Bevery Hills, California-Decorated trial attorney Garo Mardirossian was sworn in as President Elect of the Consumer Attorneys Association(CAALA) at the group's 60th Annual Installation and awards dinner at the posh Beverly Wilshire Hotel on January 17, 2009. CAALA (formerly known as the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association) was formed in 1949, and with nearly 3,000 members is the largest association of Plaintiff's lawyers in the United States. Among its many goals, the influential group is active in the promotion of legislation intended to protect the rights and interests of consumers of the State of California.

Important concepts to live by displayed in Judge McCoys chambers

Several members of the California judiciary were in attendance, including Ronald George, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court and four justices from the California Courts of Appeal. Thirty-two judges and commissioners from the Los Angeles County court system were also present, including Presiding Judge Charles McCoy, Assistant Presiding Judge Lee Edmon, Judge Zaven Sinanian, who sits at the Stanley Mosk courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles and Judge Gregory Keosian, who sits in the Van Nuys courthouse in the San Fernando Valley. Also in attendance were numerous politicians, including Congressman Adam Schiff, California State Assemblyman Paul Krekorian and Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.

In 2000 Mardirossian was voted CAALA's "Trial Lawyer of the Year." Mardirossian has been on the Board of Governors for 15 years, and he will be the first person of Armenian descent ever to become president of the prestigious organization. Mardirossian and his wife Kathy have been married for 22 years. Their daughter Ani is a sophomore at UCLA, Garo's alma mater. Daughter Nora is a freshman at UCSB, and their son Kevork is in the third grade. Ani and Nora are both exceptional student athletes, achieving numerous awards while attending Marymount High School in West Los Angeles. Kevork was recently named in a select group of "Athletes of the Year" in the Palisidian Post, the Pacific Palisades local newspaper, for his feats in footbal and basketball.

The Mardirossian's are the managing partners of Mardirossian and Associates, a six-lawyer boutique personal injury firm, where Mr. Mardirossian achieved multi-million dollar jury verdicts in several cases over his 27 year career. Notably, a $24.85 million judgment redered in the case of Dole v. County of Los Angeles in 1995 remains the largest police brutality verdict ever achieved in California.

"I am honored that my colleagues have the faith in me to lead this great organization of trial lawyers," said Mardirossian. "I am determined to work with the Board of Governors to continue our efforts to defend the rights of the citizens of California while maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity," he said. Mardirossian's term as President will begin in 2010. Randy McMurry of the Cochran Law Firm was installed as President of CAALA and will serve in that capacity this year.

Several awards were presented by CAALA at the banquet, and included:
Justice ronald George, Appellate justice of the year;
Charles McCoy, Trial Judge of the Year;
Gary Paul, Trial Lawyer of the Year;
Jeffrey Ehrlich, Appellat Lawyer of the Year;
Anton Stuart, Ted Horn Memorial Award for significant contributions to the organization.

Mardirossian had the distinction of presenting Charles "Tim" McCoy, the Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles County courts, with his award, and offered words of praise for the new leader of the Los Angeles County's 600 judges.