Paola Armeni litigates civil rights actions and criminal defense cases. She protects individuals whose constitutional rights have been violated and defends those accused of crimes.
Recognitions
2024 “Lawyer of the Year” Award Recipient in Criminal Defense: General Practice, Las Vegas
William S. Boyd School of Law – Student Bar Association – Legacy of Service Award (2023)
National Conference of Bar Presidents (NCBP) President’s Page Award for the Column “Pick up the Phone and Show Some Compassion,” 2023
Named among Mountain States Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (2009-2024)
Martindale Hubbell – Rated AV Preeminent (2023, 2024)
Named among The Best Lawyers in America® – Civil Rights Law (2017-2025), Commercial Litigation (2023-2025), Criminal Defense: General Practice (2027-2025), Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2018-2025) by Best Lawyers
Selected as one of the top attorneys in Nevada and recognized in the Nevada Business Magazine as a Legal Elite from 2012 – 2013 and 2021 (among only 1% of Nevada attorneys to receive this distinction)
Selected as the recipient of the Myrna Williams Children’s Pro Bono Award by the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (This award is given in honor of Myrna Williams, and recognizes an attorney who has done an extraordinary job in giving a voice to our communities’ most vulnerable victims.)
Received the “40 Under 40” Award from the Las Vegas Business Press (2012) and received the inaugural Young Lawyer of the Year Award from the State Bar of Nevada (2011)
Selected to the Mountain States Super Lawyers list (2014 – 2021); she was selected to the Mountain States Rising Stars list (2009 – 2013)
Received the inaugural William S. Boyd School of Law 2008 College Alumni of the Year
Received the Legal Excellence Award from Vegas Legal Magazine (2018)
Recognized multiple times as a member of the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada “50 Hours Club” and “100 Hours Club” for her donated service
Appointed over the years to sit on several Merit Selection Panels for the Appointment and Re-Appointment of Magistrate Judges in the District of Nevada. In 2018, she was appointed Chairperson of the Merit Selection Panel that appointed two new Magistrate Judges and shortly thereafter in 2019 was again appointed Chairperson of the Merit Selection panel for the Re-Appointment of Magistrate Judge Koppe. She is the first woman to be appointed to the Chair position in the District of Nevada.
Selected as one of Nevada Business Magazine‘s, Top 50 Up & Coming Attorneys (2012), as well as a VEGAS INC. Top Lawyer
Memberships
Advisory Board Member – Zo’s Bravehearts Foundation
2024 Clark Hill Pro Bono Attorney
Member of Vegas Chamber Executive Women’s Council
Member of Nevada Judicial Branch Security Commission
Member of the Justice Douglas Pre-Law Fellowship Program Board 2022 – Present
Past President, Board of Governors, State Bar of Nevada
Member, American Bar Association
Past Chair, State Bar of Nevada’s Young Lawyer’s Section
Past President, William S. Boyd School of Law Alumni Association
Past President and Current Board Member, Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice
Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Judge, Nevada High School Mock Trial Competition
State Bar Licenses
Vegas Legal Magazine, June 15, 2020
Featured as guest speaker, Nevada Public Radio, May 18, 2020
Quoted, Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 11, 2019
Quoted, Las Vegas Review-Journal, January 31, 2018
Featured, Las Vegas Sun Vegas Inc, November 27, 2017
Featured, Las Vegas Review-Journal, November 27, 2017
Interviewed, CBS Las Vegas, November 22, 2017
Featured, CBS Las Vegas, August 3, 2015
Featured, Las Vegas Business Press, May 11, 2015
- Represented a client in a civil rights action where the jury awarded in excess of 2 million dollars in damages; Ninth Circuit affirmed the judgment.
- Represented a client in a civil rights action where the jury awarded a damage award in excess of $100,000 including punitive damages; Ninth Circuit affirmed the judgment.
- Represented a client in a civil rights action before the Ninth Circuit and successfully defended the denial of summary judgment by the district court judge.
- Represented a client charged with murder; client was acquitted.
- Represented a client charged with activities related to mortgage fraud. Despite a 46-month sentence recommended, was able to obtain a sentence with no jail time.
- Represented a client charged with social security fraud, client received probationary sentence.
- Represented a client charged with attempted murder; client acquitted on attempted murder charge and received probation on remaining counts.
- Represented a client in mortgage fraud case where the government was recommending a 12-month sentence of incarceration, client received one month of incarceration.
- Represented a client in a drug case where she was successful in suppressing all evidence seized resulting in a dismissal of the case.
Articles
- Author, “David v. Goliath, The Battle against Law Enforcement,” Nevada Lawyer, March 2015
- Author, “Ten Quick Tips to Become an Effective Criminal Lawyer,” Communique, March 2014
- Author, “Campaign Finances – But I Want to Give More! The Struggle Between the First Amendment and Corruption,” Nevada Business Magazine, November 2013
- 2023 Nevada Department of Indigent Defense Services Annual Conference – Legal Representation and Ethics of Billing
- State Bar of Nevada Young Lawyers’ Section – 2023 Trial Academy – Ethics for the Trial Attorney
- Idaho Trial Lawyers Association – October 2023 – Civility for the Trial Attorney
- Speaker, “Trial Academy – Themes and Theories,” 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
- Speaker, “Defending the Modern Drug Case,” 12th Annual Seminar, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, September 19, 2019
- Speaker, “Fee Agreements,” Sexual Assault Conference, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2019
- Speaker, “Fines, Forfeitures, and Restitution,” White Collar Conference, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2019
- Speaker, “White Collar Conference Getting Below the White Collar Sentencing Guidelines,” 2017
- Presenter, “Bills that Became Law – 2017 Legislative – Criminal Update webinar, State Bar of Nevada, 2017
- Speaker, “Collateral Consequences for Drug Crimes,” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2016
- Speaker, “Women in the Law,” Leadership Nevada Summer Institute, 2016
- Speaker, “Defending the Modern Drug Case – Fees,” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, October 2015
- Speaker, “Defending the Modern Drug Case – Suppressing the Evidence,” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, September 2014
- Speaker, White Collar Conference, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, June 2014
- Speaker, “White Collar Roundtable Program,” Association of Federal Defense Attorneys (AFDA), May 30, 2014
- Speaker, “Woman in the Law,” State Bar of Nevada, January 2013
- Panel Moderator, “Civil rights panel,” 2012
- Speaker, “Defending the Modern Drug Case – Collateral Consequences,” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, November 2011