Novian & Novian LLP is pleased to welcome Judith Manouchehri Esq. to the firm as "of counsel" in their long-standing national real estate acquisition, development and leasing practice. Prior to joining Novian, Ms. Manouchehri served as in-house real estate counsel at Panda Express, Inc. Judith has Extensive Experience representing all parties in the disposition of commercial real estate in over 15 states. A graduate of USC's Gould School of Law, Judith has been practicing since 2005.

It was in April 2012 when the port of Los Angeles Agreed to buy it's first hydrogen Fuel-cell truck, part of an ambitious new program to invest in zero emissions technology.

The truck would be the first of its size to run on a combination of two fedgling Tehnologies, Exotic fuel cells and electric car batteries. But the truck, expected within six months, has yet to be delivered by local startup Vision Motor corp.

In fact, the company has only produced one truck for clients so far and has lost other business due to delays.

LOS ANGELES — Farid and Farhad Novian credit the 24 year longevity of their seven lawyer litigation and transaction boutique Novian & Novian LLP to a sense of trust in Each other, Their staff and clients.

"It's kept the two of us together." said Farid, 53, the older of the two brothers. "We're a tight-knit group with respect to the office and staff. We have clients dating back to 1988 who still give as a lot of work. We've [developed] a sense of community."

The brothers liken that good vibe to the traditional support system that extended families in Middle Eastern cultures create.

They also credit their Father, who was educated at Columbia University before going back to Iran, for having the foresight lo return to the United Stales with his family in 1970, thus giving his sons the opportunity to launch a law firm.

It was the era of the Apollo 11 moon landing, and to the young Novians the atmosphere provided "a beacon of light," Farhad said, fueling their belief that anything was possible.

STUDIO CITY — Will Karges sits in a dark leather corner booth of his latest acquisition. Called The Six, the restaurant is a branch of one he opened last year in West Los Angeles.

If both restaurants have the feel of a place that's been there for years, it's because they have — only in different incarnations and with decidedly different vibes. There's nothing old about them except an eternal feeling of comfort.

Karges — who's been buying and running restaurants for a quarter century since taking over management of Johnnie's NY Pizzeria from his father — describes The Six as representative of the casual or "slow food" dining movement that took off a decade ago and that's continued to thrive during a time when more white-tablecloth restaurants have folded.

Just as a slow economy has been a boon for certain restaurateurs, it's also infused the work of lawyers who represent them. Farhad Novian, co-founder of Novian & Novian LLP, an eightlawyer transactions and litigation boutique that counts a dozen restaurateurs as clients, including  Karges, said he's seen a sharp uptick in transactions on the hospitality side of his practice.