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Lara Jayne Gressley
About Lara
Biography
Lara grew up in Northern California and received her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Lara attended law school at Santa Clara University. While there, she earned the Witkin Award for her work in Constitutional Law, the Best Brief Award in a National Moot Court Competition, made Law Review, was an Honors Moot Court Finalist, and studied law at Oxford University in 2000. In 2002, she graduated from Santa Clara Law on the Dean's List and with Honors in Public Interest Law. That year, she took and passed the California Bar exam. Lara first worked at the Santa Cruz Public Defender's Office, where she gained experience defending people charged with drunk driving and other crimes. Lara then worked for Legal Aid Society of San Diego, after which she took a job in Riverside, California where she worked as a court-appointed trial attorney for individuals charged with serious crimes. As a trial lawyer, Lara obtained not guilty verdicts and dismissals for many of her clients whose charges ranged from drunk driving to burglary, robbery, grand theft auto, and drug offenses. Lara has also successfully defended those facing life in prison. Lara's primary objective in every case is to obtain justice for her clients.
In private practice, Lara has become one of the preeminent criminal appellate attorneys in California. Lara has written appellate briefs filed in the California Court of Appeal, California Supreme Court, and in the United States Supreme Court. She regularly handles petitions for writ of habeas corpus in state and federal courts where actual innocence and ineffective assistance of counsel are issues. Lara spends the majority of her time reviewing trial court records for issues involving questions of constitutional law. In one such case, Lara won a petition for writ of habeas corpus due to a Sixth Amendment Confrontation violation in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Lara has worked on Amicus briefs in some major appellate cases in California, including People v. Vangelder, People v. Harris, People v. Arredondo, and Espinoza v. Shiomoto. Lara and her team prepared Amicus briefs filed in the California Supreme Court in People v. Dungo and in the bail case of In re Humphrey. Lara also worked on Amicus briefs filed in the United States Supreme Court in Williams v. Illinois and in Mitchell v. Wisconsin.
Lara lectures lawyers across the state with respect to research and writing, appeals, writs, motions, and trial work. She has lectured for California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, California DUI Lawyers Association, California Public Defenders Association, and National College for DUI Defense. Lara was also a guest lecturer at Pepperdine University School of Law in 2018. Due to her experience, Lara has become known by her colleagues as a go-to source on motions in criminal cases, appellate advocacy and procedure, research and writing, DUI defense and collateral consequences, and challenges based on Sixth Amendment confrontation violations. Lara is a contributing author for Donald Bartell's book, Attacking and Defending Drunk Driving Tests, and coauthored California Vehicle Code section (c), enacted in 2012. Lara is the past President of the California DUI Lawyers Association, a statewide attorney organization with hundreds of members, and she a selected Southern California Super Lawyer in appellate law for 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Lara lives in the Temecula Valley with her family, is a Christian, a vocalist, and speaks conversational Spanish.
Practice Areas
3
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in California for 23 years
State: California
Acquired: 2002
No misconduct found
Location
Bartell, Hensel & Gressley
5053 La Mart Drive, Suite 201, Riverside, CA, 92507
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Lara Jayne Gressley's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
8 Client Reviews
Lara Jayne Gressley's Lawyer Endorsements
"Lara is an incredible attorney. She is well respected by her peers. Most importantly Lara is a master at her craft, practicing law. She is a giant in the criminal defense field and her experience is second to none. I highly endorse this lawyer."
"Lara is an unparalleled litigator and scholar. If you need a DUI attorney, quit searching and call Lara."
"Lara Gressley is a top notch attorney with unwaivering tenancity. She posseses exceptional appellate and motion skills while also being a force to reckon with in the courtroom. It is always a pleasure to work with Lara and I would not hesitate to recommend her!"
"Attorney Gressley wins! Trial, settlement or appeals she wins. Attorney Gressley's work is second to none and she will not stop until she is victorious. Any criminal charge anywhere in the state... call Attorney Lara Gressley."
"Lara is an excellent attorney who has a passion for defending her clients vigilantly and who has a precise knowledge of the law with which to accomplish that."
"Lara is a outstanding advocate for her clients. Her specialization in DUI matters gives her a special insight to discover sophisticated defenses and solutions to the matters in front of her. I endorse this lawyer."
"12 years of practicing criminal law is very experienced. She has a huge advantage over many defense attorneys having been a former Public Defender. The DA's know that she knows what they know. Her knowledge of both the law and procedure is excellent and evident in her pro bono contributions here. Client reviews which are the true test of a lawyers worth are stellar. READ THEM! Do yourself a favor and schedule a consultation with her."
"Lara is a talented lawyer with a strong knowledge of the law and great presence in the courtroom. She works tirelessly to defend her clients."
"Ms. Gressley is a brilliant and extremely talented attorney. Her approach to cases is innovative, clever and, most importantly, effective. And, if she does not like the answer at the trial court level, she will often appeal the decision and get what she wants for her client in a higher court. She is a true winner!"
"I endorse this lawyer. Lara is an outstanding attorney. I’ve known Lara for many years and she is the attorney that other attorneys go to for help, and that includes me. Lara has armed me many times with cases and arguments I needed for court. Her trial experience, excellent research skills and immense knowledge of criminal law makes her one of the best criminal defense attorneys in California. I cannot say enough good things about her. Lara is intelligent, a skilled researcher, creative, an advocate, an excellent writer; she also possesses a high level of appellate skills. It is a pleasure and an honor to know her and have her as a fellow advocate."
"I endorse this lawyer. Lara is an exceedingly knowledgeable Criminal Attorney. Her research and writing skills are exceptional! She possesses an uncanny ability to see exactly what the issues are in a case in order to win. She is an excellent trial lawyer who is extremely intelligent and competent on all levels. I highly recommend her."
"Lara is one of the most compassionate and knowledgeable criminal defense lawyers I know. She regularly receives phone calls from attorneys seeking her advice so that they, in turn, can answer questions posed by their clients. Lara is an expert in criminal writs and appeals. I've personally seen Lara's expertise at work when she won an appeal for my client which led to the case being dismissed."
"Lara is an exceptional attorney. Not only does Lara have extensive jury trial experience (both misdemeanor and felony), she also possesses exceptional research and writing skills, which make her a great appellate attorney. She's always prepared, knows the law, and is a zealous advocate for her clients. I endorse this lawyer!"
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Experience
Honors
2012
President's Award, California DUI Lawyers Association
2001
Best Brief Award, Sutherland Cup National Moot Court Competition
2001
Witkin Award for Constitutional Law, Santa Clara University School of Law
2001
Honors Moot Court Finalist, Santa Clara University School of Law
Work Experience
2010 - Present
Partner, Bartell, Hensel & Gressley
2007 - 2010
Attorney, Criminal Defense Lawyers
2006 - 2007
Associate Attorney, Eichler & Associates
2005 - 2006
Public Defender, Riverside County Public Defender's Office
2004 - 2005
County Attorney, Riverside County Counsel
2003 - 2004
Attorney, San Diego Legal Aid Association
2002 - 2003
Clerk, Pima County Superior Court
Associations
2017 - Present
California DUI Lawyers AssociationVice President
2017 - Present
California DUI Lawyers AssociationBoard of Directors
2013 - Present
Ninth Circuit Judicial ConferenceMember
2011 - Present
United States Supreme Court BarMember
2011 - Present
United States District Court of CaliforniaAttorney Member
2002 - Present
State Bar of CaliforniaAttorney Member
Sample of Legal Cases
People v. Jane Doe
Dismissed
People v John Doe
Petition Granted, Case Dismissed
People v. John Doe
Dismissed
People v. Jane Doe
Dismissed
People v. John Doe
415 misdemeanor, no probation, no fine
People v. John Doe
Probation, 1 year in jail at half time
People v. John Doe
Dismissed
People v. John Doe
DUI dismissed, pled to dry reckless
People v. John Doe
pled to speeding ticket, hit and run dismissed
People v. Jane Doe
Lower Court Reversed, Motion Granted
People v. John Doe
Lower Court Reversed, Motion Granted, Case Dismissed
People v. John Doe
Hung Jury
People v. John Doe
Mistrial caused by Prosecutor, Case Dismissed
People v. DUI Client
Not Guilty, probation violation dismissed
People v. DUI Client
pending
People v. John Doe
995 Motion Granted, case dismissed
People v. Jane Doe
PC 1538.5 Motion to Suppress Granted, case dismissed
People v. John Doe
Not Guilty
People v. John Doe
1118.1 Granted, case dismissed after People's case
People v. John Doe
Not Guilty
People v. John Doe
Not Guilty
Education
2017
Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College
Newport Beach Seminar
2010
MABA
Seminar
2006
CPDA Trial Skills
Certificate of Completion
2002
Santa Clara University School of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
2000
Oxford University
Legal Studies Abroad
1998
University of California - Santa Cruz
BA - Bachelor of Arts
1996
Cabrillo College
AA
Speaking Engagements
2018
Annual Seminar
Speedy Trial Motions
2017
Winning Strategies from Winning Lawyers
Suppression Motions in DUI Cases
2017
Riverside County Public Defender MCLE
DUI Basics
2017
DUI Rules of the Road XX
DUI Motions
2017
California DUI Lawyers Association Annual Seminar
DUI Appeals
2015
Rules of the Road
Research and Writing
2015
CDLA Annual Seminar
DMV consequences for DUI
2013
Riverside County Public Defender's Association
Restricted Driver's License Eligibility
2013
CDLA Annual Seminar
Restricted Driver's License Eligibility
2013
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
Misdemeanor Appeals
Publications
2017
Attacking and Defending Drunk Driving Tests
2017 Supplement
2017
San Diego County Bar Association publication
DUI Supreme Court
2017
Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA) newsletter
Espinoza v Shiomoto
2017
California Appellate Reports
Espinoza v. Shiomoto
2017
Sonoma County Bar Association
Espinoza v Shiomoto
2016
Attacking and Defending Drunk Driving Tests
2016 Supplement
2015
Attacking and Defending Drunk Driving Tests
2015 Supplement
2014
Attacking and Defending Drunk Driving Tests
2014 Supplement
2013
Attacking and Defending Drunk Driving Tests
2013 Supplement
2012
Attacking and Defending Drunk Driving Tests
2012 Supplement
Languages
English
Spanish
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Answers
Q&A
How long does your 1st DUI of a controlled substance prevent U from getting UR license reinstated in California?
01 Sep 2020
Q&A
Can I get a DUI expunged before the 3 year probation is over?
02 Apr 2017
Q&A
What is the legal effect if my blood was drawn 3 hours after I was in an accident for DUI
28 Aug 2015