For nearly two decades, Sarah T. Schaffer has been an empathetic yet aggressive advocate for families across San Diego. A Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), a distinction earned from the State Bar of California by a very small percentage of attorneys, Sarah is a member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists. Sarah prides herself on her knowledge of the law and skills as an attorney, as well as the genuine relationships she builds with her clients.
Sarah has earned a reputation statewide for her legal expertise and courtroom savviness, her calm and compassionate demeanor, and her ability to obtain favorable results for her clients. Her experience includes representing clients in challenging, high-conflict family law matters, including difficult child custody disputes and complex community property division for a variety of high net worth clients.
Sarah is also a certified collaborative divorce practitioner. Collaborative Divorce is an Alternative Dispute Resolution process that provides divorcing parties the opportunity to reach a creative settlement that meets the needs of the family.
In addition to her law degree, Sarah earned a Master of Laws Degree (LL.M.) in taxation. Prior to becoming an attorney, Sarah worked as a tax consultant with Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young.
Her background allows her to not only understand and assist clients with their tax and financial planning needs, but also gives her the ability to ensure their assets are adequately protected.
Earlier in her career, Sarah served in the United States Marine Corps, spending five years working as a Logistics Officer in Okinawa, Japan, and Quantico, Virginia. She is recently retired as Deputy Director, Reserve Legal Support, Headquarters Marine Corps, Judge Advocate Division, Washington, D.C. Because of her military experience and background, military families appreciate and trust in Sarah’s ability to guide them through various family law issues that are specific to service members.
Sarah formed Schaffer Family Law Group in 2011 after practicing law for four years at Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP, one of San Diego’s largest law firms. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University, majoring in Spanish and International Relations, and graduating with departmental honors. During this time, she spent a year studying at the University of Salamanca in Spain. She earned both her Juris Doctor and Master of Laws degree from the University of San Diego.
She is actively involved with Casa Cornelia Law Center, a public interest law firm providing quality pro bono legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations, and Kids Turn, a non-profit organization supporting children and parents experiencing family separations or military transitions.
