Emilia “Mila” Arutunian is the Director of Employment Law Litigation and Personal Injury Relations at Antonyan Miranda, LLP. Before transitioning to plaintiff-side advocacy, Mila spent much of her career defending high-stakes litigation matters—including representing defendants in personal injury actions and defending major employers in cases involving workplace harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.

Driven by her commitment to justice and her passion for uplifting individuals whose voices often go unheard, Mila ultimately left defense work to build a practice dedicated to representing employees and injury victims.

Known for her strict adherence to discipline and her remarkable story of personal and professional growth, Mila has been invited to appear on numerous podcasts and programs to share her journey—from her refugee background, to building her career from the ground up with no connections or resources, to becoming a lawyer who fights relentlessly for what is right.

In addition to her litigation work, Mila is also a legal educator and commentator. She co-hosts two podcasts: The Glamorous Grind, produced by Antonyan Miranda, where she explores legal issues and how they intersect with real life, and Punching the Clock, part of the AM Sidebar series, which focuses specifically on workplace and employment law issues.

Bilingual in English and Russian, Mila has earned wide recognition for her skill and advocacy. She has been named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Labor and Employment Litigation for four consecutive years (2021–2025). She was selected as a Finalist for the San Diego Business Journal’s Leaders in the Law Awards in 2021, has been recognized as a Super Lawyer from 2021 through 2025, and was honored as one of the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 in both 2024 and 2025.

Mila has a strong record of service to the legal community. She served as President of the San Diego County Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law Section in 2021 and 2022, and has chaired the Lawyers Club of San Diego’s Life, Law, and Parenting Committee continuously from 2021 to 2025. She is currently collaborating with the Armenian Bar Association and the Armenian Genocide Museum on a project assisting refugees in documenting their stories of survival. Mila is also leading efforts to launch a San Diego Armenian Legal Community organization aimed at strengthening professional and cultural connection among Armenian attorneys in the region. Mila is also assisting with spearheading the firm’s partnership with One Safe Place, providing free legal trainings and services to victims of domestic violence, furthering her and the firm’s commitment to advocacy for vulnerable communities.