For the past 20 years, Schmidt has defended people against a gamut of charges—DWI, arson, embezzlement, domestic assault. Schmidt takes the idea of being a counselor seriously, often guiding clients to seek professional help and investigate the root causes of their actions.
“People really fascinate me, and I like to figure out what makes them tick and do bad things, then help them not do it again,” says Schmidt, whose office (which she opened four years out of law school) is in Golden Valley. Last year, the American Trial Lawyers Association selected Schmidt as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in Minnesota. Schmidt cofounded Juris Divas, a networking group for women lawyers and judges.
