Overview

Joelle Groshek represents businesses in heavily regulated industries in litigation and investigations, with a special focus on the Administrative Procedures Act and regulatory enforcement. Joelle has represented clients in DOJ criminal and False Claims Act, and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act investigations, as well as before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the IRS, and various state agencies. She has litigated against Minnesota government agencies in contested case hearings, district court, special agency hearings and at the Minnesota Court of Appeals. More proactively, Joelle’s work also extends to internal investigations.

Her experience in criminal, administrative and civil litigation gives Joelle special insight into the collateral consequences of any piece of litigation. Having spent her formative new-attorney years helping good people through their worst days, Joelle has developed keen listening and observational skills that enable her to develop incisive, winning strategies — whether at the negotiation table or in the court room. Highly organized and responsive, Joelle keeps cases moving with a client-centered approach.

Representative Experience

Administrative Law

  • Secured certifications by the Minnesota Department of Human Services for two specialized nonprofit organizations that had previously been revoked or denied.
  • Achieved 87% success rate (over double the usual 41% rate) for more than 100 overbilling / medical necessity appeals to a CMS recovery audit contractor (RAC) for a medical device company.
  • Consulted with and prosecuted sensitive licensing matters for a local tribe.
  • Consulted with an arms manufacturer regarding an agency certification dispute.
  • Argued at the Minnesota Court of Appeals regarding Minnesota Department of Human Services background study disqualifications.
  • Avoided licensing enforcement for clients under investigation before the Minnesota Board of Social Work and the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
  • Avoided revocation of a CPA license by the Minnesota Board of Accountancy for a client convicted of federal tax fraud after a contested case hearing before an administrative law judge at the Office of Administrative Hearings; saved the client’s business from foreclosure by negotiating with the IRS to put the client’s court restitution collections on noncollectible status.

Internal Investigations & White Collar

  • Collaborated with food, health care, energy and manufacturing clients to internally investigate liabilities pre- and post-enforcement to help guide business solutions towards better compliance with FDA, CMS, SEC and Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.
  • Assisted in the defense of food and health care clients under investigation by the Department of Justice for criminal and False Claims Act liability.
  • Represent pharmaceutical companies in criminal liability and restitution (victim) stages of DOJ anti-counterfeiting prosecutions.

Financial Services & Cryptocurrency

  • Act as local counsel for a large banking institution in securing settlements in almost 30 matters in mortgage repurchasing disputes in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
  • Secured a default judgment after a contested hearing regarding a fraudulent mechanic’s lien for a large residential mortgage institution.
  • Represent a large residential mortgage institution in borrower disputes in Minnesota state court.
  • Represent directors and officers in a postbankruptcy civil fraud suit flowing out of a contract dispute from the crypto winter of 2022.

Pro Bono

Joelle focuses her pro bono practice on criminal expungements and wrongful convictions, to help train the newest class of litigators.

Personal Interests

Joelle is a passionate home cook and casual sommelier. She spends her free time with her husband, two parakeets, Beau and Mr. Earl Grey, and her all-terrain, adventure-ready and well-dressed Italian Greyhound, Enzo Furrari.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

Minnesota

Education

Mitchell Hamline School of Law
J.D. summa cum laude, Mitchell Hamline Law Review (executive editor) (2016)

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
B.A. in Political Science, summa cum laude (2010)

Insights & Events

Other Perspectives

Firm Blog Contributions

  • Faegre Drinker on Products – a blog addressing all things product liability that covers legal issues and developments of interest to product manufacturers and their employers

Leadership & Community

Pro Bono

Joelle maintains an active pro bono practice focused on wrongful convictions and criminal expungements. She enjoys using her experience in this area to help mentor young associates in developing contested hearing, trial preparation, and broad case strategy and storytelling skills.

Honors

  • Great North Innocence Project — Pro Bono Champions of the Year, 2023
  • Faegre Drinker — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2020-23
  • Faegre Baker Daniels — Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2019
  • Minnesota Super Lawyers — Rising Stars, White Collar Defense, 2019, 2024