Kaufman Business Law

We provide legal services to seasoned business professionals in NY on how to make more money with fewer headaches so they can live their best lives. This includes guidance on issues like training clients to pay timely, creating business partnerships and alliances that work, and exiting your business by strategic design (not disaster).

No. We only work with businesses that are registered in the state of New York. Kaufman Business Law has been operating out of New York City for over 25 years.

As a small established business owner herself, founder Nina Kaufman understands what it is like for business owners to slog it out for years on end, making huge sacrifices, muddling through, and not getting a lot of guidance or encouragement for it. Yet they are the lifeblood of the community, New York, and the nation. “Creative and professional services companies are optimistic, creative (no surprise), and team-oriented. They’re on a constant quest for improvement–whether it’s productivity, revenue, or self-growth as leaders. They understand what it means to roll up your sleeves and get in the muck. They love what they do and want to delegate what they don’t to a trusted team of advisors and staff. They enjoy a good laugh. They put in the long hours, months, and years to realize a vision and make a difference in the world. They’re my kind of people.”~ Nina Kaufman

e have a basic screening process to make sure that working together makes sense for both of us. It starts with our video (https://kaufmanbusinesslaw.com/watch-video/), which tells you a bit about the firm and the clients and matters that are in our “sweet spot.” Please watch it. We then ask a few preliminary intake questions to confirm that your business and matters are a mutual fit. If not, we’ll let you know. All clients who engage our firm will be asked to sign a written engagement letter that outlines our services, fee structure, and payment terms so you know what to expect.

Depending on the project, we charge either a flat fee or an hourly rate. We base our flat fees on a number of factors including the nature and the scope of the project, the thoroughness of your existing materials and financial documentation, your availability and willingness to participate in the process, and the complexity of your industry and business. We do not take matters on contingency.

No. For several reasons: (1) Equity does not help our cash flow. Cash is to our business as blood is to our body (we will encourage you to see that, too). Therefore, we ask for cash (or credit card) payments in advance. (2) You can't easily cash out of equity positions in closely-held businesses. The kind of clients we serve do not have intentions (or desires) to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange. As a result, it's very difficult to find a buyer's market for the equity. (3) It creates a conflict of interest. We can't be objective as advisors if we are also owners of the business. It also creates an awkward and contentious relationship with clients if the owner takes actions that we feel harm the business. We'd rather give our best advice than compromise the integrity of our relationships with our clients.

We are headquartered in New York City, but do not take in-person meetings. With today’s technology and business needs, we conduct all communication by phone, e-mail, and online meeting tools.

As Nina says: “I saw “To Kill a Mockingbird” at an impressionable age. I wanted to be Atticus Finch when I grew up. Still do. Someone wise, trusted, and decent who helped solve people’s legal problems with integrity. Couple that with the fact that I’m a bookworm, a ham, and an avid writer—it’s no surprise my approach to law evolved as it has. I’m an educator at heart, and my beat is small business law. I want you to have the legal bedrock you need to build a company that supports you, your family, and your community. That’s reflected in my multi-faceted approach to legal services. Not just churning out legal documents. But being a strategic advisor with straight-talk. And staying current by writing, speaking, and creating digital resources for entrepreneurs. I wear many hats … but so do my business clients.

We focus on knowledge-based New York businesses (also known as thought-based or expertise-based businesses). These include firms in the following industries and sectors: marketing, digital marketing, graphic and web design, communications, public relations, crisis communications, copywriting, online marketing, law, bookkeeping, business coaching, event planning, IT services, human resources, conference curation, executive search, and consulting firms in many different spheres.