Powerhouses.
Our lawyers have advised judges, businesses, and even sovereign nations.
Our team has worked on over 130 appeals; has litigated over 140 civil litigation matters; advised over 200 businesses in transactions; represented individuals and entrepreneurs in launching their businesses and protecting their ideas; and created strategic pathways to obtain preferred outcomes through settlement, arbitration or mediation when warranted.
We have led courts to make changes in the law for the benefit of our clients and compelled legislatures to refine statutes on crucial issues. Our team finds solutions and delivers outcomes in the most challenging of matters. Discover who our powerhouses are and explore what they can do for you.
Karnig Kerkonian | esq
Chicago
Karnig Kerkonian
Biography
Mr. Kerkonian is a seasoned international lawyer. He currently leads the international and federal practice groups at Kerkonian Dajani LLP, focusing on complex litigation matters, Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act litigation, commercial sanctions regimes, and commercial transactions, both international and domestic.
Karnig Kerkonian holds an A.B. magna cum laude in Government from Harvard University and two law degrees—a J.D. from the University of Chicago where he served on the Law Review as well as a post-doctoral Diploma in Public International Law from Cambridge University, England where he studied under James R. Crawford, later a Judge of the International Court of Justice. Upon completing his studies, Mr. Kerkonian joined Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago working in federal litigation and appeals and, in 2003, began his own practice.
A founding partner of Kerkonian Dajani LLP, Mr. Kerkonian regularly handles litigation and appeals covering a range of subjects including foreign sovereign immunity, international business contracts, fiduciary duties, statutory and tort claims, often involving multi-national commercial entities and/or foreign states. His transactional practice focuses on corporate transactions including international acquisitions, joint ventures and stock/asset sales. Mr. Kerkonian is likewise active in public interest matters involving international human rights issues.
Mr. Kerkonian presents regularly on matters of public international law, the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights and the application of international law in U.S. courts. He is an adjunct professor of public international law at Artsakh State University.
Education
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY – AB in Government, magna cum laude
- UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LAW SCHOOL – Juris Doctorate and Law Review
- CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY (England) – Dipl. in Public International Law
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Illinois
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Awards, Acknowledgements & Activities
- Honorary Doctorate (2022), Artsakh University
- International Justice Award (2022), Armenian National Committee of America
- Board Director, Armenian Society of Fellows
- Committee Member, Artsakh Committee of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church
- Founder and CoHost, Frontlines—International Law, Human Rights and the Armenian Experience
- Founder and Artistic Director, The Siragan Armenian Dance Company of Chicago
- Member of the American Society of International Law
- Member of the European Society of International Law
Elizabeth Al-Dajani | esq
Chicago
Elizabeth M. Al-Dajani
Biography
As a partner of Kerkonian Dajani LLP, Elizabeth Al-Dajani specializes in commercial litigation, class actions and works on a range of issues involving civil and criminal appeals. Ms. Al-Dajani not only files and argues appeals but also counsels trial attorneys on protecting their record and exhausting all possible paths to pave the appellate record prior to the close of trial.
Prior to the formation of Kerkonian Dajani, Ms. Al-Dajani had the honor of serving as a Judicial Law Clerk the same judge for 3 years in the commercial calendar of the Circuit Court of Cook County and 3 years at the Illinois Appellate Court, First District. In total, she has been involved in over 100 appeals as an attorney and a clerk.
Ms. Al-Dajani is published on a range of legal issues including intellectual property rights in the Arab Middle East. She obtained her B.A. in Politics and Government at North Park University cum laude and obtained her law degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law where she served on the Intellectual Property Law Review as Candidacy Editor and advanced to the International Finals of the Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition.
Ms. Al-Dajani serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and regularly serves as a presenter and guest speaker in courses on Illinois Civil Procedure, Judicial Externships and Professional Responsibility. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Illinois Appellate Lawyers’ Association, North Suburban Bar Association and North Shore Law, an association of women lawyers.
She serves as a Director on the Board of the Illinois Appellate Lawyers’ Association and on the Board of North Shore Law. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for Chiaravalle Montessori School and Beacon Academy in Evanston, IL, and is currently participating in SEED certification through the National SEED Project.
Education
- NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY – BA in Politics & Government, cum laude
- UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO SCHOOL OF LAW – JD and Review of Intellectual Property Law
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Illinois
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Publications
IABA Review, Iran and the United States: United States Breach of the Treaty of Amity Justified? Volume 3, Issue 1, Fall 2008.
See a list of Ms. Al-Dajani’s articles here.
Garo Ghazarian | esq
Los Angeles
Garo B. Ghazarian
Biography
Coming Soon
Education
- LAVERNE COLLEGE OF LAW – JD
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of California
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Hon. Samuel Der-Yeghiayan | esq
Chicago
Hon. Samuel Der-Yeghiayan (Ret.)
Biography
Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan brings more than 40 years of legal expertise to Kerkonian Dajani LLP. Judge Der-Yeghiayan served as a District Court Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for 15 years. Prior to his service at the Northern District, he served as an Immigration Judge in the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review; as Acting District Director for the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS); Chief Counsel for INS; and Trial Attorney for INS, all in Chicago.
During his career with the Department of Justice, and for 20 consecutive years, he received outstanding performance ratings as a U.S. Justice Department Attorney from several attorney generals of the United States. He also received the Frank J. McGarr Award of the Federal Bar Association as the Outstanding Federal Government Attorney in Chicago as well as the District Counsel of the Year Award from the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Services and the Attorney General of the United States.
More information on Judge Der-Yeghiayan may be found here.
Education
- EVANGEL UNIVERSITY – BA
- UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE SCHOOL OF LAW (formerly Franklin Pierce Law School) – JD
Ani Nazaryan | esq
Los Angeles
Ani Nazaryan
Biography
Ms. Nazaryan is an associate attorney in the both the litigation and transactional practice groups at Kerkonian Dajani LLP, specializing in commercial fraud matters, international transactions, and foreign sovereign immunities litigation. Her knowledge in cybersecurity and data privacy law supports the firm’s practice in cross-border transactions and international dispute resolution.
Ms. Nazaryan previously worked as a legal extern for the World Bank, where she specialized in big data and anti-corruption. She graduated from Southwestern Law School in 2022 where she focused on technology law and entrepreneurship. As a law student, she served as a member and a fellow for the Negotiation Honors Program, president and board member for the Armenian Law Students Association, chief operating officer of the Students for Technology Law and Entrepreneurship Association, peer mentor for first year law students, and student member for the Dean’s Task Force for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. She currently serves as a member for the Southwestern Alumni’s Nickel Board Committee.
Education
- CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE – B.A. in Political Science with an Emphasis on Law and Society
- SOUTHWESTERN LAW SCHOOL – JD – Class of 2022
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of California