July 2017 Newsletter
President's Message
Dear IABA-SD Members and Friends:

I can't believe we are already halfway through the year. Our Second Annual IABA-YALLA Charity Soccer Tournament is almost here! The tournament is on July 22nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. IABA is putting its team together--please let me know if you want to join our team. I know not all of us are soccer players (me in particular), but you can still bring family and friends and come support the cause by cheering on the players. We will have music and an area just for kids to play. This will be a great way to spend a Saturday morning in Pacific Beach for a very worthy cause. We hope to see you there!    

Also, there have been changes to the travel ban. IABA National has provided some important updates on the current status of the travel ban, which I have included in the newsletter. For the latest information about the travel ban, be sure to visit our website here.
          
Please contact me with any comments, suggestions or concerns. You can reach me directly at [email protected]

Yours Truly,

Arezoo Jamshidi, IABA-SD President
MEMBER OF THE MONTH - JULY 2017
Pejman 
Kharrazian, Esq.
     
The Iranian-American Bar Association, San Diego Chapter, is pleased to announce Pejman Kharrazian, Esq., as its Member of the Month for July 2017.
 
Pejman is currently an attorney at the renowned civil litigation law firm, Epsten Grinnell & Howell, APC, where he focuses on common interest developments, governing document enforcement, contract disputes, and community association law. Pejman received his Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, where he graduated with honors and served as Notes Editor for the Thomas Jefferson Law Review. Pejman continues to stay engaged with his local law school community, as he has served in various roles on the Thomas Jefferson Law School Alumni Board.
 
Admitted to the California Bar in 2011, Pejman has quickly ascended to the top of his profession by virtue of his demonstrated commitment to serving his community and taking on leadership roles in various professional associations, including the Community Associations Institute and the California Association of Community Managers.  Despite devoting the bulk of his free time to furthering the interests of various non-profit and professional organizations, Pejman has continued to diligently serve his clients while earning the respect of his peers, as he has been recognized by both Superlawyers Magazine and the San Diego Daily Transcript as an attorney in the upper-crust of achievement and work ethic.
 
A former board member of IABA-San Diego for several years, Pejman credits IABA with supporting his ambitions both professionally and personally.  Indeed, Pejman comments, "Being a part of organizations like IABA has been crucial to my professional development.  Being a part of a team and serving as a board member with IABA, an organization working towards worthy goals, has cultivated key skills that have helped me in life both in and out of the office."
 
Pejman can certainly emphasize all the professional benefits that IABA has provided him, including a referral network, mentoring opportunities, and expanding knowledge on various practice areas, but Pejman does not downplay the human elements of being an active member of IABA and what that represents to his community at large. He states, "Being involved with IABA has opened up a sense of pride for leading on issues impacting Iranian Americans across the country and in our local community.  We've led on issues of national importance affecting our community, and this involvement connects me to my roots and to my heritage."
 
As for advice Pejman can offer those of you thinking about joining or becoming more active in IABA, Pejman succinctly notes, "it's important to stay connected to your roots and to help those who come after you. I assure you that joining IABA and being active in the organization will be very fulfilling."
 
Please take a moment to congratulate Pejman on his honor as Member of the Month for July 2017. Should you have the pleasure of meeting Pejman at the next IABA Mixer, strike up a conversation with him with the hope that his voracious energy to succeed professionally and his genuine pride for his Iranian background may be imparted on you.
Member of the Month Nominations

Every month IABA San Diego will recognize one of its members for his/her commitment to IABA San Diego and/or the Iranian-American community. The selected member's biographical information will be highlighted on IABA SD's website and in its monthly newsletter. If you would like to nominate an IABA SD member to become member of the month, please contact us at [email protected] 
IABA NATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM IABA NATIONAL 

June 29, 2017

The Trump Administration Narrowly Defines "Close" Familial Relationships For Purposes Of The Travel Ban, In A Move That Will Separate Families Of Iranian Descent

Dear Members and Friends,
 
We recently provided you an update about the U.S. Supreme Court permitting parts of the "Travel Ban" Executive Order to proceed.  You can find that summary  here.  In short, the Court found that the Travel Ban may not be used to prohibit visa applicants and refugees with "a bona fide relationship with a U.S. person or entity" (i.e. a "close" familial or business tie to the U.S.), but may otherwise prohibit nationals of Iran (and 5 other countries) without such ties to the U.S.
 
Yesterday, the  Associated Press and  Reuters both reported on new guidelines that have been sent to U.S. embassies and consulates, defining what a "close" familial relationship is.  According to the reported guidelines, "close" family:
  • Includes: parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or sibling in the U.S. 
  • Does not include: grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-or-sisters-in-law, fiancées or other extended family members.
This interpretation of "close" family is quite narrow, and even appears to disregard broader examples offered by the Supreme Court, itself.  It is unclear what rationale there is to separate grandparents and grandchildren, or fiancées, in the name of national security.  This narrow interpretation has already drawn condemnation for separating families, including from the largest Iranian American organizations, such as IABA, NIAC, PAAIA, and Pars Equality ( see here).
 
The Travel Ban goes into effect today, June 29, 2017.  There have been conflicting reports as to exactly what time, ranging from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (likely depending on the airport).
 
IABA has created a form to help track information about individuals affected by the Travel Ban, and to offer assistance as possible. The form is currently available.  It can be filled out anonymously to provide us with information; or contact information can be provided if an individual needs help.  The form is available  here.
 
Please help us by sharing this information (and the IABA form) with your friends, family, and professional networks, as widely as possible.  The more we know, the more we can help. 
 
And, as always you can also help by:
  1. Joining or renewing your membership with IABA (click here to join, and here to renew);
  2. Donating to IABA so it can continue its efforts (click here);
  3. Answering calls to volunteer for translating, legal help, attendance at airports, etc. You can reach us at [email protected]; and
  4. Engaging community members who need help and directing them to IABA as needed.
Stay vigilant. Stay engaged. And stay tuned. Things can change quickly.
 
Babak Yousefzadeh
Iranian American Bar Association
National President
IABA SD EVENTS
IABA-YALLA 2ND ANNUAL
CHARITY SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Come join us for our second annual IABA-YALLA Charity Soccer Tournament on July 22, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This year the event will be held in Pacific Beach.  Register to play on a team or just come watch and support the cause! This will be great family event, so bring the kids and enjoy some fun in the sun. 

This will be a co-ed adult 5 v. 5 tournament with 20 minutes games on smaller fields. Our goal is to raise $15,000 for  Yalla San Diego, a non-profit organization that helps refugee and immigrant youth rebuild their lives with education and soccer!

Check out the video from our last tournament  HERE
 
WHERE:    Pacific Beach Middle School 
                (4676 Ingraham St., San Diego, CA 92109)  
WHEN:     July 22, 2017
                9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

Register today at  CoerverSanDiego.com
●   $35
● All registration proceeds will be donated to Yalla to help cover annual league expenses.
● Registration fees are tax deductible (Yalla is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization).

We are still looking for sponsors. Please email Omeed Latifi at [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a sponsor.
 

MENTORSHIP/CLERKSHIP PROGRAM
Employers, Mentors & Mentees Needed
Attorneys/Members of the Judiciary:
The San Diego Chapter of IABA launched the Mentorship Program at our General Meeting on March 16th.

We are currently seeking applicants who are interested in serving as a Mentor for the IABA Mentorship Program. The IABA Mentorship Program is designed to offer law students the opportunity to meet, network with, and learn from more senior attorneys. Mentors provide support, advice, encouragement, and even friendship to students.
  
This is an excellent opportunity to give back to your legal community, and give your mentee a sense of being connected to the larger community where they may otherwise feel lost. If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please contact Bita Ashtari.
  
Also, as part of the  IABA Clerkship Program , our San Diego Chapter would like to partner with local law firms, and state/federal courts and agencies, to facilitate the placement of diversity students--particularly students from the Middle Eastern Law Student Associations (MELSA) of California Western School of Law, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and the University of San Diego--with  clerkship positions.
  
As you know,  clerkships  play a major role in securing employment after law school.  For many students and recent grads, law  clerk  positions are the only applicable experience that color resumes when seeking employment. If you, or your place of employment, is interested in interviewing students regarding the IABA Clerkship Program, please contact Matthew Soleimanpour.
 
Students/Post-Grads:
 
If you are interested in the opportunity of taking part in the IABA Mentorship/Clerkship Programs, please contact Bita Ashtari to request Mentee Applications and submit your resumes.
 
Also, please be advised that  JOBS are posted  weekly to our  IABA LinkedIn Group , under the "Jobs" tab.
OTHER LOCAL EVENTS
PERSONAL BRANDING BOOTCAMP
JULY 2017
Want to figure out how to stand out among other lawyers, create and grow a thriving practice, reduce your stress, increase creativity in your marketing and practice AND be happier professionally and personally? Come experience the one-month immersion version of our traditional 7-month Branding Bootcamp. Taught by branding expert and founder, Katy Goshtasbi, a securities lawyer for 14 years.  

Saturday July 8, 2017: 9am-1pm 
Two weeks off to integrate and apply all the learning
Saturday July 29, 2017: 9am-1pm

Please call or email  [email protected]  for pricing and registration information.

SCREENING FOR 
IMMIGRATION RELIEF PROJECT (SIRP)
The SIRP project was launched in late-February by Professor Tom Wong of the University of California San Diego and the Mexican Consulate. The project provides legal screening to approximately 73,000 undocumented Mexican nationals living in San Diego County. The purpose of the legal screenings is to  identify whether undocumented Mexican nationals are potentially eligible for immigration relief. The project integrates a method of direct outreach to undocumented immigrants with online screening tools and data analytics to provide large-scale legal screenings.  
 
Professor Wong is seeking immigration specialists to assist with the SIRP project. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Professor Wong directly at [email protected].

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Iranian American Bar Association, San Diego Chapter - Board of Directors

Arezoo Jamshidi - President
Bita Ashtari - Vice President
Ardalan Hosseinpour - Communications Director
Saman Nasseri - Social Events Director 
Matthew Soleimanpour - Director of Community Enhancement & Opportunity
Haleh Razzaghi - Membership/MCLE Director
Omeed Latifi - Community Outreach/Pro Bono Director
Affi Eghbaldari - S an Diego Representative to the National Board
Roseline Feral - Legal Task Force Director
Tina Malek - Legal Task Force Director
Mikhak Ghorban - Legal Task Force Director 
 
Learn more about the New 2017 Board by visiting our San Diego Chapter website.