Selected as a Los Angeles Lawyer "Young Rising Star" in 2006 for excellence in law, Schaeffer was a trial attorney for California defense firm Stockwell, Harris, Widom, Woolverton & Muehl.
She joined the firm on August 16, 2006, prior to The Apprentice.[4] She defended California employers against workers' compensation, subrogation and discrimination claims, and defended large real estate developers in construction defect litigation. She worked for Goldman, Magdalin & Krikes, LLP.
She is a member of the alumni association board of directors at Southwestern Law School.[5]
The Apprentice
Schaeffer was hired in the sixth season of The Apprentice. Schaeffer is the first practicing attorney (season-two winner Kelly Perdew graduated from law school but chose not to practice) and the second woman to be hired by Trump. Schaeffer oversaw the Trump at Cap Cana project in punta cana, Dominican Republic on a 1-year contract (with a starting salary exceeding US$250,000) as an owners' representative for Trump at Capcana, and also became the Vice President of sales and marketing for Trump International Hotel and Tower in Las Vegas.[6][7]