David J. Kaufmann

David J. Kaufmann is a founding member and Senior Partner of New York City's Kaufmann Gildin & Robbins LLP. After graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Binghamton University, State University of New York, Mr. Kaufmann went on to earn a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School.

As one of the country's foremost franchise attorneys, Mr. Kaufmann has represented a number of clients, including the following: YUM Brands, Inc. (Taco Bell/Pizza Hut/KFC/Habit Burger Grill); 7-Eleven, Inc.; Activision-Blizzard, Inc.; IHG Hotels & Resorts; Abbey Road Studios; Ripley's Attractions, Inc.; Weichert Real Estate Affiliates; and serves as franchise counsel to many of our nation's largest private equity and law firms.

With decades of experience, Mr. Kaufmann regularly helps clients on creating, modifying and preparing all documentation for franchise networks both large and small; financing projects; securitizations; and acquisitions. While serving as New York's special deputy attorney general, he wrote the state's franchise statute. For his achievements, Mr. Kaufmann has earned the highest rating possible of AV Preeminent* from Martindale-Hubbell; Franchise Times named him one of its Legal Eagles; and he has repeatedly been named in The Best Lawyers in America.**

A published author, Mr. Kaufmann is a franchise columnist for the New York Law Journal. He remains active in the legal community, holding memberships with the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the North American Securities Administrators Association.

* AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories: legal ability and general ethical standards.

** The Best Lawyers in America® 2013. Copyright 2013 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC