Laura Cabanilla attended college at Brigham Young University in 1980, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in English in 1986. During college she joined the U.S. Army Reserve in order to fund her schooling and because of her desire to serve her country. She was the only female cadet enrolled in BYU’s ROTC program at that time, and the second woman commissioned through the program. In 2010 she was deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
She was based in Kuwait but travelled frequently to Iraq and Bahrain. She is a 1994 graduate of Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. She previously worked as a prosecutor with the Utah County Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted many high profile criminal cases. In 2000, Laura Cabanilla joined the law firm which is now Esplin?Weight.
Laura Cabanilla is a partner with the firm and shares in the ownership of the historic building where the firm is located. Her practice consists primarily of family law cases (including appointment on children’s advocacy cases) and criminal defense. She is currently serving on the Provo City Council which is a four year term. She has previously served as the council chair, and is currently the only woman on the council.
She is married to Dave Cabanilla, an airline pilot with Federal Express and local land developer. They have four children: 25 year old triplets: Paige, Cliff and Sierra and 22 year old Marc.