Mr. Groot received a B.S. degree in1973 and a J.D. in 1976 from Florida State University. He is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts; the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Claims, the U.S. Court of Military Appeals, the U.S. Court of International Trade, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. From 1985 to 1999, he served as Deputy County Attorney for Seminole County and, from 1979 to 1985, served as an Army Lawyer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps in Alabama, Germany and North Carolina. He currently serves as the City Attorney for the City of Lake Helen.

Mr. Groot is a member of the Seminole County Bar Association (former member of Board of Directors), the Orange County Bar Association, The Florida Bar and the Williams Inn of Court. He has served as adjunct professor in the Legal Assistant Programs for Seminole Community College and Florida Institute of Legal Assistants. He served as part time law professor at Campbell University, Fayetteville State University and Methodist College. He has served as a legislative aide to the Florida and Montana Legislatures. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Boys and Girls Club of Volusia/Flagler and as volunteer legal counsel to the Board.

Mr. Groot practices in the areas of Local Government, Government Relations/Lobbying, Land Use, Real Property, Environmental, Civil Litigation, Eminent Domain and Condemnation.