About
Tony Rippa is a native of England who decided to pursue a career in law after being arrested, jailed, and interrogated without legal representation, for a crime he did not commit. That experience spurred his commitment to protecting the rights of the individual against the powers of the state. Tony graduated from a top UK law school with honors. After living and working in London and Europe for a few years he immigrated to the US and obtained a law degree from BYU Law School, where he was on the trial team, won the second year trial competition, and achieved the top grade in evidence. He previously worked as a public defender in Utah County, and in private practice. Tony has achieved significant wins for his clients. He won a jury trial in an attempted rape case based on uncorroborated witness testimony. He won a criminal appeal where he challenged the state’s use of his client’s pre-arrest silence at trial, which resulted in his client’s immediate release from prison after a year behind bars. He persuaded a judge to lower his client’s charges from forcible sexual abuse to misdemeanor lewdness (with a small fine) after a lengthy preliminary hearing in which he presented sufficient evidence to show that the alleged criminal conduct was in fact consensual. On cross-examination he successfully challenged the credibility of the alleged victim during a felony assault trial by introducing evidence of her prior convictions. He also successfully sued the West Jordan police department in federal court for civil rights violations, on behalf of a criminal defense client who the police had restrained in his home without a warrant. Tony also represents clients in immigration matters. He has obtained visas for multiple victims of human trafficking and domestic violence, represented clients in asylum proceedings, and assisted immigrants who have been charged with crimes which could result in deportation, negotiating with prosecutors to achieve plea deals that avoid removal. Tony has also provided hours of pro bono service to immigrants, working with Utah Legal Services and Holy Cross Ministries. In his spare time Tony enjoys reading history books, travel, mountain biking, and watching his teenage kids compete in soccer.
