Krista G. LaFave

Krista G. LaFave believes the legal system works best when it is guided by fairness, preparation, and respect for the people it serves. Whether representing injured clients, presiding as a municipal court judge, or mentoring the next generation of attorneys, she has built her career around making the legal process more understandable, more accessible, and ultimately more effective for those who rely on it.

Her commitment to public service began long before she entered a courtroom. Growing up, LaFave looked to her grandmother—an attorney and federal court clerk—as an example of what a legal career could be. She has often reflected that her grandmother would have made an outstanding judge if she had been born in a different era, an observation that inspired LaFave’s own interest in serving on the bench. Today, as an attorney with Warshafsky Law and the elected Municipal Judge for the City of Wauwatosa, she has built a career that reflects that early inspiration while forging a distinguished path entirely her own.

Her experience includes judicial clerkships, insurance defense, plaintiff-side personal injury litigation, appellate advocacy, and public service on the bench. Together, those experiences have given her an uncommon appreciation for how the legal system functions—and how thoughtful advocacy can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

A Career Built From Every Perspective
After graduating magna cum laude from Tulane University Law School, LaFave returned to her hometown of Milwaukee to begin her legal career. She first served as a judicial law clerk for Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judges Kevin Martens and Pedro Colón, gaining an inside view of courtroom decision-making and the importance of careful legal analysis.

She later practiced insurance defense before making a transition that would shape the rest of her career. In 2016, she joined Warshafsky Law, where she found what she has described as her professional home. Representing injured individuals aligned naturally with her desire to help people navigate some of the most challenging moments of their lives while ensuring they understood the legal process every step of the way.

Her practice today focuses on personal injury litigation, including automobile accidents, premises liability, and product liability matters. She has also developed significant experience in appellate advocacy, serving as one of the firm’s primary brief writers and handling appeals that require meticulous legal research and persuasive written advocacy.

Service Beyond the Courtroom
For LaFave, practicing law has always been closely connected to public service.

In 2022, she was elected Municipal Judge for the City of Wauwatosa, fulfilling a goal she had held since childhood. On the bench, she approaches each case with the same philosophy that guides her legal practice: every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and an opportunity to be heard.

She has spoken openly about the importance of explaining legal proceedings in language people understand and recognizing that many individuals appearing in municipal court are facing stressful or unfamiliar situations. That commitment to treating people fairly and compassionately reflects a broader belief that professionalism is measured not only by legal knowledge, but also by how attorneys and judges interact with those they serve.

Investing in the Future of the Profession
LaFave’s commitment to service extends well beyond her clients and courtroom responsibilities.

She currently serves as President of the Association for Women Lawyers and has remained deeply involved in mentoring young attorneys and law students throughout Wisconsin. She views professional organizations as opportunities to build meaningful relationships, encourage future leaders, and strengthen the legal profession through collaboration rather than competition.

Her leadership and advocacy have earned widespread recognition, including selection to Super Lawyers, after previously being recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star for multiple consecutive years. She is also a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation and remains active in numerous professional organizations dedicated to improving the practice of law throughout the state.

For Krista LaFave, the law has never been simply about resolving disputes. It is about helping people understand the process, treating every individual with fairness and respect, and leaving both the profession and the community stronger than she found them. Inspired early by an example of public service and driven by her own commitment to justice, she has built a career that bridges advocacy, leadership, and the judiciary—always with the belief that the legal system works best when every person is treated with dignity.