Krista A. Chacona

Krista received her legal education at the Albany Law School of Union University in Albany, New York, where she earned her Juris Doctor. She passed the New York State bar exam in 1997.

Krista began her legal career in Northern New York, where she practiced criminal law exclusively and served as the primary felony attorney for the Jefferson County Public Defender’s Office under the interim public defender. She gained essential trial experience there, managing a robust and diverse criminal caseload. She was admitted to practice in the state courts of New York, as well as the Northern District of New York’s federal court. Upon moving to Texas in 2000, she began practicing civil litigation with two small law firms in Austin. As a civil attorney, she worked with corporate clients, as well as individual clients and small businesses, to resolve a wide variety of issues through negotiation, mediation and/or litigation. Upon starting her own practice in 2006, Krista returned to her first love – criminal defense – and added mental health to her practice. As an Attorney Ad litem, Krista has defended thousands of clients against civil commitments in Travis and Williamson County. She has also served a special master for the Travis County Probate Court, presiding over probable cause hearings in civil commitment proceedings. Krista mentors new lawyers and speaks frequently at state and local bar association seminars on the topics of mental health and the law.

Krista remains licensed to practice in New York. She is also licensed to practice law in the state courts of Texas, as well as the federal courts for the Western and Northern Districts of Texas. Her admission to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States is pending approval.

For more than 25+ years, Krista has provided people in need with quality legal services at reasonable rates. Her experiences working in government and in larger firms provided her with the confidence and experience necessary to start her own law firm in Austin. Her passion is helping people resolve their legal issues with her with her knowledge and legal skills, but also helping clients achieve and maintain stability, with her extensive knowledge of the challenges facing people with mental health issues and referrals to available resources.