Cathryn Schmidt

Cathryn Schmidt is an experienced and highly regarded family law attorney who draws on more than 25 years of legal experience when representing her clients in family law matters. She represents her clients in all matters with respect to family law including custody, parenting time, asset valuation and division, spousal maintenance, and orders for protection. Cathryn has been named "Super Lawyer" by Minnesota Law and Politics and has been recognized for her excellence in family law by selection to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Minnesota Chapter. She has also attained the highest rating possible from Martindale Hubbell for both her legal ability and ethical standards as rated by her colleagues and judges. While she is well-versed in settlement negotiation and mediation (she is a qualified mediator), Cathryn is also an experienced trial attorney and has successfully litigated scores of contested family law matters, both at the trial court level and at the Court of Appeals. She recently argued a case to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Before joining Collins, Buckley, Sauntry & Haugh, Cathryn was a partner at Swaden Law Offices, in Edina where she spent 14 years devoting her practice exclusively to family law. Her prior experience includes clerking for the Honorable Gordon W. Shumaker and the Honorable John S. Connolly in Ramsey County District Court. Ms. Schmidt assisted Judge Shumaker (now retired from the Minnesota Court of Appeals) in the determination of complex litigation matters, including Minnesota's landmark silicone breast implant insurance coverage declaratory judgment action. Following her clerkships, she developed a reputation as an excellent trial court advocate as a Ramsey County Public Defender while also maintaining a private practice devoted primarily to family law.

Cathryn is a long-standing member of the Warren E. Burger Inn of Court, a membership of attorneys and judges that promotes excellence in advocacy and civility in Minnesota's court system. She volunteers as a mentor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.