Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | October 8, 2018 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is proud to announce that it will present the annual Dr. Raymond Jallow Lifetime Achievement Award to the Honorable Judge James A. Kaddo. The Dr. Raymond Jallow Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional success and leadership throughout their career. Judge Kaddo is being awarded for his achievement and successes in the legal field.
The award will be presented at the Alex Odeh Memorial Dinner as part of the ADC National Convention in Anaheim, California. The dinner will be held on the evening of Saturday October 13 at the Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort. Registration to the Convention, which includes a Gala Dinner ticket, is still open!
Judge Kaddo presently sits in the capacity in the Unlimited Civil Division of the L.A. Superior Court in the Northwest District, in Van Nuys, California. Since graduating from law school in 1963 Judge Kaddo has built a reputation of a strong legal and community advocate. He has dedicated his career to public service, and the betterment of the community. We are honored to award Judge Kaddo, and hope you can join us on the 13th of October.
You can view the complete Convention schedule by clicking here. To view registration information please click here.
Biography
Click to view the complete by of Judge Kaddo
Judge James A. Kaddo was born in Zgharta, Lebanon and emigrated to the United States in 1950 to join his family who had left Lebanon some 4 years before him. He is really Jamal Kaddo Moawad but like other Lebanese immigrants the name lost something in the translation.
Judge Kaddo began his college education at the University of California and in 1956 graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA degree in Political Science/ International Relations. As a reward to his educational achievements he was immediately drafted into the US Army- being from Zgharta it was decided he was perfectly suited for warfare. He served 2 years on active duty in the US Army and 4 years on inactive duty. He was honorably discharged in 1958.
Judge Kaddo returned to Los Angeles in 1958 and entered the University of Southern California School of Law. In 1959 he took a leave of absence from his studies and returned to Lebanon to marry his present wife and started a family. He then returned from Lebanon and resumed his law studies receiving his Juris Doctor Degree from USC School of Law in 1963.
Upon his graduation from Law School, Judge Kaddo immediately began the practice of law, at first with partners and later at his own law firm until 27 years later where he was appointed as a Judge by Governor George Deukmejian in December 1990.
As a lawyer, Judge Kaddo distinguished himself as a trial and business lawyer and specialized in real estate developments and investments. He is however just as proud of his active involvement in the American Lebanese Community – socially and politically. He was a founder, president or board member of practically of all of the Lebanese and Arab American organizations both locally and nationally. He was among others President of the William Neima Republican Club, President of the World Lebanese Cultural Union, President and Founder of the LA Chapter of the ADC, President and Founding member of the Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California, Founding Member of the Lebanese American Foundation and presently he is Chairman of the Board, Honorary Founding Member of Los Angeles Beirut Sister City Committees and LA Cedars Rotary Club. His latest achievement and pride is the recent purchase of an attractive building on Wilshire Boulevard to house a Lebanese Community Center “the House of Lebanon.” Prior to that acquisition he was proud to have contributed and assisted in the purchase of our present Cathedral, Our Lady of Lebanon-St Peter, with the late great Lebanese, Danny Thomas, and beloved Bishop John Chedid.