Rachel E. Lara is a criminal defense attorney at Attorneys of Idaho who brings substantial courtroom experience and a grounded understanding of the family systems that often shape criminal cases. Before joining the firm, she served at the Ada County Public Defender’s Office, where she represented clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges and tried more than 30 cases to verdict.
At the public defender’s office, Rachel requested an assignment to Domestic Violence Court and handled a caseload focused exclusively on domestic violence matters. That work strengthened her ability to identify the complex dynamics that can exist between accused people, victims, families, and the justice system. Today, her practice focuses on domestic violence defense and crimes against persons. She continues to pursue training on reactive-victim and aggressor dynamics and other patterns that can complicate intimate-partner cases.
When a person’s liberty is on the line, Rachel believes there is no greater responsibility than standing up for someone who has been wrongly accused. She also believes every person entering the criminal legal system deserves respect, patience, and grace. Her background in family development and psychology helps her understand the overlapping systems at work when families experience violence and advocate for clients with clarity and compassion.
Born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in Beaverton, Oregon, Rachel earned her undergraduate degree in Child and Family Studies from Portland State University, with minors in Elementary Education and Psychology and an emphasis on child psychology and family development. At Willamette University College of Law, a criminal procedure course sparked her commitment to criminal defense. Before law school, she also worked as a legal assistant in immigration and family law firms.
Rachel serves on the Idaho Supreme Court’s Domestic Violence Advisory Team alongside judges, victim-witness coordinators, prosecutors, and other justice-system professionals. The team’s multidisciplinary perspective complements her continuing study of domestic violence relationships and her commitment to thoughtful, informed advocacy.
Outside the courtroom, Rachel shares her home with two English Labs—Tater Jacob, a yellow Lab, and Billy Edward, a black Lab—who are brothers hoping to start their own bluegrass band. Tour dates are still to be announced. She also has two cats, Audrey and Jack, although Audrey is unquestionably the head of the household. Rachel enjoys trying new ice cream shops despite being lactose intolerant; Stella’s is a favorite for its dairy-free options, and she still misses Oregon’s Salt & Straw.
