Saraphoena B. Koffron
Top rated Family Law attorney in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Austin+Koffron Family Law
Practice areas: Family Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Appellate; view more
Licensed in Michigan since: 2004
Education: Michigan State University College of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2022 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2016 - 2019 Call today:
269-459-9500
Virtual Appointments Austin+Koffron Family Law
1516 Trimble AveKalamazoo, MI 49048 Visit website
Saraphoena B. Koffron is an attorney with the Austin+Koffron law firm, working primarily out of the firm's law office in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A top-ranked trial lawyer with 20 years of total legal experience, Mrs. Koffron provides exceptional counsel and support to a diverse range of clients with the following legal needs:
- Family law and divorce litigation
- Appeals (Statewide)
- Family law mediation and collaborative divorce
- Child custody and support
- Other family and matrimonial law issues
Drawing upon her extensive legal experience in all areas of family law, Mrs. Koffron is able to identify potential roadblocks and provide effective solutions and strategies to mitigate possible issues her clients may face throughout the legal process. She delivers practical and trustworthy advice. Her clients trust her to help them make the best-informed decisions, and she has gained a reputation for her compassion and integrity along with her unwavering commitment to those she serves.
Honored for her outstanding professionalism and stellar client service, Mrs. Koffron has earned consistent top peer rankings on Martindale-Hubbell. She received the organization's Platinum Client Champion award for five consecutive years. Mrs. Koffron has also received "Superb," 10 out of 10 client ratings on Avvo as well as numerous testimonials and referrals from her satisfied clients.
Among her impressive legal credentials, Mrs. Koffron is an ICLE Contributor, an elected Councilwoman for the Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and a writer on the Amicus Committee for the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan. She is also a sought-after mediator on both a court-appointed and private retention basis, having completed Interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce Training with the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, as well as Domestic Relations Mediation training, Advanced Mediation training, and Parent Coordination training.
Mrs. Koffron graduated cum laude from Eastern Michigan University in 2000, and she received her Juris Doctor cum laude from Michigan State University College of Law in 2004 with a concentration in family law. She earned her Master of Laws from Wayne State University Law School in 2009.
Practice areas
Family Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, AppellateFocus areas
Alimony & Spousal Support, Appeals, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Marital Property, Mediation, Mediation & Collaborative Law, Paternity, Same Sex Family Law
- 70% Family Law
- 20% Alternative Dispute Resolution
- 10% Appellate
First Admitted: 2004, Michigan
Professional Webpage: https://austin-koffron.com/about-us-austinkoffron/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar of Michigan, Executive Council Member (Secretary) and Professional Development committee (Co-Chair), 2024
- Appellate Practice Section of the State Bar of Michigan, Council Member and Professional Development committee (Co-Chair), 2023
- State Bar of Michigan (2009-current)
- Amicus Committee of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, member 2015-present
- Van Buren County Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section (2009-present)
- Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan (2009-present)
- Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan (2013-present)
- Kalamazoo County Bar Association (2009-current)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (2013-present)
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Cammenga v Cammenga, 2023 WL 2617487 (March 2023). Prevailing party as to numerous issues regarding distribution of assets, the division of the marital estate, and attorney fees. , 2023
- [Amicus] In re Grablick Trust, 512 Mich 890 (2023). Attorney Koffron was a primary contributing author of the Amicus Curiae Brief of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section on the Michigan Supreme Court's invitation to the Family Law Section to address the interpretation of language within the Estates and Protected Individuals Code which automatically revokes specified testamentary transfers as a result of divorce. , 2023
- [Amicus] Dorko v Dorko, 504 Mich 68 (2019). Attorney Koffron was the primary contributing author of the Amicus Curiae Brief of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section, for this Michigan Supreme Court case that addressed the applicability of statues of limitations to qualified domestic relations (retirement) orders., 2019
- Kruithoff v Catholic Charities of W Michigan (In re Baby Boy Doe), 509 Mich 1056 (2022); 143 S Ct 487; 214 L Ed 2d 278 (2022) lev den. In this case concerning the Constitutionality of Michigan's Safe Delivery of Newborns laws, Attorney Koffron was lead appellate counsel for the petitioner before the Michigan Supreme Court and upon petition for writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court. , 2022
- [Amicus] In re Guardianship of Versalle, Minors, 509 Mich 961 (2022) (leave denied). Attorney Koffron authored the amicus brief on application for leave to appeal, filed on behalf of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, and on behalf of the Legal Services Association of Michigan. This case concerned the interpretation of MCL 700.5204(2)(b), concerning minor guardianships, and its constitutionality. , 2022
- Minaleah Koffron, et al. v Portage Public Schools, et al. In this civil rights litigation, the plaintiffs alleged that Portage Public Schools, a district within in Kalamazoo County, and the named defendants (school administrators) maintained practices that denied Jewish students their right to an equal educational opportunity under the public accommodation and educational sections of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976, and under the Michigan Constitution, to freely exercise their religion without coercive pressure. The lawsuit also included Due Process claims stemming from allegations of a systemic failure within the school system to adhere to its own nondiscrimination policy. The lawsuit did not seek punitive damages but, instead, sought policy changes to promote inclusivity and equity within Portage Public Schools for students of minority religions and cultures, and to improve procedural protections afforded to those students. After extensive litigation that included over eighteen depositions and thousands of pages of produced documentation, the case was resolved days before the Court was to render judgment on competing requests for summary disposition and motions in limine. The consent Judgment that entered contained declaratory and equitable relief, including prohibitions and policy changes sought by the plaintiffs., 2024
Representative Clients
- Caci Carr v Brandon Carr, WL 3243442 (2019). Represented prevailing party in appeal from Calhoun County Circuit Court (Judge Kirkham) rulings in divorce matter including issues of spousal support, property division, child support, and attorney fees., 2019
- Represented the prevailing party in the Michigan Supreme Court case Hunter v Hunter, 484 Mich 247 (2009), which addressed the weight of the constitutionally protected statutory parental presumption in MCL 722.25 in custody disputes between parents and third parties., 2009
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar, 2022
- 40 hour Domestic Mediation Training and 8 Hour Domestic Violence Screening, completed , 2021
- Parent Coordination Training through the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts., 2021
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals' interdisciplinary collaborative practice training, 2013
Pro bono / Community Service
- Volunteer family law attorney, Kalamazoo County Bar Association Legal Aid Clinic, 2014-2018
- Volunteer attorney, Family Law Assistance Clinic in Kalamazoo County, 2012-2018
Educational Background
- Wayne State University Law School, Master of Laws (LLM)
- Eastern Michigan University, Bachelor of Science in English, Literature, & American Language, Graduated Cum Laude, 1997-2000
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- This panel discussion featured experienced appellate practitioners, discussing the process of requesting amicus support, the impact that amicus support can have, and what it is like to be behind the scenes., Moderator, Organizer, Amicus Briefs: the purpose, the process, the power, State Bar of Michigan, Appellate Practice Section Webinar Series, Legal, 2023
- This How-To Kit explains the technical and practical steps for joint divorces (more formally known as ‘summary proceedings for entry of consent Judgments per MCR 3.223). , Author, Handle a Joint Divorce - How-To Kit for Attorneys, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), Legal, 2022
- This webinar discussed best (and worst) practices for requesting attorney fee awards in domestic relations (family law) matters, with a focus on key court rules, statutes, and cases., Presenter, Legitimate AF: Presenting and Preserving Attorney Fee Requests in Family Law Cases, Kalamazoo County Family Law Bar Association, Guest Speaker, Legal, 2022
- This one-hour webinar explored the use of technology in appellate practice. It included perspectives from the bench and COA staff, followed by tips from experienced appellate lawyers from the civil and criminal fields., Moderator, Organizer, Out with the Old, In with the New: Technology in Appellate Practice, State Bar of Michigan, Appellate Practice Section Webinar Series, Legal, 2022
- This one-hour webinar reviewed the functionality of alternatives to Westlaw and Lexis with search and feature comparisons., Panelist, Checking Out Your Options: A Review of Free & Low-Cost Research Platforms, State Bar of Michigan, Appellate Practice Section Webinar Series, Legal, 2022
- This one-hour webinar explored awards and collection of attorney fees and sanctions in Michigan courts at both the trial court and appellate levels. , Co-Presenter, Getting Paid: An Appellate Perspective on Presenting and Preserving Attorney Fee Requests, State Bar of Michigan, Appellate Practice Section Webinar Series, Legal, 2022
- A discussion and review of popular practice management software and programs, their features, and how attorneys can use them to work faster, reduce mistakes, manage tasks, and automate processes to effectively run a family law practice. Co-presented with Attorney Sarah Ostahowski., Co-Author, Co-Presenter, It Doesn’t Have to Be So Hard – Software to Lighten Your Load, ICLE Family Law Institute, Legal, 2022
- This How-to Kit provides step-by-step guidance on the process leading up to and following the preparation of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order in a family law matter., Author, Handle the QDRO Process - How-To Kit for Attorneys, Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), Legal, 2022
Other Outstanding Achievements
- First Place in the Hamantaschen Bake-off, 2019 Community-wide Purim Celebration sponsored by Temple B'Nai Israel, Congregation of Moses, Chabad of Kalamazoo, and Jewish Federation of Kalamazoo., 2019
- Recipient of two Ba'alat Mitzvah awards, one in Social Advocacy and the other in Hiddur Mitzvah, from the International Women's League of Conservative Judaism. , 2008
Honors
- Award based upon online client testimonials in 2022, Platinum Client Champion, Martindale-Hubbell, 2022
- Award based upon online client testimonials in 2021, Platinum Client Champion, Martindale-Hubbell, 2021
- Award based upon online client testimonials in 2020, Platinum Client Champion, Martindale-Hubbell, 2020
- Award based upon online client testimonials in 2019., Platinum Client Champion, Martindale-Hubbell, 2019
- Award based upon online client testimonials in 2018., Platinum Client Champion, Martindale-Hubbell, 2018
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2022 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2016 - 2019
