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Our
Founders |
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From
left
to
right:
(standing)
Attorneys
Michael
Angelo
Pontrelli,
August
"Gene"
Carloni,
Paul
Caruso,
Eugene
Damiano,
and
Carl
"Tony"
Capozzola;
(seated)
Los
Angeles
Superior
Court
Judge
Mario
Clinco.
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(Carloni,
Caruso
and
Clinco
are
now
deceased.) |
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| Early
in 1977, the five
lawyers and one
judge pictured
above set out
to establish an
organization of
Italian American
lawyers. A directory
of lawyers' telephone
numbers was scanned
for Italian-sounding
names, and a spate
of presumed Italians
in Los Angeles
and Orange counties
received a letter
inviting them
to an organizational
meeting on April
17, 1977 at the
Beverly Hills
home of Paul Caruso.
Between 40 and
50 lawyers attended
that meeting.
The IALA was born.
On
July 20, 1977,
the first "regular"
meeting of the
association
was held at
Casa Italiana,
located north
of Chinatown
— which
remains the
site of the
monthly gatherings.
Caruso was drafted
as the "interim"
president. Despite
the limited
title conferred
at the time,
he is regarded
as the organization's
first president.
A
nominating committee,
chaired by Robert
Mallano, was
charged with
selecting persons
to serve as
officers for
the full year
of 1978. Mallano
was never to
serve, himself,
as an officer
of the organization.
He was the first
member of it
to be appointed
to the bench,
largely through
the IALA's efforts.
He next became
a Superior Court
judge, again
at the urging
of the IALA,
and served as
the court's
presiding judge
in 1993 and
1994. Mallano
now sits as
a justice of
the Court of
Appeal, and
has credited
the IALA as
being largely
responsible
for his elevation.
Caruso
and Mallano
are but two
of the organization's
luminaries,
two players
over the past
two decades
who have brought
credit to an
organization
marked by achievement,
while known
for its camaraderie
and fun. |
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From
Year One to the Present |
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1977
Year
1 |
President:
PAUL CARUSO
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| The IALA's
first general meeting was held July 20,
1977, at Casa Italiana, where its meetings
are still held. Its first social event was
a State Bar breakfast in San Diego featuring
Court of Appeal Presiding Justice John Racanelli
of the First District. On Oct. 12, 1977,
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2007
Year
31 |
President:
Michael
R. Diliberto |
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| The Installation
Ball took place at the elegant Jonathan
Club in downtown Los Angeles. DiLiberto
at the outset of his term announced meetings
he planned for the entire year. "The
First Annual 'Hall of Fame' Night"
featured tributes to U.S. District Judge
George P. Schiavelli, |
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