Mia Perez-Arroyo, Esq.
Mia Perez-Arroyo, Esq. is a nationally recognized judge, civil rights attorney, and medical malpractice and employment litigator known for her high-impact litigation and advocacy for Indigenous, disability, and workers’ rights. She began her legal career in 1999 after graduating from UCLA School of Law and passing the California Bar on her first attempt. That same year, she was hired as a Deputy Attorney General in the Criminal Appeals, Writs, and Trials Division of the California Department of Justice. Early in her career, following the Columbine school shootings, she successfully argued a precedent-setting case that changed California law regarding school searches and reasonable suspicion on school campuses. Her constitutional arguments were adopted by the California Supreme Court and later included in law textbooks, helping shape statewide legal standards for student safety and civil liberties.
Her career quickly advanced due to her legal skill and reputation for excellence. In 2006, she was recruited into the California Department of Justice’s elite Health Quality Enforcement Section, historically reserved for the most experienced attorneys. Despite having only one year of legal experience at the time of her recruitment, she became the youngest attorney ever appointed to the section based on her demonstrated potential and legal aptitude. For more than 20 years, she served as a lead prosecutor handling complex litigation against medical institutions, hospitals, and licensed healthcare providers. She was recognized by the California Attorney General in 2004 for her outstanding prosecutorial work. During this period, she also served as an adjunct professor at USC Gould School of Law, teaching trial advocacy the same year she completed law school and began her professional legal career.
In 2019, Perez-Arroyo transitioned from public service to private practice, founding The Law Offices of Mia Perez-Arroyo, where she now holds healthcare systems, employers, and institutions accountable using the same prosecutorial rigor she developed at the Department of Justice. She currently serves as Chief Judge and General Counsel for the Texas “Yorimea” Band of Yaqui Indians and remains deeply committed to tribal sovereignty, cultural preservation, and economic development for her community. She also operates an apprenticeship training program within her firm, mentoring emerging attorneys, including one apprentice who has successfully passed the baby bar examination after several years of training. Driven by a long-term vision of economic empowerment, her ultimate goal is to generate resources to support land recovery and investment initiatives for her tribe while continuing her work in civil rights, healthcare accountability, and legal education.
• University of California, Los Angeles - School of Law - JD
• University of California, Berkeley - BFA
• Featured by Attorney General in 2004 for Best Work
• Featured in Metro News in 2024
• Law School Award for Case Work
• California Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• California American Indian Law Association
• Tribal Council Member
• St. Augustine Historical Preservation Society
• Texas Band of Yaqui Indians
• The National Grand Family Heritage Foundation
• Volunteer work for tribe as Chief Judge and Tribal Council Member
• Free apprenticeship program mentoring law students
What do you attribute your success to?
Mia attributes her success to meticulous preparation, perseverance, seizing early opportunities (notably an early appellate victory that changed law), and proving herself through demonstrated work rather than asking for a seat at the table.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
She reflected on their most notable achievement, which was changing California law regarding school searches after the Columbine shootings, leading to a successful career as a lead prosecutor. The conversation highlighted their unique position as a woman of color in law enforcement and their ongoing efforts to inspire future generations of diverse legal professionals.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I want young women, especially those from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds, to see that their identity isn't an obstacle. I never asked for space or a seat at the table - I had to earn it. It was at least a decade before I went up against another female in my area of law. It was male-dominated and still is, but I put my foot through the door and they can't keep me out anymore. Just because something hasn't been done before doesn't mean you can't do it yourself. I won't take no for an answer, and people underestimate me, which motivates me further. I'm trying to be a good role model for members of my tribe and my communities at large. I just want to see more women out there doing what I've done. Work hard and never give up. There were trails I had to blaze on my own, and now I'm hoping that other women, other women of color, will have the same opportunities that I had.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is being in a male-dominated field. It was at least a decade before I went up against another female in my area of law. It was male-dominated and it still is. When I interviewed for the Health Quality Enforcement Section, they told me 'we don't normally do this' and that I was a gamble in their eyes as a woman and a woman of color. But I put my foot through the door and they can't keep me out anymore. I'm still moving forward despite being told no. A lead prosecutor doesn't always have one look - they can look like me and be even more prepared than who they had in my position previously.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Ethics and integrity are very important to me. Even though I'm no longer a lead prosecutor at the DOJ, I still hold that integrity. I have to have everything very precise and I'm very big on preparation. I'm committed to representing people who were discriminated against or were not given their day in court or suffered negligence in a medical capacity. Whatever it is, in any way that people have been harmed, it's personal for me to help because I was a client myself at one time early in my career. I'm trying to leave a legacy and reach and change systems and leave them stronger than I found them. It's bigger than myself at this point - I'm just using the tools and the skills that I gained to help my community and my tribe. I want to balance work and fun, which is why I always felt like I needed to keep that theatrical part of me busy with singing and performance.
Locations
Texas “Yorimea” Band of Yaqui Indians
Elk Grove, CA 95758