Before practicing criminal defense in Northern California, Anu Chopra spent six years in international business managing large portfolios across Japan and Europe, a background that shaped an analytical discipline and cross-cultural fluency that most criminal defense attorneys do not bring to their work.
Introduction
Chopra Law Firm is a criminal defense practice based in Chico, California, serving clients across Northern California from Chico north to Red Bluff and west through Willows and Orland. Attorney Anu Chopra is a former prosecutor, which means she has spent time on the other side of criminal cases, evaluating evidence, making charging decisions, and preparing cases for trial. That prosecutorial background directly informs how she approaches defense work.
The firm handles all types of felony cases and misdemeanor charges for adults and juveniles. An after-hours emergency contact line is available for clients who face arrest or police contact outside of standard business hours. Free initial consultations are offered Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The firm’s guiding orientation is drawn from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s observation that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” That statement captures the firm’s view of criminal defense: that the quality of representation provided to individuals accused of crimes reflects on the justice of the system as a whole.
Practice Areas
Criminal Defense: Felonies
Felony charges are the most serious category in the California criminal system. A felony conviction carries consequences that extend well beyond any prison term: loss of the right to possess firearms, immigration consequences for non-citizens, professional licensing impacts, and a criminal record that affects employment and housing for years. The firm handles all types of felony cases in Northern California courts, applying both the legal analysis developed through Chopra’s prosecutorial experience and the strategic thinking developed in her years of complex international business.
A former prosecutor evaluating a felony defense case is asking questions from two directions simultaneously: what does the prosecution have, and how strong is it? Having made charging decisions and assembled cases for prosecution, Chopra knows where typical prosecution evidence packages are strong and where they are not. That inside knowledge is applied to building the defense.
Criminal Defense: Misdemeanors
Misdemeanor charges are frequently dismissed as less serious, but a misdemeanor conviction creates a criminal record that can affect employment background checks, professional licensing, and immigration status. DUI misdemeanor convictions, for example, carry both license consequences and the certainty of insurance rate increases. The firm treats misdemeanor defense with the same care as felony cases.
Juvenile Defense
Juvenile cases in California proceed through a separate court system designed with rehabilitation as a primary goal, but the consequences of juvenile adjudications are not trivial. Serious cases can result in detention, and certain serious offenses can be prosecuted in adult court. The firm handles juvenile criminal defense as a distinct category, accounting for the procedural differences and the particular stakes involved when the client is a minor.
Attorney Profiles
Anu Chopra is the founding attorney at Chopra Law Firm. Her professional path is notable for its range: six years in international business handling large client portfolios in Japan and Europe, followed by a transition into law with a prosecutorial role, and then to criminal defense in Northern California. The international business background produced skills in complex analysis, portfolio management under pressure, and cross-cultural communication. The prosecutorial background produced the specific knowledge of how the government builds criminal cases. Together, these experiences create a defense attorney who approaches cases with both analytical discipline and tactical understanding of the other side.
Her guiding principle, drawn from King’s statement on injustice, reflects a view of criminal defense as a matter of systemic importance, not merely individual representation.
Location and Service Area
Chopra Law Firm is located at Humboldt Rd, Suite 1A, Chico, California 95928.
Phone (main): (530) 809-9030
Phone (after-hours emergency): (530) 715-0073
The firm serves the following Northern California communities:
- Chico
- Oroville
- Willows
- Orland
- Red Bluff
- Colusa
This coverage spans several Northern California counties, covering a largely rural region where options for experienced criminal defense representation are more limited than in the urban Bay Area or Los Angeles markets.
Client Focus
The firm’s clients are facing some of the most consequential situations in their lives. A felony charge can reshape a person’s entire future. A juvenile adjudication can affect a young person’s educational and employment trajectory before it has begun. Even a misdemeanor conviction becomes part of a permanent record that follows someone through employment applications and background checks.
The availability of an after-hours emergency line at (530) 715-0073 reflects the practical reality of criminal defense: police contact happens at night, on weekends, and on holidays. Having access to counsel at the moment of arrest, or in the immediate hours afterward, can affect how a person responds to questioning and whether statements are made that complicate the defense later.
Free initial consultations are available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., providing a low-barrier entry point for individuals who are evaluating their options and need to understand what their situation looks like legally before committing to representation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the former prosecutor background help criminal defense clients?
Having worked as a prosecutor, Chopra made charging decisions, assembled evidence packages, and evaluated cases from the government’s perspective. She knows what prosecutors look for when deciding whether a case is strong enough to take to trial, where the weaknesses in typical evidence packages are found, and how to identify the arguments most likely to create reasonable doubt or result in a dismissal or reduction. Defense clients benefit from that inside knowledge applied on their behalf.
What is the after-hours emergency contact for?
Criminal situations do not occur only during business hours. Arrest, police questioning, and emergency situations can happen at any hour. The after-hours emergency line at (530) 715-0073 is available for clients who need to reach an attorney outside of standard business hours.
Does the firm handle cases for juveniles?
Yes. Juvenile criminal defense is handled as a separate category, with attention to the distinct procedural rules of the juvenile court system and the specific consequences of juvenile adjudications, including the circumstances under which a case might be transferred to adult court.
What does Anu Chopra’s international business background contribute to legal work?
The six years managing large client portfolios in Japan and Europe developed analytical and organizational skills that translate to complex case management. Cross-cultural fluency also means Chopra is comfortable working with clients from a range of backgrounds and communication styles.
What areas does the firm serve?
The firm serves Chico, Oroville, Willows, Orland, Red Bluff, and Colusa, covering a broad section of Northern California’s non-metropolitan communities.
Closing
A criminal defense attorney who has managed international portfolios, prosecuted cases as a government attorney, and now applies both of those experiences to representing individuals in Northern California courts brings an unusual depth of analytical and tactical grounding to the work. Chopra Law Firm is reachable during business hours at (530) 809-9030 and after hours at (530) 715-0073. The office is at Humboldt Rd, Suite 1A, Chico, California 95928. More information is at anuchopralaw.com.
Website: anuchopralaw.com