On Monday, November 27, 2008, the DMIA presented a program on the legal issues relating to Memos, Consignments, Accounts Receivable, Security Agreements, UCC’s and Bankruptcy.  The program was held in the Grand Ballroom of the 3 West Club and was attended by a standing-room only crowd.      
    The DMIA presented an outstanding panel of legal experts who discussed and explained the difficult and complex legal issues involved in all aspects of doing business domestically.  The panel included Professor Neil Cohen, a distinguished professor at Brooklyn Law School and a renowned expert in the area of Sales, Consignments and the Uniform Commercial Code.  Professor Cohen has written and lectured extensively on these subjects and has served for many years as a leading consultant to the Uniform Commercial Code Revision Commission.  Also on the panel was Edwin Smith, a senior partner in the international law firm of Bingham McCutchen LLP and a leading expert on Bankruptcy, Secured Transactions and the UCC.                
    Sponsorship for the event was provided by Antwerp Diamond Bank, Bank Leumi, Chase, HSBC and ABN Amro and Valley National Bank.       
    Below are photos from the event. 



   

On December 17th, the DMIA hosted its annual holiday celebration party.  The event was attended by members of the diamond industry as well as representatives from diamond industry banks, insurance companies, shipping companies, grading laboratories and other industry service related companies. The party was held in the penthouse suite of 580 Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Below are photos from the party.

    On July 24, 2008, the DMIA proudly hosted a meeting with Dorothee Gizenga, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Diamond Development Initiative.  Attending the meeting were members of the DMIA's Executive Board, including VP Rick Cohen, President, Ronald Friedman, VP Sheldon Kwiat, VP Fred Knobloch and DMIA Executive Director, Ben Kinzler.  Below is a photo of the meeting.