Nate Lara
Year of Call: 2024
Solicitor: 2020
Email Address: [email protected]
CJSM: [email protected]
Telephone: 01202 292102
Clerk Details
- Clerk Name: Ellie Bloomfield
- Clerk Telephone: Practice Manager
- Clerk Email: [email protected]
Overview
Nate Lara is a criminal law barrister and member of the Crime Group at 3 Paper Buildings (3PB) and accepts instructions nationally. Nate is based from 3PB's Bournemouth office, and primarily works in the Western Circuit.
Nate came to 3PB with five years’ experience as a specialised criminal law Solicitor-Advocate in Australia. Nate moved to the UK and completed a reduced six-month specialist criminal pupillage, as a transferring lawyer, with a well-known and highly regarded criminal chambers in London, before joining 3PB in March 2025.
Since joining 3PB, Nate appears everyday in the Crown Court, and has had significant success in both prosecution and defence work, across all areas of criminal law, including: violence, domestic abuse, sexual offences, property and drug offences, road traffic offences and fraud.
In Australia, Nate started his career in the prestigious graduate scheme at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in New South Wales (NSW), where he prosecuted serious criminal cases. After a successful period at the ODPP, Nate decided to gain experience as a criminal defence advocate across NSW.
Nate also acted as a Senior Public Servant in the Compliance, Investigation and Regulatory team at the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care. This saw him conducting investigations and acting as a decision maker on systematic, compliance and criminal breaches in the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the Aged Care System.
Outside of work, Nate is an experienced football referee and loves all aspects of the game. Nate can be found with his two border collies, Finch and Scout, on any number of the beautiful beaches around Bournemouth.
Crime and Regulatory Crime
Nate Lara is a busy probationary tenant barrister who specialises in crime.
Ongoing UK cases
R v VJE & Ors (2025, Wimbledon Youth Court): Defending, a serious aggravated burglary (GBH) which involves the alleged extended torture and imprisonment of a vulnerable victim by three young men. Acting for the first defendant.
R v PW (2025, Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, arranging a child sexual offence, involving a paedophile hunter organisation and anticipated bad character evidence.
R v CC & SP (2025, Kingston Crown Court): Prosecuting, aggravated robbery of an expensive watch involving GBH, anticipated cut-throat case.
R v RP (2025, Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, imitation firearm in a public place, anticipated reasonable excuse and forgetfulness matter.
R v BB (2025, Luton Crown Court): Defending, multi-charged serious domestic violence matter, defence involving alibi, non-defendant bad character and self-defence.
R v EQ (2026, Basildon Crown Court): Defending, production of class B drugs, defence involving disputed expert evidence after a DNA finding 18 months after the initial arrest.
Recent UK cases
R v BO (2024, Wood Green Crown Court): Prosecuted and secured a conviction in a multi-charged domestic abuse matter. The matter involved a contested bad character argument, late service of prosecution evidence and the cross-examination of the defendant on an alibi defence.
R v RD (2025, Maidstone Magistrates’ Court): Prosecuted in a busy trial list, secured a conviction in a sexual assault matter, which involved a contested hearsay application involving confession evidence, the calling of three witnesses and the cross-examination of the defendant.
R v AA (2025, St Albans Magistrates’ Court): Successfully defended a client of a serious coercive/control charge involving allegations of sexual manipulation and threats, ensuring the client would be sentenced on much less serious offences, resulting in a significantly reduced sentence.
R v MN (2025, Inner London Crown Court): Defended a client on a serious sexual assault against a random member of the public, advice given on an involuntary intoxication defence. The matter is currently listed for sentence.
R v JE (2024, Croydon Crown Court)
Prosecuting, advising on a serious GBH and violent conduct offence, where only one of 13 involved individuals was identified and charged. Nate gave advice on joint criminal liability, resulting in the continuation of the charges and a substantial restructuring of the prosecution case.
CPS Prosecution Lists: Regularly instructed in Magistrates’ Court Prosecution Lists, where Nate has been required to consider, organise and run up to six trials per day.
Recent Australian cases
Police v MV (2024, NSW Local Court): Secured an acquittal and awarded compensation for a man charged with multiple domestic violence offences, based on submissions regarding the admissibility of aspects of the Police investigation.
HH v DPP (2024, NSW District Court – Appeal Division): Successfully argued for a reduced sentence, allowing for the release of a man charged with child sex offences on appeal, after a successful argument over the Sentencing Magistrates erroneous application of case law, regarding the objective seriousness and mitigating factors.
Police v LS (2024, NSW Local Court): Successfully argued that a client charged with high-range drink driving and negligent driving, should avoid a term of imprisonment despite a Guideline Judgment allowing community sentences in only the most extremely mitigated cases. Less than 5% of similar cases avoid full-time imprisonment.
Police v SO (2023, NSW Local Court): Successfully defended two charges of sexual touching, based on effective cross-examination of the complainant, and an objection to inadmissible CCTV footage.
Police v CC (2023, NSW Local Court): Secured an acquittal for two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and wounding with a weapon, after successful submission on the compellability and capacity of the elderly complainant.
Police v DH (2022, NSW Local Court): Successfully defended an army veteran charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a Police Officer, based on self-defence, proving the arresting officers were acting outside the execution of their duties.
Police v HT (2021, NSW Local Court): Secured an acquittal for a client charged with domestic violence offences, after the prosecution sought to lead pre-recorded hearsay evidence, when a witness did not come to court.
JW v DPP (2020, NSW District Court – Appeal Division): Successfully prosecuted an appeal, after an effective cross-examination of fresh evidence from an alibi witness, whose credibility was found in disrepute.
R v JH (2020, NSW Supreme Court): As the instructing solicitor (Reviewing Lawyer), ensured the defendant failed in a dismissal application on charges of murder and related concealing offences.
Sexual offences
Ongoing UK cases
R v ZA (Portsmouth Crown Court): Defending, one count of rape over multiple incidents – defence of consent and reasonable belief in consent.
R v PB (Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, multiple counts of sexual activity with a child, likely requiring s 28 pre-recorded cross-examination.
R v MD (Newport (IOW) Crown Court): Defending, one count of exposure – a defence of insanity is being advanced, as the defendant was in custody and not receiving adequate mental health treatment.
R v PW (Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, multiple counts of sexual communication with a child, arising from allegations of a decoy paedophile stoppers group.
R v RW (Newport (IOW) Crown Court): Defending, multiple counts of sexual communication with a child – advancing a defence that the sexual communications were a part of a fantasy chat, and the defendant knew that he not talking to a child.
Recent UK cases
R v MK (2025, Bournemouth Crown Court): Defending, acquittal on five of six counts of sexual assault against two complainants.
R v SB (2025, Winchester Crown Court): Defending, the defendant was accused of a random sexual assault in a pub, after successful cross-examination of the complainant and three witnesses, the defendant was acquitted after majority verdict.
R v RD (2024, Maidstone Crown Court): Prosecuting, the defendant was convicted of a sexual assault against a 16 year old working in a restaurant, after the successful admission of confession evidence.
Australian cases
HH v DPP (2024, NSW District Court – Appeal Division): Successfully argued for a reduced sentence, allowing for the release of a man charged with child sex offences on appeal, after a successful argument over the sentencing judge’s erroneous application of case law, regarding the objective seriousness and mitigating factors.
Police v SO (2023, NSW Local Court): Successfully defended two charges of sexual touching, based on effective cross-examination of the complainant, and an objection to inadmissible CCTV footage.
Drugs Offences
Ongoing cases
R v RP (Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, imitation firearm in a public place, anticipated reasonable excuse and forgetfulness matter.
R v EQ (Basildon Crown Court): Defending, production of class B drugs, defence involving expert evidence after a DNA finding 18 months after the initial arrest.
R v DC (Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, a violent robbery at a local supermarket – identification is in dispute.
Recent cases
R v HS (2026, Bournemouth Crown Court): Defending, charge of cannabis production, advised on a defence of modern slavery/duress, resulting in a guilty plea on an acceptable basis of plea and the defendant being immediately released from custody.
R v ND (2026, Portsmouth Crown Court): Defending, 15 counts of various property offences over a week long drug-fuelled spree, successful negotiated an acceptable plea resulting in a three year community sentence, where the defendant was facing a custodial sentence of 4 years.
R v GH (2025, Court of Appeal): Defending, successful argument against a manifestly excessive sentence for an offence of armed burglary. All three grounds of appeal were successful, resulting in the immediate release of the Appellant.
R v FG (2025, Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, defendant convicted of a £50,000 commercial burglary, after a defence of misidentification.
R v RP (2025, Winchester Crown Court): Defending, successfully argued a lesser role in a drug supply conspiracy, securing a sentence of just over 3 years custody, when the prosecution was seeking a sentence of 6 years.
Motoring offences
Ongoing UK cases
R v MR (Bournemouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, careless driving causing serious injury – defence based on expert evidence.
R v AH (Bournemouth Crown Court): Defending, driving licence fraud – defence of knowledge and intent.
Recent UK cases
R v SG (2026, Portsmouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, after guilty plea, secured a custodial sentence for an offender who was repeatedly pursued by Police, resulting in a serious collision with a parked vehicle.
R v RC (2025, Portsmouth Crown Court): Prosecuting, conviction of careless driving causing serious injury, after a taxi driver collided with an oncoming Ambulance.
R v BG (2025, Weymouth Magistrates’ Court): Defending, successfully argued for the court to apply the minimum points, rather than a disqualification – allowing a professional driver to maintain his driving licence.
R v NM (2024, Brighton Magistrates’ Court): Prosecuting, conviction of a drug driver who collided with a house and then absconded from the scene and was arrested months later.
Australian cases
Police v LS (2024, NSW Local Court): Successfully argued that a client charged with high-range drink driving and negligent driving, should avoid a term of imprisonment despite a Guideline Judgment allowing community sentences in only the most extremely mitigated cases. Less than 5% of similar cases avoid full-time imprisonment.
LL v DPP (2023, NSW District Court – Appeal Division): Successfully referred (case stated) an appeal from the Local Court on the disqualification of a driver, based on an argument of the exception at law of ‘serious impact on society’, as the appellant was a crisis support worker for Indigenous people in regional areas, and her ability to drive was essential to her profession.
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Recommendations “Mr Lara's advocacy was of a high quality throughout the week. He made focussed and persuasive submissions in respect of a bad character application. He exercised good judgement in limiting the scope of this application more narrowly than the written application which the Crown had submitted. I was impressed by his cross-examination of the defendant. It was clearly well-prepared. Thought had evidently been given to the structure. He was effective at undermining the defendant's evidence, highlighting the strengths of the prosecution case and he ensured that his case was properly put to the defendant. Mr Lara's closing submissions were delivered with confidence and again it was evident that he was well-prepared.” Judge, Wood Green CC, 2025
"I had the opportunity to sit in on this trial and see Nate’s detailed preparation and skilful handling of the trial in practice. He made a concerted effort to visit the client in his cells at every opportunity, reassure him, and ensure that his instructions were clear. This approach was critical in helping the client maintain composure and remain robust when giving evidence." Instructing paralegal, Magistrates' C, 2025
“Your ability to challenge the defence robustly while maintaining fairness and integrity was truly impressive. You ensured that the case was presented in the strongest possible manner, leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice. The victims and their families could not have asked for a more determined and articulate voice in court, and I have no doubt that your efforts provided them with a sense of reassurance and confidence in the legal process.” Police Officer, Wood Green CC, 2025
“Throughout, he was polite and professional. His advocacy was clear and effective. Had he not signed his sentencing note, "Pupil Barrister", I would not have known he was a pupil.” Opposing Counsel, Snaresbrook CC, 2025
“Nate’s professional standards have been high. Nate’s personal values and standards are also high. Nate brings the above standards with him from his practice in Australia” Pupil Supervisor, 2025
“Working with Nate Lara was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. His attention to detail and reassuring demeanour throughout the entire legal process made all the difference during what was undoubtedly a stressful time for me. Nate delivered nothing short of victory in the courtroom. I am incredibly grateful for his expertise, dedication, and ultimately, for securing a favourable outcome.” Lay Client, Police v SO, 2024
“Nate Lara has helped and given me the most ideal outcome. It saved me my future employment and also ensure the whole legal process as smooth and stress free as possible.” Lay Client, R v NM, 2024
“I was told by multiple lawyers that the chances of achieving a good outcome was at most 10% and I was honestly not very hopeful. However, Nate did it. He got me the best outcome possible, which has made a deep and positive impact on my life. Thank you very much Nate.” Lay Client, R v JL, 2023
“Could not be happier with the results I received with the assistance of Nate Lara. He is very thorough and wants to achieve the best outcome possible. Highly recommend to anyone who is in an unfortunate event.” Lay Client, Police v ST, 2023
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3PB criminal law barrister Nate Lara (pictured here) has been successful in the Court of Appeal, arguing that the original sentence imposed in the Crown Court was manifestly excessive and wrong in principle. The defendant received a sentence of imprisonment of 30 months. Nate argued that despite the aggravating features the sentence was excessive, going outside the range in the relevant sentencing guidelines, without sufficient justification for doing so. Nate also argued that the court...
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3PB Barristers' (3 Paper Buildings) criminal barrister Nate Lara (pictured here) has successfully secured an acquittal for his client in relation to a bomb hoax in a case heard at Swindon Crown Court. JM was charged with causing a bomb hoax at the Badbury Park Primary School in Swindon. Notably, JM accepted making the call to the school but denied making a bomb threat. In cross-examination, Nate questioned the receiver of the call, an administrator...
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3PB Barristers' (3 Paper Buildings) crime barrister Nate Lara has successfully secured an acquittal for his client in relation to a serious sexual offence. SB was charged with a public sexual assault in a pub, where two eyewitnesses and a complaint witness gave evidence before a jury. Nate was able to undermine each of the witnesses and ensure that a solid defence of denial was put before the jury. Following a three-day trial at Winchester...
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