Vako Artinian

Vako Artinian joined the Pasadena, California, office of Baron & Budd’s Environmental Litigation Group as an associate in 2025 after nearly losing his Altadena home in the Eaton Canyon Fire. Witnessing the devastation and loss of eighty percent of his Altadena community provided Mr. Artinian with a clear purpose for community service and commitment to environmental advocacy. He is a versatile trial and litigation attorney with more than 10 years of experience providing passionate, zealous, and dedicated service to his clients.

Mr. Artinian specializes in helping individuals, families, businesses, and public entities in their wildfire claims against negligent utility companies. He is part of a team that has recovered nearly $1.5 billion for clients who have been harmed by catastrophic wildfires through no fault of their own. Mr. Artinian possesses a deep sense of commitment to helping wildfire victims hold utility companies accountable for the harm they cause due to their negligent or intentional acts and has found his calling helping families, businesses and municipalities put their lives and organizations back together.

Mr. Artinian knew he wanted to be an attorney from an early age, when he competed on his high school mock trial team. His passion for competing and coaching mock trials continued through college, law school, and to this day as a volunteer judge at tournaments.

Mr. Artinian received his bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from the University of California, San Diego. He belonged to the Phi Alpha Delta Law Society as well as the National Academic Honors Society.

Mr. Artinian graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2013. As a law student, he competed nationally as a member of the school’s mock trial and alternative dispute resolution teams. He also served as editor of the school newspaper and was honored to serve as Lieutenant Governor in the Law Student Division of the American Bar Association for the Ninth Circuit judicial region. In addition, he served as Vice President of the Middle Eastern Law Students Association and was instrumental in founding the Armenian Law Students Association. He also received the Pro Bono Honors Award for the time he spent volunteering at the San Diego Veteran’s Legal Assistance Clinic and the San Diego Office of the Public Defender.

Mr. Artinian has successfully settled multi-million-dollar cases, zealously conducted jury trials yielding favorable outcomes for his clients and has staunchly represented his clients as an appellate lawyer in the California Court of Appeals in an action to reverse erroneous decisions by lower courts that threatened their most precious constitutional rights. Mr. Artinian has litigation and trial experience in a multitude of legal fields, including business and real estate litigation, construction defect, environmental litigation, and personal injury.

In his spare time, Mr. Artinian takes pleasure in cooking and spending time with his three young boys. He also enjoys going to music concerts and immersing himself in nature. But whether at work or at home, he ceaselessly strives to improve his skills as an authentic human being and an advocate for others.

Licensed in: California