Vaheh Manoukian grew up in Glendale, in the Armenian community, and he is the first lawyer in his family. He opened Manoukian Law Firm in Chatsworth, where he lives, on one standard: every client works directly with the attorney who knows their case in detail. The firm represents people injured in car, truck, motorcycle, rideshare, pedestrian and bicycle accidents, falls on unsafe property, dog bites and wrongful death cases throughout California.
Why personal injury
Vaheh chose this work because he wanted to represent people, not companies. A personal injury case usually starts on the worst day of someone’s life, and the job is to help them become whole again after a loss they did not choose. He likes the problem-solving side of it, building a case with evidence and medicine, and the negotiating side, working toward a resolution rather than escalation for its own sake.
Before opening the firm he practiced at a larger firm, where he handled depositions and trials early and learned how serious injury, wrongful death and abuse cases are built and tried. He also saw the other side of the process up close. To a large corporation or an insurance company, an injury claim is a number on a spreadsheet, and the emotion is taken out of an emotional process on purpose. The people who are hurt are the only ones for whom it is personal. His goal was to build a practice that works with those people directly.
How the firm works
Small firm access, big firm knowledge. Vaheh takes the first call himself, reviews the evidence, deals with the insurance companies, and stays the point of contact through the end of the case. Clients have his direct number. Every file is prepared from the start as if it will be tried, because that is what gets a case taken seriously: evidence secured early, treating physicians and outside medical and accident professionals consulted, every loss documented.
He will also tell you the truth about your case, even when it is not what you want to hear. That includes what a case is likely worth, where the weak points are, and what a deposition or a defense medical examination will involve. Clients are kept informed at every milestone and in plain language, and the fee agreement is explained in writing before any work begins. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless the firm recovers for you.
As a retired attorney, I feel qualified to evaluate Mr. Manoukian’s representation of me in an injury lawsuit. He was responsive to all of my communications; he was an excellent draftsman in all correspondence and pleadings; he analyzed the matter precisely; he demonstrated great knowledge of the issues; and he did an excellent job in preparing me for my deposition.
Education and admissions
Vaheh earned his Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law, where he served in the Mediation Clinic and was an editor of and contributor to the USC Business Law Digest. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2021, Bar number 333026.
Recognition and memberships
- Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2027
- State Bar of California #333026, admitted 2021
- Juris Doctor, USC Gould School of Law; Bachelor of Arts, UCLA
- Member, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Consumer Attorneys of California, and the San Fernando Valley Bar Association
- Vaheh speaks English and Armenian; the firm serves Spanish-speaking clients
Outside the office
Vaheh lives in Chatsworth. His free time goes to his family, and he has been a sports fan all his life. The office is on Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and he meets clients there, by phone or video, or in the hospital when getting out is hard.