Michael Amerian in fierce campaign for Los Angeles City Attorney post

by Lory Tatoulian

Published: Saturday November 01, 2008

Michael Amerian.

Los Angeles - For the past five months, Deputy Los Angeles City Attorney Michael R. Amerian has been running a fierce campaign to be elected City Attorney. Now continuing to build on his momentum, Mr. Amerian is gearing up for the March 3, 2009 primary, which will be followed by a run-off on May 19. The 34-year-old prosecutor, who is currently the only candidate that works at the City Attorney's office, said he is "convinced that the only way to maximize the potential out of the City Attorney's office is to have somebody within the office lead it."

The charismatic young attorney feels that his experience as a prosecutor, combined with his activism in the business and community sectors, make him the most viable and seasoned candidate for the position. His opponents are attorney Carmen A. Trutanich and City Council member Jack Weiss.

During a kick-off fundraiser at the Showpro Studios in Atwater Village, Los Angeles, Mr. Amerian spoke to a room full of supporters about his background as lawyer and presented a slew of initiatives he plans to implement once elected as City Attorney. Mr. Amerian described the hundreds of cases he has successfully prosecuted, along with his vast experience in being on the front lines against gang crime and domestic violence.

"While I've been at the City Attorney's office, I can't express how much I have enjoyed working there and giving back to the community every day," he said. "Whether its been representing domestic-violence victims who are so afraid of coming forward to testify or helping a family that has lost a member to a drunk driver, it really has been rewarding to make a career out of protecting the members of our society who need the most help."

Devotion to pubic service is transgenerational in the Amerian family. His father, Hon. Richard Amerian, who died in 2001, was the first judge of Armenian descent to serve in Southern California. At 32, he was one of the youngest judges ever appointed to the California Court of Appeals. Michael's mother, Lynn, is also a longtime public servant. She has worked as a key staff member for several elected officials at Los Angeles City Hall for nearly 20 years.

Judge Amerian was widely regarded as a trailblazer, having helped pave the way for many young Armenians who later became influential lawyers and judges serving in the U.S. judicial system.
Despite the large number of Armenians, including many practicing attorneys, living in Los Angeles, there has never been an Armenian to hold an elected office at Los Angeles City Hall. Amerian hopes to reverse this trend and give Armenians an official presence in the city.

"When he became a judge, my father blazed a trail that many others in our community have followed," he said. "Given the size of our community in Los Angeles, the time has finally come for us to have a voice at City Hall for the first time. It would be such an honor to not only be that voice, but to carve the way for future generations of our community."

Michael Amerian earned a bachelor of science degree in foreign service from Georgetown University. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Southern California (USC) Law School. At USC, he established the Justice Richard Amerian Scholarship Endowment for deserving law students and served as a staff member on the Review of Law and Women's Studies.

While in law school, Mr. Amerian also worked as a staff member for the Los Angeles Elected Charter Reform Commission, the entity responsible for creating neighborhood councils throughout the city. During his service with the commission, Amerian attended community meetings across the city, gaining valuable insight into the numerous issues confronted by Los Angeles. 

Later, Amerian served as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge Dickran Tevrizian. In this capacity, he worked on cases involving complex constitutional, civil rights, municipal liability, free speech, securities fraud, trademark, and patent cases. Amerian was also an attorney in private practice, representing individuals and Fortune 100 companies in both state and federal court regarding various environmental, intellectual property, product liability, and general business litigation matters.

Mr. Amerian feels deeply connected to the Armenian community, regarding it as the foundation that has helped inform his identity. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Amerian is the grandson of Genocide survivors. He has served as a trustee of the George Ignatius Foundation, a charitable trust that has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to support educational, cultural, religious, and humanitarian organizations throughout the world. In addition, Mr. Amerian serves on the Board of Directors of the Armenian Film Foundation and is a member of the Western Diocese's Government Relations and Protocol Committee.

"The reason that we are supporting him is not just because he is Armenian, but because he is the best candidate out there," said Dr. Ara Tavitian. "He has been an exemplary prosecutor in anti-gang and domestic-violence cases."

Amerian needs to raise up to $4 million for the campaign. Since the last reporting period, which ended on September 30, he has gained an edge over both of his opponents.

"I have been able to put together a bipartisan coalition of endorsements that are going to help the campaign," Mr. Amerian noted.

Mr. Amerian's chief campaign advisor, Bill Carrick, is a seasoned strategist who has had experience running presidential and city-wide campaigns. To win the election, Mr. Amerian needs approximately 125,000 votes. Toward this end, he is hoping to tap into the pool of some 30,000 voters of Armenian descent.

Mr. Amerian's campaign is working to rally voters on a grassroots level. Amerian said that even though people who live outside the City of Los Angeles can't vote for him, "they can still help by donating to the website (MichaelAmerian.com) or volunteering to walk precincts, or making phone calls and telling their friends who do live in Los Angeles to vote for me."