About Cindy
Cindy Perusse graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1988 with a B.A. in Geography. She earned her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in 1994 and began her career in the courts that same year as a law clerk for the 3rd Judicial District. That early exposure shaped how she approaches courtroom procedure and case preparation.
She moved into private practice in 1995, opening the Law Office of Cindy M. Perusse shortly after completing law school. Over the next decade she gained experience both as a solo practitioner and as an associate, working at the Law Office of Linda Olup in 1999 and the Law Office of Lisa Dugoni in 2001. In 2006 she reorganized her practice as Perusse Family Law & Mediation Services, LLC, reflecting an expanding interest in dispute resolution alongside litigation.
In 2019 Perusse became a partner and owner at Perusse Nixon, PLLC. She returned to a sole-owner model in 2022 and established Perusse Family Law, PLLC. Across those moves she kept a steady emphasis on family law matters and mediation, alternating between courtroom work and negotiated settlements depending on each client's needs.
Perusse is licensed to practice in Minnesota and Colorado. Her background includes both trial work and mediation sessions, and her clients have ranged from individuals seeking divorce and custody arrangements to parties exploring alternative dispute resolution. The combination of solo practice and partnership experience gives her a familiarity with different case loads and law office dynamics.
She has been involved in networks for women-owned legal practices since at least 2016, participating in peer groups that discuss management, ethics, and client service in smaller firms. Colleagues describe her as pragmatic in strategy and deliberate in preparation, often relying on the procedural insight she gained while clerking early in her career.
Perusse's career spans three decades and several iterations of private practice. She has moved between solo work and collaborative firms, bringing courtroom experience and mediation skills to each role. She currently practices through Perusse Family Law, PLLC where she handles family law and mediation matters.
