the LITTLE THINGS
Chaldean lawyers rise to the occasion
A
s I listened to fa, Frank Yono he listed Chaldean Comoff the top of his head. munity FoundaLargely unknown is that tion CEO Martin Manna the first woman Chaldean lay out the various needs of attorney was Mary Ann Chaldean refugees, my eyes Binno (not my wife) who circled the room filled with battled blindness onset Chaldean American attorby diabetes but nonetheneys. I tried to recall how less went on to work for MICHAEL G. many attorneys were in the the Securities Exchange SARAFA community when I graduCommission after graduatSPECIAL TO THE ated from Wayne State ing from Wayne State Law CHALDEAN NEWS Law School in 1997. Not school in 1978. Jane Shalvery many. I began to think about the lal, who was sworn into the State relatively brief but beautiful history of Bar after Binno, told me Binno was our attorney community. an inspiration for her bravery and On one book-end is Jewel Haji, a third year Detroit Mercy law student and Editor and Chief of the Law Review who has already secured a job at the prestigious Detroit law firm, Honigman Law. At the other end is the late Salman Sesi who initially could not practice after law school in 1954 because he was not a citizen. Ultimately, he was sworn into the state bar in 1966 and became the first Chaldean lawyer in the United States. In between are three generations of Chaldean lawyers— represented by Mr. Sesi’s grandson, Julian and Julian’s father, Ramy— the only family in the community with lawyers from three generations. accomplishment of being the first On Friday, March 22, a gathering Chaldean female attorney. of about 40 of the best and brightest Among the first generation of in the community, Including Haji, attorneys are several from my own came together for a luncheon meetfamily including Melinda Sarafa ing at the Chaldean Community who practiced white collar crimiFoundation to learn more about the nal defense in New York and is now legal needs of Chaldean refugees General Counsel to a private equity and indigent. The gathering includfirm and at least six other Sarafa’s ed at least three lawyer-employees including my late uncle and my late of the Foundation led by Foundacousin, Derek Sarafa. There must tion COO, Paul Jonna. But it also be dozens of other Chaldean attorincluded Foundation immigration neys in California and Chicago and attorneys Athir Maroki and Carleen at least one in Texas that we know Jarbo, both more recent Detroit about (Steve Kherker). In Boston, Mercy law graduates. On the other Remi Kathawa works for a silkend of the spectrum were more sestocking law firm. nior attorneys including Shamel Also present at the luncheon Halibu and Burt Kassab, who began was Justin Hanna, an attorney at their legal profession in the 1980s. Jaffe Law whose spouse is also an Over lunch, I asked Attorney attorney. At Justin’s wedding to Halibu how many Chaldean atNora Youkhanna last year, Bishop torneys existed when he graduated Ibrahim who was presiding over a from law school. It was such a short rare attorney to attorney wedding list, he began to name them. (Note: told the newlyweds that they had a I’m sure this list is not exhaustive, special obligation to work for justice and I apologize to those I may miss). and to serve the community. Salmon Sesi, Jalal Arabo, Pete This was consistent with the Abbo, Paul Vincent, Karim Saramessage to the attorneys that af8
CHALDEAN NEWS
APRIL 2019
ternoon delivered first by veteran Judge, Diane Dickow D’Agostini who reminded the mostly under 40-year-old crowd of lawyers that pro bono work was not only a moral imperative but encouraged within the rules of the State Bar. This theme was reinforced by Oakland Circuit Court Judge Hala Jarbou who reminded lawyers that the significance of the hurdles they overcame to become lawyers was even more reason to give back. Also attending were Oakland Circuit Court Judge, Lisa Gorcyka and Supreme Court Justice David
schools around the country. Kassab told me that the growth of the legal profession in the community is remarkable for its speed and depth with lawyers specializing in almost every possible area of law. In a collective and moving gesture, each lawyer present agreed to handle at least one pro bono case per year referred to them by the Chaldean Community Foundation. These cases typically involve landlord-tenant issues, family law matters, traffic misdemeanors and motions to set aside judgements. Judge Jarbou reminded those
Viviano. Justice Viviano, who is married to a Chaldean and had his toddler daughter in tow, put forth a path for pro bono work based on his significant experience doing pro bono work when he was in private practice. Attorney Burt Kassab, whose daughter is also an attorney, estimates that there are 300-400 attorneys from the community—with over 80% graduating after the turn of the century-- and 30 or 40 more graduating each year from Michigan based law schools and other law
present that the disposition of these kinds of matters for the people that otherwise would not be well represented could be life changing events for them. The volunteer gesture is big, but just a handful of hours is a little thing. Yet to the beneficiaries of those donated hours, it could mean the world. We’ve come a long way and because of that, many people who need legal help are going to get it. Michael Sarafa is Co-publisher of the Chaldean News.