About Jim
Jim Schaefer built his legal foundation at California State University, Northridge, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Law and Business Administration in 2002 after beginning studies in 1995. He went on to earn a J.D. from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, finishing in 2006 following enrollment in 2003. Those years framed his transition from business studies into a career at the bar in California.
He entered private practice soon after law school. In 2007 he began working at Zampi, Determan & Erickson, LLP, a role that placed him in a team-handling litigation and client advocacy. The position exposed him to the rhythms of trial preparation, motion practice and client counseling in a firm environment. In 2011 he moved to Schaefer & Associates, listed there as a lawyer, and has been associated with that practice since then.
Over the course of his career Schaefer has handled the practical tasks that lawyers confront every day: advising clients, preparing pleadings, managing discovery, and arguing motions. He has experience shepherding matters from intake through resolution. The record shows steady work in private firms rather than public service or academia, and his experience reflects that continuity.
Clients and colleagues describe him as methodical in approach. He tends to break complicated matters down into discrete steps. That practical style affects how he prepares cases and negotiates on behalf of clients. He relies on document work, witness preparation and attention to procedure to advance clients’ positions. Courtroom appearances form part of his routine when case facts require them.
Schaefer is admitted to practice in California. His background in business law and business administration informs how he evaluates commercial and transactional issues that arise in litigation. He combines that undergraduate grounding with the law training he received at Thomas Jefferson School of Law to advise on legal problems that have business implications.
In day-to-day practice he operates out of Schaefer & Associates, handling matters for individuals and businesses that come through the firm. He remains active in private practice in California and continues to focus on client representation and case management at Schaefer & Associates.
