Joshua Kolsrud is an AV-rated criminal defense attorney, former federal, state, and international prosecutor, and nationally recognized legal analyst who represents individuals and professionals in high-stakes criminal matters throughout Arizona and the United States. He focuses on serious state and federal cases, including white-collar and fraud offenses, public corruption, trafficking, firearms, immigration-related crimes, international extradition and other major felonies. He provides strategic representation at all stages of criminal proceedings, from investigation through trial, sentencing, and appeal.
Mr. Kolsrud began his career as a felony prosecutor in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where he handled thousands of cases and was repeatedly recognized for outstanding trial advocacy before being promoted to Major Crimes and the Repetitive Offender Bureau. He was later recruited internationally by the Republic of Palau to help lead a national anti-human-trafficking initiative, where he prosecuted complex cases and tried one of the earliest jury trials in the nation’s modern legal history.
After returning to Arizona, Mr. Kolsrud served as the Senior Trial Attorney in the Coconino County Attorney’s Office, handling homicide, capital, sex-crime, and white-collar prosecutions while supervising and training other prosecutors. He was subsequently recruited to the United States Attorney’s Office, where he prosecuted federal offenses including drug and firearm trafficking, immigration-related crimes, human smuggling, financial crimes, undeclared-currency violations, and Fish and Wildlife cases.
Today, Mr. Kolsrud leads Kolsrud Law Offices, a criminal defense firm devoted exclusively to major felony defense in state and federal court. He personally leads the firm’s appellate and post-conviction advocacy, providing integrated trial and appellate representation.
Mr. Kolsrud has argued and prevailed in complex appellate matters before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is frequently sought by national and international media for legal analysis on high-profile and complex criminal cases and appears regularly on programs including Nancy Grace and Court TV, as well as local, national, and international news outlets. He has been repeatedly recognized by the legal profession for trial excellence and leadership, including selection to The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys. He is co-author of the forthcoming 3rd edition of The Criminal Lawyer’s Guide to Immigration Law: Questions and Answers (with Robert J. McWhirter).
A native Phoenician, Mr. Kolsrud graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.
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