Bar Association of America and the Commonwealth of Independent States

The Bar Association of America and the Commonwealth of Independent States is being formed by prominent members of the bar in Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, Canada, the United States, and other countries to foster and encourage understanding and cooperation among lawyers and businesses in these two economically, politically, and philosophically powerful regions. Frequent meetings of the Association on both the European / Eurasian and North American continents will begin in spring 1999. The first meeting of the Board of Governors is scheduled for April 1999 in Seattle, Washington. A Fall meeting will be scheduled for Seattle at the time of the World Trade Organization meeting of the Council of Ministers. A summer organizational meeting is planned for Moscow in June or July.

The initial meetings will permit the inaugural board of directors to finalize goals and primary objectives while giving members at all levels an opportunity to acquaint themselves with each other. Input will be sought from all attendees as to strategic and philosophical goals. Lawyers from private practice, corporate practice, government and the judiciary will be welcome.

The Association will foster the exchange of ideas among lawyers in both regions through the publication of a quarterly journal, and will keep members abreast of meetings and other activities through a periodic newsletter. Seminars and other meetings of the various interest sections of the association will be held.

Initial directors of the Association include:

Valery Alpatikov, Chairman of the Specialized Bar Association "Iniurcolleguia" in Moscow
Hon. Randal R. Rader, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Washington, DC
Aleksei N. Malaev, President of the Association of Russian Lawyers and Chairman of the Presidium of the Saratov Regional Bar Association
Neil A. Smith, Esq. Partner in Limbach & Limbach, San Francisco, CA
James A. Forstner, Esq., Senior Counsel, Alston & Bird LLP, Washington, DC
Vladislav I. Kalnyi, Chairman of the Presidium of the Kiev Bar Association, Kiev, Ukraine
Floyd L. Newland , Esq. Shareholder in Karr Tuttle Campbell, Seattle, WA
Mavis S. Gallenson, Esq., Partner, Ladas & Parry, Los Angeles, CA
Misha A. Piliposyan, Chairman of the Presidium of the Armenian Republic Bar Association
Michael Newcity, Associate Professor of Law, Duke University
David L. Garrison, Esq. Senior Shareholder, Garrison & Associates PS, Seattle, WA
Dimitri P. Baranov, Chairman of the Presidium of the Rostov Regional Bar Association, Rostov on Don, RF
Bruce A. McDonald, Esq., Member, Dykema Gossett PLLC, Washington, DC
Lawrence Newman, Esq., Partner Baker & McKenzie, New York, New York
Nikolay Smal, President of the Law Office "Pravozasachitnik", Moscow City Bar Association, Moscow, RF
James L. Austin, Shareholder, Karr Tuttle Campbell, Seattle WA
Anatoly T. Kossenko, President, Russian Consult, Inc. Seattle, WA

Your participation and membership in this worthwhile organization is encouraged. Any suggestions for programs of interest will be warmly received as will any interest in acting as chairs for the various sections of the association. Currently, the following sections are being formed and others are being considered:

• Immigration
• Litigation
• Taxation
• Finance and Banking
• Trade and Customs
• Intellectual Property
• Bankruptcy
• Natural Resources
• Environmental and Real Property
• Maritime

The initial officers of the Association who will serve until the first meeting of Board of Govenors are:

President: Anatoly T . Kossenko
Vice President for North America: David L. Garrison
Vice President for CIS: Nicolai Smal
Secretary: James Austin
Treasurer: Matthew Marquardt

The initial contacts may be made with the organization either at the address, fax and telephone noted above or by e-mail to David L. Garrison, [email protected] or [email protected]. E-mail is the preferred mode of communication.

Last updated:    April 1999

A print version of much of the information contained in this NIS Third Sector Organizations section can be found in the The Post-Soviet Handbook (Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1999).

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