Andrew Mohring

Partner

Andrew Mohring has been a criminal defense and civil rights trial lawyer for 32 years, including his work as an Assistant Federal Defender in the District of Minnesota and as the First Assistant of that office. He has a reputation for finding creative and unanticipated approaches to complex cases, and for thorough and thoughtful presentation of complicated legal and factual issues, in court, in trial and on appeal. His deep experience includes trials and district and appellate litigation in cases reaching the highest stakes.

Andrew is dogged in his pursuit of justice for his clients, who have come from all walks of life, from the indigent to multinational corporations. His cases include fraud, tax, money laundering, securities, public corruption and other white-collar crimes, as well as treaty, national security and cybersecurity cases, and cases involving homicide, immigration, weapon, and drug charges.

Andrew is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Minnesota, focusing on federal criminal law and corporate and white-collar crime. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only trial lawyer organization, is certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association, and sits on its Criminal Law Board. He writes and speaks nationally and locally on federal criminal practice topics. Andrew is deeply involved in the legal and extended communities. He has traveled widely, plays the banjo, and lives in Minneapolis.

Legal Assistant: Kam Jones

Practice Areas:

My Philosophy

Advocacy is both professional and personal. I have spent my life working for the downtrodden, the dispossessed, the underdog. It has been my profession, my passion, and my great good fortune to give voice to the lives and experiences of my clients, and to use my creativity and ingenuity to vindicate their interests and guide their paths through the law.

Notable Cases

Our work

Case results were obtained before Andrew joined Goetz and Eckland.

  • Minnesota Compassionate Release Protocol
    2020
    Defense representative on design and operation of screening process that facilitated the litigation and resolution of hundreds of compassionate release sentence reduction motions.
    Sentencing Advocacy
  • Minnesota Prisoner Rights Hepatitis C Litigation
    2019
    Federal class action that achieved access to medication curing the disease for Minnesota prisoners at all stages of the disease’s progression.
    Constitutional Advocacy
  • US v. Fred Tibbetts, US v. Michael Brown
    2015
    Trial and appellate counsel representing Anishinaabe tribal elders in criminal Lacey Act prosecutions alleging unlawful walleye fishing.
    Appellate Advocacy
  • US v. Papa Faal
    2016
    Trial counsel representing decorated U.S. Army veteran in a Neutrality Act prosecution for his involvement in the attempted overthrow of a West African dictator.
    Trial Advocacy
  • US v. Rodriguez
    2015
    Co-counsel in the post-conviction representation of a federal death penalty case. Lead counsel in investigation and litigation of juror misconduct claims.
    Post Conviction Advocacy
  • US v. Lussier
    1991
    Lead counsel in the murder trial and battered woman based acquittal.
    Trial Advocacy
  • US v. Wiese
    1997
    Trial and appellate counsel. Obtained acquittal of first degree murder charge and conviction of lesser included offense.
    Appellate Advocacy

Professional and Civic Activities

Education

  • Honors graduate, University of California, Berkeley, and Member, Phi Beta Kappa, 1982
  • Graduate, University of California, Berkeley Law School (Berkeley Law), and member and editor of the California Law Review, 1985

Employment

  • Assistant Federal Defender and First Assistant Defender, District of Minnesota, 1989-2017 and 2019-2021
  • Partner, Ciresi Conlin LLP, 2017-2019
  • Adjunct Professor, University of Minnesota Law School (Corporate and White Collar Crime), 2005 to present
  • Consultant, National Academy of Sciences on natural resource issues, 1989-1992
  • Associate, O’Melveny and Myers, Washington, D.C., 1987-1989
  • Law clerk to Hon. James M. Rosenbaum, U.S. District Judge for the District of Minnesota, 1985-1986

Community Service

  • Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member (1991-present) and Board Member (2018-present)
  • MSBA Criminal Law Board, Member (2020-present)
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Criminal Rules Advisory Committee (2016-present)
  • District of Minnesota Federal Practice Committee, Member (2010-2015, 2019-2021) and Chair, Criminal Rules Subcommittee (2012-2015)
  • Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Member (1996-present), Board Member (2001-2009, 2013-2018, 2021-Present), and Board Chair (2004-2005, 2015-2016)
  • Minneapolis Election Judge (1998-2000) and Chair Election Judge (2000-present)

Honors and Awards

  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
  • MSBA Certified Criminal Law Specialist
  • Attorney of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer, 2017 (outstanding service to the profession), 2019 (Minnesota Prisoner Hepatitis C § 1983 Class Action Litigation), 2020 (District of Minnesota Compassionate Release)