Mike Arias

Mike Arias is the founding and managing partner of Arias Sanguinetti Trial Lawyers, based in the firm’s Southern California office. He is a past president of both the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) and Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), two of the largest trial lawyer associations in the nation. Mike is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and over the course of his career he has resolved hundreds of matters resulting in well over a billion dollars in recoveries for clients.

His experience is as diverse as the firm’s practice, including Mass Plaintiff, Class Actions, Consumer Protection, Sexual Assault, Catastrophic Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Product Liability, Employment, Wage & Hour, Environmental Issues, and Toxic Torts. During his 40-year career, he has served as lead, co-lead, or liaison counsel in hundreds of class and mass plaintiff actions, including cases against some of the largest corporations and institutions in the nation. Mike was co-liaison counsel for the plaintiffs in the University of Southern California/Dr. George Tyndall litigation on behalf of over 700 women who were sexually abused and assaulted by the disgraced USC gynecologist. He was instrumental in obtaining legislation to allow the survivors to pursue their claims and which ultimately led to a historic $852 million settlement, the largest known settlement in a sexual abuse case in U.S. history, as well as the largest-known personal injury settlement against a university. He was also instrumental in obtaining an $828 million settlement on behalf of 414 survivors of sexual abuse in Los Angeles County’s juvenile detention and foster care systems. This was one of the highest average per-plaintiff recoveries achieved in a sexual abuse case against a government entity, with an average recovery of $2 million per survivor.

Numerous publications and peer organizations have recognized Mike as one of the top trial attorneys in the country. He has been named to the California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) list by the Daily Journal and as Trial Lawyer of the Year by CAOC. The Daily Journal has also honored him as one of the Top 50 Plaintiff Lawyers, Top 30 Plaintiff Attorneys in California, and Top 100 Attorneys in California. Law360 named him a Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar, The National Law Journal has honored him as a Plaintiff Trailblazer, The Recorder honored him as a California Trailblazer, and Lawdragon has recognized him in the Hall of Fame and as a Top 500 Plaintiff Attorney in the nation. Mike has also been a Super Lawyer every year since 2009 and a Best Lawyer every year since 2019.

Mike is very involved in political fundraising and has been integral in helping bring greater representation and equity throughout the political arena through his political fundraising efforts on behalf of pro-civil justice and consumer-friendly political candidates at both the state and federal levels. Equally defining is his role in building the next generation of plaintiff advocates through education and training in organizations like CAALA’s Plaintiff Trial Academy. Through his work, the firm has consistently pushed the law forward across practice areas, setting standards for litigation and trial of complex matters against corporations and institutions.

Contact Mike Arias at mike@aswtlawyers.com.