Cara Lynn Santosuosso

PRO

Cara Lynn Santosuosso

3.8
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 27 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Westlake, OH
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Child Custody, Uncontested Divorce ... +2 more

1991 Crocker Road, Suite 600, Westlake, OH

Virtual Consultation Available

About Cara

Biography

Marriages can end in contentious litigation, with spouses unable to make even the simplest of decisions jointly. It does not have to end this way. The right counsel can help you manage the turbulent times that come with a divorce, and provide options for a cost-effective and creative path forward.

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Divorce and Separation 50%

27 years

50%
Child Custody 30%

27 years

30%
Uncontested Divorce 10%

10%
Family 5%

27 years

5%
Marriage and Prenuptials 5%

5%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Licenses

Licensed in Ohio for 27 years

State: Ohio

Acquired: 1998

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Law Offices of Cara L. Santosuosso, LLC

1991 Crocker Road, Suite 600, Westlake, OH, 44145

www.clslawohio.com

Online Presence

Other places you can find Cara online.

Cara Lynn Santosuosso's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

3.8 /5.0

15 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (15) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 8 reviews | Professionalism

Posted by anonymous | April 06, 2020 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Professional, Supportive, and Knowledgeable of Domestic Violence Intricacies

Cara came highly recommended to me and I am so happy that I hired her to work on my divorce/custody case. Throughout this lengthy and difficult process, she always remained confident and professional. My case involved a long history of domestic violence and Cara guided me through this process in a ...way to ensure the best outcome for mine and my child's safety. She was devoted to getting my case resolved and in a realistic manner. Cara was always available to discuss my case and to ease my fears and anxiety by always having a plan and being prepared for any circumstance presented by opposing counsel. I am grateful to have had such a great team supporting my case and getting it resolved successfully.

Posted by anonymous | March 04, 2015 | Child Custody

Excellent Choice for Family Law

I have been involved with Cara for many years as part of an ongoing custody battle. Cara has done a tremendous job representing me. She not only thinks about the specific matter at hand but about the long term implications of decisions coupled with the well being of my child and me. My case is a b...it unusual, but Cara has gone above and beyond securing the proper resources and support system to deal with the long term difficulties of the situation. She makes sure I am informed, involved in the decision making process and always keeps budget and quality of life in mind when working together. Cara is extremely responsive and conducts herself professionally always. I'm fortunate to have her representing me and would recommend her to anyone with a need for a family law attorney.

Posted by Janette | November 28, 2012 | Divorce & Separation

Janette Gortz's review

Cara represented me through a very difficult lengthy divorce. There were many challenges along the way. I would call Cara in a panic and by the time I got off the phone, I was confident the matter would be handled. She was my strength when I was not feeling strong. She was supportive when I felt ...like I couldn't get through it. She is very professional and prepared for any change that arose in court and between. When I needed a restraining order she was on the ball. I can't say enough in support of her skills and knowledge.

Posted by anonymous | December 23, 2009 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Highly recommend

Cara did an excellent job with our case. She is very knowledgeable and understanding. She knows she is seeing people during a very difficult and expensive time and does all she can to offer support and keep costs to a minimum without comprimising your case. The entire staff at the firm are very helpf...ul and kind. Her partner, Eric, helped out as well. Great firm.

Posted by Anonymous | March 11, 2024 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Disappointing Experience

I hired Ms. Santosuosso to handle my divorce because her firm had experience with handling high-conflict, domestic abuse cases. Unfortunately, I did not feel that she did much to manage the conflict in my divorce, and she let my ex-husband and his far less experienced attorney run the show. She point...ed out several times that it was futile to spend much time on my case, as it did not involve much in the way of finances and assets, and she usually handles cases that do -- "I have another client right now who is seeking over $1 million from her husband," she said once. I had to spend a lot of time doing research to document fraud committed by my ex-husband that I was being forced to pay for, which I really felt should have been her responsibility -- she didn't even bother providing the documentation to the court. This made me feel like she did not consider me worth her time, and she was quick to move on from my case. I may not have been seeking millions, but the little amount I was seeking was all I had in the world. Against my wishes, she attempted to seek spousal support, which caused a lot of unnecessary strife (and was pointless, as he was unemployed and would have refused to pay it, anyway). My ex-husband disobeyed several court orders and refused to file any of the required information on his finances, employment, assets, etc. Nothing was done about this, aside from filing one contempt motion which the court just ignored. There were never consequences for my ex-husband's actions or refusal to respond to requests for information. In the end, a settlement was rushed to "get it over with." There were damages my ex-husband had to pay, but he only agreed to a lesser figure, to be paid payments in two installments, with one half due a month after the divorce, and another due 6 months post-divorce. I specifically asked for the payments to be due immediately, knowing he would never pay it under this arrangement, and because I wanted no reason for him to contact me later. For the first payment, he deducted bogus "damages" he concocted, and only paid about half of what was due. He never paid the second payment. He also never returned my personal property, as he agreed to in the settlement. The settlement held my ex-husband responsible for all marital debt, including his unpaid taxes, but I ended up paying all of it because he is good at hiding from the IRS and creditors. Nearly a decade later, I am just now getting out from under all of that. He did all of this to cause trouble, delay things and force me to pay more money to fight him -- and Cara did nothing to put a stop to any of it. She let him and his sloppy attorney bully me, and they blatantly ignored court orders. Cara also did not respond to my requests to take action for the property and payments I never received. Addressing my prediction and concern that this would happen as the case was pending, she advised me to file appeals later, which I did not not want to do -- I wanted zero contact with this person as I worked to rebuild my life from ground zero. I desperately needed a strong, supportive advocate at this stage of my life, but Cara was not that person. I am sure the wisdom of her experience told her not to react to or take action on every little thing my abusive ex-husband did, knowing I had no financial resources to fight any of it -- but she could have at least asked the court to acknowledge some of it and intervene. This contributes to an ineffective justice system, especially for abuse survivors. I see that Cara responds to negative reviews here. I hope she takes what I have said to heart, and that she will be a stronger advocate for women in abusive situations going forward.

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Cara Lynn Santosuosso's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Cara
Denise Nancy Rini headshot
Denise Rini

Family lawyer | Mar 31

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Cara's knowledge of the law and sense of justice makes her an incredibly strong advocate. I enjoy working with her and the challenge of being opposing counsel."

Steven Edward Wolkin headshot
Steven Wolkin

Family lawyer | Dec 24

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer's work. Ms. Santosuosso is extreamly knowledgeable in the area of family law. She is a strong advocate for her clients. I have had a number of cases with her and she always impresses me with her ability to manage the case for the benefit of her client."

Cathleen Marie Bolek headshot
Cathleen Bolek

Litigation lawyer | Dec 23

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Cara is an outstanding lawyer! She is smart, tough and knows the legal community well. I would recommend her to anyone requiring legal representation."

View All Endorsements
Cathleen Marie Bolek headshot
Cathleen Bolek

Employment and labor lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2025

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2024

SuperLawyer, "SuperLawyers®"

2024

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2023

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2022

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2021

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2020

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2019

Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers

2013

Rising Star, Super Lawyers

2012

Rising Star, Super Lawyers

2011

Rising Star, Super Lawyers

Work Experience

2020 - Present

Attorney, Law Offices of Cara L. Santosuosso, LLC

2008 - 2020

Partner, Laubacher & Co.

2005 - 2008

Associate, Rotatori, Bender, Gragel, Stoper & Alexander Co., LPA

2003 - 2005

Judicial Attorney, Eighth District, Ohio Court Of Appeals

1999 - 2003

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office

Associations

2024 - Present

Center for Principal Family Advocacy

President

Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

Justinian Forum

West Shore Bar Association

Sample of Legal Cases

In Re P.L. 2019-Ohio-4681

Decision affirmed.

Angela Hamper v. Kenneth Dobrski, 2015 -Ohio- 1381 (2015)

Judgment Affirmed.

Ohio Carpenters' Fringe Benefit Fund v. Krulak, 2008-Ohio-220

State ex rel. Dreamer v. Mason, 115 Ohio St.3d 190, 2007-Ohio-4789

In re D.B., 2003-Ohio-2304

In re Washington, 143 Ohio App.3d 576 (2001)

Collins v. Collins, 2007-Ohio-283

Johnson v. Olmsted Township, et al., 102 Fair Empl. Prac.Cas. (BNA) 482, 2007-Ohio-6487

See More Legal Cases

Education

1998

Cleveland State University

JD - Juris Doctor

1995

John Carroll University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

1991

Magnificat High School

Speaking Engagements

2020

Legal Ethics: Candor in Evidence, Briefs and Trial Arguments

Legal Ethics: Candor in Evidence, Briefs and Trial Arguments

2018

Smartphone, Social Media and Email Evidence in Divorce Litigation

Legal Ethics: Smartphone, Social Media and Email Evidence

2017

Advanced Custody and Support Issues

Recent Developments in the Rights of Same Sex and Unmarried Couples: Practical Implications

2014

Women in the Law

Featured Speaker

2012

Advanced Family Law

Non-Tradiional Family Structures And Paternity Disputes

2011

Your Family Law Practice in the 21st Century

Domestic Violence and Civil Protection Orders

Publications

2022

IdeaStream: Sound of Ideas Interview - Divorce on the Rise

2019

IdeaStream: Sound of Ideas Interview - New Developments in Divorce Law

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
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