Today we’d like to introduce you to Tayrin Cardenas Wittenstein.
Hi Tayrin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am a criminal defense attorney based in downtown Austin, representing clients in Travis and Williamson counties in cases ranging from DWI to some of the most serious felony charges, including sexual assault and child molestation. The work is intense, high-stakes, and often deeply personal. Many of my clients are held in jail with immigration detainers, or ICE holds, which means they cannot be released on bond. When that happens, the fight for their future happens while they remain behind bars, and every decision carries both criminal and immigration consequences.
Before becoming a defense attorney, I spent twelve years as a prosecutor. I began my career in my hometown of Laredo at the Webb County District Attorney’s Office and later served as a prosecutor in Travis County for the majority of my career. Those years gave me a deep understanding of how the system works from the inside — how cases are built, how prosecutors think, and where the pressure points are. In 2023, I made the decision to switch sides and dedicate my work to defending the people I once prosecuted.
That same year, I opened my own firm, Cardenas Witt Law. What began as a small practice has quickly grown into a team of six full-time employees. Our firm primarily serves the Hispanic community, with a fully bilingual staff and a commitment to helping clients navigate cases that are often complicated by immigration consequences. For many of our clients, a criminal case isn’t just about the risk of jail — it’s about the possibility of losing everything they have built in this country.
The cases I take are rarely the easy ones. They are the complicated, high-pressure cases where the stakes are enormous and the outcome can change the trajectory of someone’s life. Those are the cases that motivate me the most.
Outside of the courtroom, I’m a wife and a mom to my seven-year-old daughter, Charlotte, who is very much my mini-me. My husband Michael and I live in Pflugerville with our diva dog, Pearl. Life is busy, but it’s full — and the work I do reminds me every day why this path matters.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not! I have to split my time and energy in 3–as a mom, as a business owner and as a lead criminal defense attorney handling major felonies and preparing for trials. Not only is it a lot of work, but the mental load is crushing sometimes. I have had to learn to protect myself from taking my cases home, however, it is inevitable that I do. And owning a business is crazy hard!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At Cardenas Witt Law, we believe criminal defense is about far more than just defending a case — it’s about standing up for people during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Being accused of a crime can shake your entire world. There is fear, uncertainty, and often the feeling that the system is not designed for people like you. At our firm, we take that reality seriously. We step in with clarity, strategy, and deep respect for our clients’ stories. Our job is not only to defend them in court, but to make sure their voice is heard in a system that can sometimes feel overwhelming.
With more than 15 years of courtroom experience and strong roots in the communities we serve, we know how to navigate the system — and how to challenge it when necessary. We don’t speak over our clients. We speak for them.
Our firm handles exclusively state criminal cases in Travis and Williamson counties, representing clients at every stage of the process. That can mean advising someone before an arrest when detectives are trying to question them, or stepping in after an arrest when the real fight begins. Our cases range from Class B misdemeanor DWI charges to the most serious felony cases, including murder and child abuse allegations.
Many of our clients are part of the Hispanic community, and our fully bilingual team understands how criminal cases can intersect with immigration consequences. For many families, the stakes are not just about a criminal charge — they can affect someone’s entire future in this country. That is why we approach every case with strategy, urgency, and compassion.
What sets us apart is that we intentionally take on the hard cases — the ones that require deep preparation, creative defense strategies, and the willingness to fight when the odds feel stacked against our clients.
Brand-wise, what we are most proud of is the trust we have built in our community. Our clients know that when they walk through our doors, they are not just another case file. They are people with families, futures, and dreams worth protecting.
At the end of the day, our mission is simple: we carry the legal burden so our clients can continue focusing on their families, their work, and their pursuit of the American Dream while we fight to protect it.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
For my firm, I see us continuing to grow as a boutique criminal defense practice. In the near future, I plan to bring on at least two additional defense attorneys so we can expand our ability to represent clients while still maintaining the personalized attention that defines our work.
My vision is for Cardenas Witt Law to become the trusted criminal defense firm for the immigrant community in Austin and the surrounding areas. The need is already there — families simply need to know that we exist and that there is a firm that understands both the criminal justice system and the immigration consequences that can come with it.
Our goal isn’t to become the biggest firm. It’s to become the most trusted one.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cardenaswittlaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cardenaswittlaw
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cardenaswittlaw
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardenas-witt-law
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CardenasWittLaw
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cardenaswittlaw
