she became a Justice of Massachusetts’s highest court in April 2024, Gabrielle Wolohojian led a remarkable career.  She had an irreproachable reputation in private practice, worked on the Whitewater Investigation, and served as a justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court for sixteen years.  Her recent elevation to the SJC is the latest step in a life defined by excellence, integrity, and public service.

I was lucky enough to sit down with Justice Wolohojian one November evening.  When I arrived at the John Adams Courthouse in Boston, I could hardly tell who was more excited about the encounter.  She greeted me with warmth and enthusiasm and ushered me in.  We chatted as we walked through the courthouse’s marbled corridors to her chambers.  In classic Armenian fashion, a platter of cookies on the conference table anticipated my arrival.  (Also honoring tradition, I declined then indulged after she insisted!)

The Justice and I began by retracing her career.  After law school at Columbia, Justice Wolohojian clerked for Judge Rya W. Zobel of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and Judge Bailey Aldrich of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.  Those two years kindled a lifelong passion for the law.  “Just being in a courtroom and seeing what a judge could do was galvanizing,” she told me.  And law students and young attorneys should consider doing the same:  “If you can clerk on any level in any court, do it.  You will find a mentor in your judge, and that’s otherwise hard to do in the earliest years of your career.  And you will also gain a tremendous amount of experience.  Trial court clerkships in the state and federal courts are especially rewarding.”

Justice Wolohojian next entered private practice at Hale & Dorr LLP in Boston (now WilmerHale) after her clerkships.  She cut her teeth on tough cases with some of the most legendary trial lawyers in the country.  It was a great first job, she explained, because “you need to think of your first job for what it can teach you.  You should be trying to get near the best litigators or transactional lawyers that you can, and you need to work hard for them.  They will soon become mentors.  The law is a meritocracy in that way.”  That hard work clearly paid off in 1994, when Justice Wolohojian was tapped to join Special Prosecutor Robert Fiske’s team to investigate the Whitewater controversy during the first Clinton Administration.  She recalled the work in Arkansas as being “tough, intense, and far from home.”  It was nonetheless an experience of a lifetime, she reflected, to work with lawyers who were that “amazing and impressive.” 

Justice Wolohojian then returned to Hale & Dorr.  She cultivated an impressive litigation record and soon became senior partner.  But after a few years, she felt it was time to pivot into public service.  “One byproduct of clerking for judges whom you admire,” she said, “is that you put in the back of your head that you might want to be a judge one day.”  So, after a long process—nomination by Governor Deval Patrick and subsequent confirmation by the Massachusetts Governor’s Council—she joined the bench in 2008 as a justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, which is the state’s intermediate appellate court.  Sixteen years later in February 2024, Governor Maura Healy nominated her for the state’s highest court this past February.  She was confirmed later that month, and she joined the high court in April.

As if that weren’t enough, Justice Wolohojian’s talents also manifest in the arts.  Before law school, she received a Ph.D. from Oxford in English language and literature.  She is an accomplished violinist who has played with the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra since 1989 and previously served as its Board President.  And she has also served as an Overseer of From the Top, a national radio program that platforms young classically trained musicians.

What stood out to me most, however, were the Justice’s closing comments on her Armenian heritage.  Her family, she explained, is descended from genocide survivors hailing from Constantinople, Kharpet, and Arapgir.  “I grew up with grandparents who had nothing but love and praise for this country.  This country took us in when we needed everything.”  And it was the promise of America—an Armenian existence on safer shores—that led her to public service.  “We all owe our success in America, in part, to good people who got into government.  If we do not pay it forward, the incredible gift that our parents and grandparents were given might not be available after us.  I give back to my country what my country gave to my family.”

Justice Wolohojian’s elevation made history.  She is the first Armenian-American to serve on the SJC and the first Armenian-American woman to serve on any state supreme court.  Her achievement is particularly meaningful here in Massachusetts, which is home to the nation’s oldest Armenian community.  Now, her judicial opinions, bylined with her last name, will contribute to life and law for all in Massachusetts.  Justice Wolohojian represents our best, and we are thrilled that she has joined the supreme bench.