Michael Carrillo

Michael S. Carrillo is a trial lawyer based in South Pasadena whose advocacy is rooted in both heritage and empathy. Growing up watching his father invest deeply — even financially — into pro‑bono fights, he came to understand early that the promise of the law is not simply financial gain but genuine justice.

After earning his B.A. in General Communication (with minors in History and Spanish) at Purdue University and then a J.D. from Whittier Law School, Michael began working in Orange County in a high‑profile criminal defense and family law firm before launching his own practice.

Eventually he and his father, Luis Carrillo, joined forces to form the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP, bringing together decades of community‑based representation in Los Angeles and a bilingual, bicultural approach that resonates with Latino clients and juries alike.

Michael directs his practice toward the most serious and painful wrongs—child sexual abuse, police misconduct, catastrophic injury and wrongful death. He has helped secure multi‑million‑dollar settlements and verdicts, served clients through every stage of litigation (including appeals and legislative reform), and insisted on compassion as his firm’s operating principle.

What sets Michael apart, he says, isn’t only skill in court—it’s connection. Being a proud Mexican‑American with fluency in Spanish means he can meet clients and jurors where they are, understand their culture and story, and give them his voice when they’ve lost theirs. That, he believes, is not a marketing line—it’s how real justice happens.

If you need an advocate who will walk into the courtroom with empathy, cultural fluency and a refusal to accept injustice, Michael S. Carrillo is ready to fight for you—because for him the work is personal, and the outcome matters.