Cara is a business immigration attorney who focuses her practice on employment-based immigration matters for multi-national corporations and individual clients. While she has experience in family-related immigration, her primary expertise is in guiding corporate clients through complex employment-based matters, helping them facilitate seamless movement and integration of international talent while maintaining compliance with immigration regulations. She remains committed to supporting every client with care, ensuring they feel informed and confident at each stage of their immigration journey.
Born in Ecuador and raised in Central New York, Cara grew up in a family where her father was an attorney and her mother was an international business professor, and as such, the law and international perspectives were ever-present. Although Cara began her legal career in insurance defense, she decided to shift to a legal path that would allow her to make a more meaningful difference. Inspired by her parents’ guidance and example, Cara’s desire to help others navigate legal intricacies led to a career transition into immigration law. She refocused her pursuits as a business immigration attorney, where she is dedicated to using her experience and understanding to support clients as they move through the U.S. immigration process.
In 2026, after working with the in-house immigration team for a large corporate tech company and then with an AmLaw firm, Cara returned to Buffalo and joined Berardi Immigration Law. Cara also has prior experience working for a boutique west coast immigration firm and non-profit organization providing pro bono representation for immigration matters to victims of domestic violence and crime.
Outside of work, Cara has always enjoyed traveling, having been to places like Peru, Costa Rica, and Turkey. She now enjoys traveling with her partner, Jim, and traveled to various countries including Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. When not traveling, Cara enjoys being outside with Jim and their springer spaniel, Ilsa (named after the lead in one of her favorite movies, Casablanca).
Education
•Juris Doctor, with a concentration in Cross-Border Legal Studies, from the University at Buffalo School of Law, 2016
o Buffalo Human Rights Law Review, Editorial Board Member, Managing Editor, 2016
o Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team Member, 2016
o NYSBA, International Legal Internship Program, Summer Law Clerk, Hogan Lovells, Mexico City, Mexico, 2015
• Bachelor of Arts in Spanish (with Honors) and Political Science from the University at Buffalo, 2012
o Studied abroad at the Universitat de Barcelona in Spain, 2011