Mr. Tovmassian graduated from New York University in New York, New York, in 1985, with a bachelor's degree in political science. He then moved to Los Angeles, California to attend law school at the University of California at Los Angeles ("UCLA") between 1985 and 1988, when he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree. While at UCLA, he was a member of the Moot Court Honors Society. He was admitted to the California Bar in June of 1989. Immediately following graduation from UCLA, Mr. Tovmassian joined the law firm of Wilner, Klein, Siegel and Kehr in Beverly Hills, California, where he practiced civil litigation in state and federal courts. In 1993, he left that firm to join former Wilner partners George D. Crook and Robert L. Kehr in a firm which later became known as Kehr, Crook, Tovmassian & Fox. While there, Mr. Tovmassian continued to practice civil litigation in state and federal courts, and was involved with Mr. Crook in training and supervising the younger attorneys of the firm. He also handled the firm's civil rights practice, which included employment and discrimination claims in state and federal court. Mr. Tovmassian left Kehr, Crook in May 1998 to start his own firm. Since 2000, his special education practice has grown considerably and presently takes up approximately 80% of his time. Mr. Tovmassian has represented hundreds of special education students and their families in due process cases filed pursuant to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA") in which the involved school districts have settled his clients' claims very favorably. In addition, he has tried several IDEA due process proceedings to completion and prevailed. He has also successfully represented many special education students and their families in litigation in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.