About Cliff
Cliff Venable studied psychology at North Carolina State University and went on to earn his law degree from North Carolina Central University in 2010. The academic path combined a social-science background with formal legal training. Those early choices helped shape the kind of courtroom work he pursued later.
He began his legal career in public defense. In 2010 he joined Salt Lake Legal Defender as a trial lawyer. The work there was largely trial-driven. He handled cases that required courtroom time and close work with clients who faced criminal charges.
After nearly a decade in public defense, he moved into private practice. In 2019 he served as a trial lawyer at Fowler Venable Law. The shift did not change the courtroom rhythm. He continued to try cases and to build a practice around contested matters.
In 2022 he founded Salt City Defense and took on the role of founder and trial lawyer. Creating a boutique operation allowed him to manage cases and staff more directly. He is admitted to practice in Utah and the Tenth Circuit, and he completed the National Criminal Defense College program. Those credentials reflect a continued emphasis on courtroom advocacy and post-conviction work.
Colleagues describe him as a lawyer who spends time preparing cases for trial. He is comfortable in courtrooms at different levels and in federal venues within the Tenth Circuit. His work has ranged from initial appearances to lengthy bench and jury trials. Outside the courtroom he maintains memberships in professional organizations and periodically engages in training and continuing legal education.
The arc of his career runs from public defender to private trial lawyer and then to founding his own firm. That trajectory underlines a steady orientation toward litigation. He currently leads Salt City Defense, where he handles trial matters for clients in Utah and in federal matters that fall under the Tenth Circuit. His current practice concentrates on criminal defense and related post-conviction issues.
