About Christa J.
Christa J. Groshek graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in 2000, after completing studies in Law and Society. Her time in law school set the stage for work in public defense and courtroom practice. She entered the profession at the start of a busy two-decade run in criminal defense.
She began her career clerking at the Washington County Public Defender's Office. That early exposure to client intake and case preparation shaped how she approaches files. She also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Thomas Armstrong in Stillwater, Minnesota, gaining experience on the bench and a clearer sense of how judges analyze evidence and sentencing decisions.
After clerking, she worked as a lawyer at the Legal Rights Center. She then joined the Hennepin County Public Defender's Office where she handled cases in juvenile court before moving to the adult felonies unit. Those roles meant constant courtroom time and repeated confrontation with serious charges. The work required fast legal thinking and an ability to explain complex facts to juries and judges.
In 2006 she left public employment and became a founding partner of Groshek Law. The firm handles a range of criminal defense matters, including felony cases, juvenile cases and trial work. Over the years the practice has included pretrial motions, plea negotiations and jury trials. She is known in courthouse circles for steady preparation and for testing evidence through thorough cross-examination.
Her professional memberships include the MACDL, the NACDL, MWL and the Hennepin County Bar Association. Recognition outside of bar groups has come in the form of peer and industry listings. She has been listed in Super Lawyers as a Criminal Defense Lawyer since 2020. Earlier honors include Rising Stars listings in 2010 and 2014, and a listing among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
Colleagues describe her work as methodical and focused on the record. She pairs public defender experience with private practice skills. That combination has shaped how she evaluates mitigation, explores procedural issues and prepares witnesses for trial.
She continues to lead Groshek Law PA and to take on criminal defense matters in state courts. Her current practice centers on defending clients charged with juvenile and adult criminal offenses and handling contested trials.
