Cara Tangaro

Cara Tangaro is a Utah criminal defense attorney and the lawyer behind Tangaro Law. Cara handles serious criminal matters, including felony jury trials and capital homicide cases. Her practice includes sex crimes, violent crimes, juvenile defense, DUI matters, and federal criminal cases involving juveniles and adults. Before private defense practice, she worked as a prosecutor with the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, giving her experience with criminal cases from the prosecution and defense perspectives.

Cara earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and a BS in Political Science from Santa Clara University. She also completed studies abroad through Gonzaga University in Florence, Italy. Her legal education supports a practice centered on criminal procedure, evidence, trial preparation, and defense strategy. She has taught classes at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark School of Law and Weber State University.

Cara has handled many felony jury trials and uses her prior prosecutorial experience when evaluating criminal cases. Her defense approach includes developing a plan of action with clients and using experts or investigators when needed. She has been involved with the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Utah State Bar Wellness Committee, the Pretrial Release and Supervision Committee, and the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Cara Tangaro has been recognized through Utah Legal Elite and has held leadership roles within Utah’s criminal defense community. Cara has served as a past president of the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and as a past member of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure. Her background as a prosecutor, trial lawyer, lecturer, and defense advocate supports clients facing serious criminal charges and difficult court proceedings.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Tangaro Law
• Commissioner, Utah State Bar
• Co-Chair, Utah State Bar Wellness Committee
• Past President, Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Past member, Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure
• Member, Utah Legal Elite
• Member, Women’s Lawyers of Utah
• Member, Pretrial Release and Supervision Committee

Licensed State

• Utah

Education

• University of Utah
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Santa Clara University
  Bachelor of Science (BS) in Political Science

Awards & Badges