Lara started off by studying Art History at Columbia University, from which she graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1991. Her studies at Columbia took her to Paris for a summer, and Cambridge, England for a year. When Lara initially arrived at Yale Law School, she wasn’t sure that giving up Art History was the right move – but Yale quickly taught her that the law could be just as creative and inspiring as any Great Master painting.

In 1994, Lara returned to New York City, and embarked on her career as a commercial litigator, first at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and then at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. She thrived on the challenges of a diverse and sophisticated practice, but she questioned which area of the law would allow her to practice with the most nuance and creativity. Lara decided that the answer was appellate law, and she put that theory to the test when she joined the Staff Attorney’s Office of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.

After four years with the Ninth Circuit, Lara had no doubt that appellate law was her calling. Her first foray away from the Court was with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles, where she was brought on as one of the original members of the Firm’s newly formed appellate practice group. There, Lara cut her teeth as an appellate advocate by arguing cases in the Ninth Circuit and the California Courts of Appeal, and drafting briefs at every stage of the appellate process. And, along the way, Lara took (and passed) three state bar exams: California, New York, and Hawaii.

Lara joined GMSR in 2008, where she continues to hone her appellate skills – and where she continues to love her job as an appellate lawyer.

Education

Professional Experience

Authorship

Teaching & Lecturing

Involvement