Kimball, Tirey & St. John

What Kimball, Tirey & St. John does

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP (KTS) is a California-based real estate law firm organized as a limited liability partnership, founded in 1977 and headquartered in San Diego. The firm delivers legal representation across five core practice areas: Landlord Tenant Law (residential, post-foreclosure, and commercial evictions), Business Real Estate (litigation, transactions, employment, ADA, HOA, and DRE compliance), Collection Division (judgment and non-judgment debt collection, bankruptcy/secured creditor work, foreclosure litigation, and receiverships), Fair Housing (consultation, defense, and training), and Estate Planning (trusts, wills, probate, conservatorships). It serves California landlords, property managers, lenders, HOAs, real estate licensees, and individuals, with six physical offices spanning San Diego, Los Angeles, Irvine, Concord, Elk Grove, and Fresno, and approximately 117 attorneys plus dedicated Client Care and Client Relation teams.

The firm's product surface extends well beyond hourly legal services. KTS monetizes a proprietary Residential Lease form — currently licensed across more than 230,000 units with 23 incorporated addenda — via tiered initial fees ($1,365–$6,360) plus annual update subscriptions ($450–$2,130). It also sells a portfolio of copyright-protected publications (California Fair Housing Encyclopedia, Residential and Commercial Preventive Law Handbooks, Small Claims Kit, Rental Criteria eBook), interactive online training courses at $59 per seat, and live/recorded webinars at $39.95 each. Underlying technology is conventional: a WordPress CMS website, a client portal (clientportal.kts-law.com) for case intake and electronic file transfer, an owned e-commerce storefront, GoToWebinar for live webinar delivery, and Paycom for applicant tracking.

KTS's business model is a hybrid of professional services fees (engagement-based, with volume discounts and monthly summary reports for portfolio clients) and productized legal/educational IP (lease form licensing, publications, training, webinars). Go-to-market is sales-led and direct-to-consumer, supported by a content-and-education engine (Legal Alerts, monthly Q&A series, articles, seminars) and embedded in California rental-housing trade associations (CAA, BOMA, AAGLA, AAOC, NAA, NMHC, NAR). The firm claims the largest fair housing defense practice in California and more than $270 million in cumulative client recoveries through its Collection Division.

Name

Kimball, Tirey & St. John

Legal name

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP

Website

https://kts-law.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP is a California real estate law firm with ~117 attorneys across six offices, providing landlord/tenant, fair housing, collection, HOA, and estate planning representation, plus a proprietary residential lease form licensed in 230,000+ units and education products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services (Evictions): Fee-based representation in residential, post-foreclosure, and commercial evictions; monthly eviction summary reports and volume fee discounts for multi-unit clients.
2. Collection / Creditors' Rights Legal Services: Judgment and non-judgment debt collection, bankruptcy and secured creditor representation, foreclosure litigation, receivership representation. Firm states over $270 million recovered for clients to date.
3. KTS Residential Lease Form Licensing: Tiered initial licensing fee ($1,365 to $6,360) plus recurring annual update subscription ($450 to $2,130) based on number of units managed/owned. Used in over 230,000 units.
4. Publications Sales: Direct sale of handbooks (Preventive Law Handbook), Fair Housing Encyclopedia, Disability Forms Packet, Small Claims Kit, Establishing Rental Criteria, and various addenda (Pet, Mold, Asbestos, Age-Restricted, Assistive Animal, etc.). Priced $27.95 – $250.
5. Online Training (CLE/Preventive Law): Interactive online courses priced at $59 per person (e.g., California Fair Housing Fundamentals, Fair Housing for Maintenance Personnel) with completion certificate.
6. Live and Recorded Webinars: Hour-long webinars (live $39.95 and recorded $39.95 per purchase) covering legislative updates, security deposits, fair housing, habitability, VAWA, tenant protection, hoarding, etc.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP is a California-focused real estate law firm delivering full-service legal representation across five practice areas: Landlord/Tenant Law (residential, post-foreclosure, and commercial evictions), Business Real Estate (litigation, transactions, HOA, ADA, DRE compliance), Collection Division (judgment and non-judgment debt recovery), Fair Housing (consultation, defense, and training), and Estate Planning (trusts, wills, probate). Complementing legal services are fee-based preventive-law products: the proprietary KTS Residential Lease form licensed to property managers, online training courses, live and recorded webinars, and authored publications such as the California Fair Housing Encyclopedia and the Preventive Law Handbooks.

Product overview

Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP (KTS) operates as a California-based real estate law firm offering a portfolio of legal services and education products rather than a single unified software product. The core offering is legal representation delivered through five practice areas: Landlord Tenant Law (including residential, post-foreclosure, and commercial evictions), Business Real Estate (litigation, transactions, employment, ADA, HOA, and DRE compliance), Collection Division (judgment and non-judgment debt collection plus bankruptcy/secured creditor work), Fair Housing (consultation, defense, and training), and Estate Planning (trusts, wills, probate, conservatorships). Complementing these services are fee-based legal products: the KTS Residential Lease form (licensed in over 230,000 units with addenda), Live Client Seminars, Online Training courses (California Fair Housing Fundamentals, Fair Housing for Maintenance Personnel), Webinars and Recorded Webinars, and Publications (the California Fair Housing Encyclopedia, California Residential Landlord/Tenant Preventive Law Handbook, California Commercial Landlord/Tenant Preventive Law Handbook, Small Claims Kit, and eBook Establishing Your Rental Criteria, along with standalone addenda such as Assistive Animal Packet and Disability Forms Packet). All commerce, training registration, and case intake flow through the KTS Client Portal and the KTS Store, while the main website (kts-law.com) hosts Legal Alerts, Articles, and Questions & Answers content as ongoing client education resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Landlord Tenant Law Practice Full-service landlord/tenant legal representation in California covering residential evictions, post-foreclosure evictions, commercial evictions, leasing, security deposits, rent increases, habitability, and unlawful detainer actions for property owners and managers.
• Business Real Estate Practice Real estate and business litigation, transactions, employment law, ADA compliance, HOA representation, and DRE compliance services for California property owners, businesses, and homeowners' associations.
• Collection Division Judgment and non-judgment debt collection, bankruptcy and secured creditor representation, receivership, foreclosure litigation, and skip-tracing services for California lenders, HOAs, and creditors; firm states over $270 million recovered for clients.
• Fair Housing Practice Fair housing consultation, defense, and training services with over 35 years of combined attorney experience in federal and state fair housing laws, particularly disability-related claims, in California.
• Estate Planning Practice Estate planning services including revocable trusts, wills, healthcare directives, durable powers of attorney, trust and probate administration, conservatorships, and estate litigation in California.
• KTS Residential Lease Form Proprietary residential lease form with 23 incorporated addenda (AB 1482, Mold, Pet, Bed bug, Pool/spa, Renter's insurance, Lead disclosures, etc.), customizable via checkboxes and fill-ins. Licensed on a tiered basis from $1,365 to $6,360 initial fee plus annual updates ($450 to $2,130) based on number of units managed. In use across 230,000+ units.
• KTS Online Training Courses Interactive online training courses covering California and federal fair housing laws, including California Fair Housing Fundamentals (3-hour, 10-module) and Fair Housing for Maintenance Personnel, priced at $59 per person with a certificate of completion upon passing and a 60-day completion window.
• Live Client Seminars Private group seminars on preventive law topics including Fair Housing (3-hour with certificate), Sexual Harassment Prevention (SB 1343 compliant), Landlord/Tenant law, and Identity Theft Prevention / Red Flags compliance, delivered on-site or virtually to multi-unit property clients.
• KTS Webinars (Live and Recorded) Hour-long live and recorded webinars on California landlord-tenant, fair housing, habitability, VAWA, DRE audits, hoarding, and legislative update topics, delivered via GoToWebinar and sold individually at $39.95 per webinar.
• The California Fair Housing Encyclopedia Reference publication authored by KTS attorneys covering ADA, required posters, screening procedures, assistive animals, disabilities, and key state and federal fair housing laws; 2026 Edition available in print and eBook at $27.95 each.
• California Residential Landlord/Tenant Preventive Law Handbook Annual handbook for California residential landlords covering pre-tenancy, tenancy, evictions, post-tenancy issues, and statutory updates; 2026 Edition available in print and eBook at $27.95 each.
• California Commercial Landlord/Tenant Preventive Law Handbook Companion commercial-property preventive law handbook authored and annually updated by KTS attorneys; 2026 Edition available in print and eBook at $27.95 each.
• Small Claims Kit Form kit for preparing California small claims cases, priced at $150.
• eBook: Establishing Your Rental Criteria eBook guiding California landlords through establishing defensible rental criteria, priced at $75.
• KTS Lease Addenda and Forms Catalog of standalone California lease addenda and compliance forms including Age Restricted (55+/62+ Senior Housing), Assistive Animal Packet, Caregiver Addendum, Disability Forms Packet ($250), Electric Scooter, Fair Housing Policy Statement, Medical Marijuana, and Oxygen Tank addenda.

Quantifiable outcome

• 230,000+ units use the KTS Residential Lease form
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• California Apartment Association (CAA)coreOthersKTS is a member of the California Apartment Association (referenced via the Resources Links directory and stated membership in industry associations). Membership supports legislative advocacy and connects KTS to the rental-housing industry.
• Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA)coreOthersKTS attorneys participate in BOMA at both the California chapter (BOMA California) and international level (BOMA International), and present at BOMA conferences. Membership positions KTS as a thought leader in commercial real estate law.
• Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA)moderateOthersIndustry association member, listed in the Resources Links directory; supports KTS engagement with Greater Los Angeles rental-housing owners and managers.
• Apartment Association of Orange County (AAOC)moderateOthersIndustry association member, listed in Resources Links directory; connects KTS to Orange County apartment industry.
• National Apartment Association (NAA)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; national industry association membership extends KTS's industry presence beyond California.
• National Multi-Housing Council (NMHC)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; national association for the multifamily rental housing industry.
• Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; association for property managers across residential and commercial real estate.
• National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; residential property manager association.
• San Francisco Apartment Association (SFAA)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; San Francisco apartment industry association.
• Southern California Rental Housing Association (SoCalRHA)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; Southern California rental housing industry association.
• Rental Housing Association of Southern Alameda CountymoderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; Bay Area rental housing association.
• Affordable Housing Management Association – Pacific Southwest (AHMA-PSW)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; affordable housing management association covering Pacific Southwest.
• National Association of Realtors (NAR)moderateOthersListed in Resources Links directory; national trade association supporting KTS's DRE compliance and real estate transactional practice.
• National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)minorOthersListed in Resources Links directory; San Diego chapter reference.
• National Association of Women Real Estate Brokers (NAWRB)minorOthersListed in Resources Links directory; supports engagement with women-owned real estate businesses.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)minorOthersReferenced as the authoritative source of the federal lead paint disclosure pamphlet and form that KTS advises landlords to provide to tenants and retain signatures for at least 3 years.
• GoToWebinar (LogMeIn)moderateTechnology or IntegrationUsed as the delivery platform for KTS's live client webinars (e.g., 'Security Deposits in 2026' registration links route through attendee.gotowebinar.com). Recorded webinars are made available to registrants after the live session.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Nolo (Internet Brands): Long-standing legal self-help publisher and consumer legal information platform offering books, forms, and online legal content covering landlord-tenant law. Comparable to KTS's publications and educational content products, particularly for residential landlord customers seeking DIY legal information.
• LegalZoom: Online legal services platform offering standardized lease forms, business formation, and compliance products. Comparable as a competitor to KTS's lease form licensing, publication, and webinar products at the lower-end/DIY segment, though it does not provide California-specific legal representation.

Broad incumbents

• Pircher, Nichols & Meeks LLP: National real estate finance and investment law firm with significant California presence serving lenders, borrowers, and investors in commercial real estate. Comparable in California real estate legal services but at the institutional/lender end of the market rather than KTS's landlord/consumer orientation.
• Ballard Spahr LLP: National law firm with a sizable real estate practice including multifamily housing, fair housing compliance, and landlord-tenant matters in California. Comparable as a provider of real estate and fair housing legal services, though operating as a broad full-service firm rather than a California specialist.
• Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP: Premier California real estate law firm serving commercial owners, developers, and lenders across transactions, finance, and litigation. Comparable as a California real estate-focused firm; differs from KTS by serving institutional/commercial clients rather than small landlords and consumer-facing eviction matters.
• Holland & Knight LLP: Large national law firm with California real estate, fair housing, and landlord-tenant practices serving institutional owners and operators. Comparable on practice overlap; differs as a broad incumbent rather than a California-only specialist.
• Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP: Larger California-based law firm with a substantial real estate practice spanning transactions, finance, leasing, and litigation for owners, lenders, and developers. Comparable as a California real estate law specialist but at meaningfully greater scale and broader practice breadth than KTS.

Direct peers

• Tinnelly Law Group, APC: Southern California real estate and business law firm focused on landlord-tenant disputes, evictions, and real estate litigation for property owners and managers. Closely comparable to KTS on specialty and customer segment (multifamily landlords and small landlords).
• Berding & Weil LLP: California-based real estate and business litigation firm with deep landlord-tenant, HOA, construction defect, and real estate transactional practices. Closely comparable to KTS in geographic focus, practice mix, and target clientele of California property owners and associations.
• SwedelsonGottlieb: California HOA and community association law firm serving HOAs and management companies with general counsel, CC&R enforcement, and Davis-Stirling compliance. Comparable to KTS's HOA practice area and California-only focus, with similar target customer profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/405945479453643

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kimball, Tirey & St. John