About Benjamin
Benjamin Schaefer is a Virginia attorney who combines courtroom experience with time in both government and private practice. He has moved steadily from internship work to firm leadership, shaping his career around litigation and client representation.
He earned his B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Vermont in 2000 and stayed at the same school to complete an M.A. in History in 2004. He then went on to receive his J.D. from Pennsylvania State University—Dickinson School of Law in 2009. Those years of study framed his approach to legal problems, blending historical perspective with doctrinal training.
Schaefer began his post-law school work as an intern at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2009. That exposure to regulatory work was followed by positions in private practice. He worked at Thorsey Law Office beginning in 2010, then moved to FirstPoint Law Group in 2012. In 2014 he became managing partner at Nova Defenders, S&R Law Office, PLLC, a role he retains. The path shows a shift from junior roles to firm management in a relatively short span of years.
He maintains active membership in several professional organizations. Those include the Virginia State Bar, the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, the American Law Institute, the Prince William County Bar Association, and the National Trial Lawyers Association. His association memberships cover local, state and national bodies and reflect steady engagement with the bar and legal community.
Throughout his career he has handled matters that require both litigation technique and attention to procedural detail. The SEC internship added a regulatory dimension to his early practice, while his years in private firms provided courtroom and client-facing experience. Colleagues describe his approach as methodical: he prepares facts, weighs legal options, and pursues the work until a case phase is complete.
As managing partner at Nova Defenders, S&R Law Office, PLLC, he oversees the firm’s day-to-day legal operations and coordinates case strategies. He supervises attorneys and staff, manages client matters, and handles trial preparation when cases proceed to court. His current practice centers on managing the firm’s litigation and supervising client representation at Nova Defenders, S&R Law Office, PLLC.
