Jennifer Schaffner
Special Counsel
303.529.6374Paralegal
Marla Purdy – mpurdy@griffithslawpc.com
Education
Wayne State University School of Law, JD, magna cum laude
University of Michigan, B.A., English, with High Distinction
Colorado Collaborative Divorce Professionals Training
Areas of Practice
Family Law; Appeals

About Jennifer Schaffner
Jennifer joined Griffiths Law as special counsel in 2020, where she brings her diverse legal experience to clients undergoing family transitions. At Griffiths Law, Jennifer handles a broad array of family law matters. She has a particular interest in cases that raise novel issues of law and has achieved successful outcomes for her clients in specialized areas of family law such as common law marriages, UCCJEA issues, complex financial matters, and challenging parenting time concerns. Her clients appreciate her professionalism, attention to detail, and ability to work effectively with opposing parties and counsel. While comfortable in the courtroom, she is also trained in Collaborative Law and has worked with many clients to achieve favorable results through that model of practice.
An experienced appellate practitioner, Jennifer is unique in the family law bar for having handled appeals in all three appellate courts in Colorado, including the Colorado Supreme Court and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. She was recently successful in appealing the trial court’s termination of maintenance in the published case, In re Marriage of Thorstad, which involved a challenge to the termination of maintenance due to the payor’s retirement, and recently successfully defended another appeal involving a reversal in a published opinion of parenting time in which the court clarified the statutory standard for modifying parenting time following a motion to restrict.
Jennifer has been licensed in Colorado since 2000 when she began her career as a transactional and litigation attorney in several large, national firms. Unique among family law attorneys for her diverse legal background, Jennifer gained valuable experience early in her career working on mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, and complex, commercial cases. Jennifer was first introduced to family law in her role as a staff attorney at the Colorado Court of Appeals, where she drafted appellate opinions in family law and dependency and neglect cases. Drawn to this area of practice as a way to make an immediate impact on client’s lives, Jennifer has practiced family law exclusively since 2016.
Jennifer is involved in the community, having served as a volunteer in the self-represented litigant clinics in counties across the Front Range and mountains. She also volunteers her time at community “ask a lawyer” events and has served as a coach and scoring panelist for the High School Mock Trial program. In her free time, Jennifer can be found running, cycling, skiing, playing tennis, and enjoying time with her family.
“The best attorneys are part of the solution rather than part of the problem and strive to leave each client better than they found them.”
Reviews
I cannot say enough positive things about Jennifer and her work. She took the time to understand our legal and financial goals.
Former Client – June 2020, AVVO Review
Jennifer is phenomenal to work with! She is attentive, competent, and thorough. She knows the law back and forth and will be sure to know your case just as well.
Former Client – June 2020, Google Review
Not only does she give top-notch legal service…she gives peace of mind.
Former Client – June 2020, Google Review
Honors & Distinctions
- Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America©, 2022-2024, Family Law
- Order of the Coif (top 10% law school class)
- Awarded a 10 out of 10 rating on AVVO.
Memberships & Community Involvement
- Member of the Pro Bono Screening Committee for the Colorado Bar Association Pro Bono Appellate program
- Colorado Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Arapahoe County Bar Association
- Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee
- Arapahoe County Mock Trial Tournament Coach (2020, 2022) and Judge (2018, 2019)
- First and Fifth Judicial District Self-Represented Litigant Clinic Volunteer (2017-2018)
- Extreme Community Makeover Volunteer (2020)
Authorship, Presentations & Notable Accomplishments
- “Top Ten Tips for Appellate Brief Writing”, 2022 Annual Appellate Law Update, Moderator, May 2022
- Joint Parental Decision-Making and COVID-19 – Can I vaccinate my child?, griffithslawpc.com, September 2021
- “Lawyer Legislators Introduce Divorce Process Alternative”, Interview, Colorado Law Week Magazine, March 29, 2021
- Prevailed in appeal regarding application of the legal standard for a substantial modification of parenting time in Court of Appeals case In re Marriage of Wenciker, 2022 COA 74
- Successfully appealed termination of client’s maintenance in Court of Appeals case In re Marriage of Thorstad, 434 P.3d 165 (Colo. App. 2019).
