Kaufman Legal Group

What Kaufman Legal Group does

Kaufman Legal Group is a California-based boutique law firm specializing exclusively in political law. Founded in 1996 by Stephen J. Kaufman, the firm operates as Kaufman Legal Group, APC, from its headquarters at 445 S. Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles and a second office in Sacramento managed by Gary S. Winuk. Its practice spans the full political-law stack: campaign finance compliance and disclosure, election law (recounts, challenges, recalls, voter protection), initiatives and referenda, governmental ethics and conflicts of interest, lobbying compliance, enforcement proceedings before the FEC, FPPC, and local ethics commissions, and related litigation and appeals. The firm is distinctive in combining licensed attorneys with an in-house Political Compliance Professionals staff of approximately ten personnel who handle the operational layer of disclosure filings, account reconciliation, and campaign reporting — a delivery model that integrates legal counsel with back-office compliance execution.

The firm serves a high-profile, politically engaged client base that includes U.S. Senators, members of Congress, California statewide officeholders, mayors, county supervisors, Fortune 500 corporations, PACs, labor unions (IBEW Locals 11 and 18), ballot measure campaigns (Yes on Measure H, Yes on Measure RR, Yes on Proposition 30), and non-profits such as ACLU Southern California and the California Community Foundation. Differentiating expertise includes first-hand regulatory experience: Gary Winuk previously served as Chief of the Enforcement Division at the Fair Political Practices Commission (2009–2015), and Stephen Kaufman previously served as Chief Counsel to the U.S. House Democratic Caucus's Special Committee on Election Reform and as recount attorney for the Gore-Lieberman campaign.

Kaufman Legal Group generates revenue through professional-fee legal services billed via hourly rates or fixed fees depending on matter type, on a monthly billing cadence. The firm is privately held and founder-controlled with no external funding, parent company, or institutional investors disclosed. The firm has received sustained industry recognition across Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Los Angeles Times Legal Visionaries, National Law Journal Elite Boutique Trailblazer, and Los Angeles Business Journal awards, supporting premium positioning in a niche where regulatory complexity and political-stakes representation command specialized billing.

Name

Kaufman Legal Group

Legal name

Kaufman Legal Group, APC

Website

https://kaufmanlegalgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kaufman Legal Group is a California-based boutique law firm founded in 1996, specializing exclusively in political law — campaign finance compliance, election law, governmental ethics, ballot measures, and lobbying — serving Fortune 500 companies, elected officials, PACs, labor unions, and non-profits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Law Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Regulatory & Compliance Law (BPAHAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying (BPAFADAB), Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Political law services
• Campaign finance compliance
• Election law advisory
• Governmental ethics counsel
• Ballot measure representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: The firm generates revenue through legal fees for campaign finance compliance, election law, governmental ethics advice, litigation, and related political law services to a diverse client base including elected officials, corporations, PACs, and non-profits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kaufman Legal Group is a specialized political law firm providing end-to-end legal services at the federal, state, and local levels. The firm's core offerings span campaign finance compliance and disclosure, election law (including recounts and challenges), ballot measure and initiative campaigns, governmental ethics and conflicts of interest, lobbying compliance, enforcement proceedings and audits, and related litigation. Both attorneys and in-house political compliance professionals deliver these services, with the compliance team preparing disclosure reports, managing campaign accounts, and ensuring timely regulatory filings.

Product overview

Kaufman Legal Group is a single-firm legal practice offering a unified suite of political law services rather than a platform architecture. The firm provides ten integrated legal service offerings: Campaign Finance Compliance & Disclosure, Election Law, Initiatives and Referenda, Public Agency Advice, Governmental Ethics/Conflicts of Interest, Enforcement Proceedings/Audits/Investigations, Litigation and Appeals, Major Donors, Non-Profit Organizations, and Lobbying Compliance. These services collectively address the full spectrum of legal needs for clients participating in the political process at federal, state and local levels, with both attorneys and in-house political compliance professionals delivering client solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Campaign Finance Compliance & Disclosure Guides clients through complex campaign finance laws at federal, state, and local levels, including advising on fundraising issues, disclosure requirements, independent expenditure campaigns, and administering political committees with in-house compliance staff preparing and filing disclosure reports.
• Election Law Provides extensive representation in recounts, election challenges, and recall elections; assists candidates with filing papers and litigating ballot designation cases in expedited pre-election proceedings; implements voter protection programs and litigates Federal Voting Rights Act issues.
• Initiatives and Referenda Offers extensive experience drafting state and local ballot measures, guiding initiative proponents through ballot qualification process, litigating disputes in state and federal courts, and administering ballot measure committees with disclosure and disclaimer requirements.
• Public Agency Advice and Outside Counsel Guides public agencies through California's complex ethics laws, open government laws, election and campaign finance laws, including strategic counsel, litigation support, training seminars, and drafting local ordinances and ballot measures.
• Governmental Ethics/Conflicts of Interest Advises clients on avoiding appearance of impropriety including conflicts of interest, gift and honoraria laws, revolving door issues, and assists public officials with preparation and filing of annual statements of economic interests.
• Enforcement Proceedings, Audits and Investigations Represents public officials, corporations, individuals and political organizations in administrative proceedings including audits, investigations and enforcement proceedings conducted by FEC, FPPC, LA City Ethics Commission and other local administrative agencies.
• Litigation and Appeals Provides court representation in election disputes, constitutional challenges to ballot measures, voting rights cases and writ proceedings involving ballot access or ballot language, as well as business disputes arising out of political campaigns.
• Major Donors Helps donors from Fortune 500 companies to individual contributors navigate campaign finance laws, tracks contribution activities for compliance with federal, state and local contribution limits, and prepares major donor disclosure statements.
• Non-Profit Organizations Advises and counsels non-profit organizations on issue advocacy campaigns, legislative lobbying, voter registration and get out the vote efforts, including formation, registration, obtaining tax-exempt status and ongoing compliance.
• Lobbying Compliance Helps lobbyists and their clients comply with federal, state and local lobbying laws through lobbyist registration and disclosure statements and advises on restrictions and prohibitions on political activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully represented clients in landmark recounts, election challenges, and recall elections
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Elias Law Group LLP: Major national political law firm representing Democratic campaigns, PACs, ballot measure campaigns, and progressive organizations on campaign finance, election protection, and voting rights litigation. Comparable practice mix to Kaufman Legal Group with deeper D.C. infrastructure and voting-rights focus.
• Bell, McRoberts & Sanner LLP: Long-standing California political law boutique focused on campaign finance, election law, initiative advocacy, and governmental ethics. Comparable to Kaufman Legal Group in size, California-centric geographic focus, and similar mix of candidate, ballot measure, and corporate political work.
• Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Kruse LLP: California-based political law firm with a Sacramento presence, representing candidates, ballot measure campaigns, PACs, and corporations on campaign finance, election law, and lobbying compliance. Most directly comparable boutique competitor to Kaufman Legal Group given overlapping California footprint, clientele, and practice focus.
• Sandler, Reiff, Lamb, Rosenstein & Birkenstock, P.C. Prominent Washington, D.C.-based political law firm offering campaign finance compliance, election law, lobbying disclosure, and government ethics counsel to federal candidates, PACs, and major donors. Direct practice-area peer to Kaufman Legal Group, though operating nationally from D.C. rather than California.

Emerging players

• Caletti Jungsten PLLC (dba Caletti Legal): Smaller California political law boutique advising campaigns, PACs, and non-profits on campaign finance compliance, ballot measure qualification, and ethics matters. Overlaps with Kaufman Legal Group's mid-market client segments but at smaller scale, representing an emerging niche competitor in California.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins Coie LLP: Large AmLaw firm with a longstanding Political Law practice (election law, campaign finance, lobbying, public integrity) serving federal and state-level clients including candidates, PACs, and major donors. A broad incumbent competitor where political law sits inside a much larger full-service platform rather than as a standalone boutique.
• Holland & Knight LLP: National full-service firm with a Public Policy & Political Law practice advising candidates, PACs, trade associations, and corporations on campaign finance, lobbying compliance, and government ethics. Comparable service lines to Kaufman Legal Group, delivered through a much larger multi-office platform.
• Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP: Large California-headquartered firm with significant election law, ballot measure, and political compliance practices, particularly active in California initiative work. Comparable California ballot-measure and campaign finance capability inside a much larger full-service platform.
• Miller & Chevalier Chartered: Washington, D.C. firm with a Federal Political Law practice advising corporations, trade associations, and campaigns on lobbying disclosure, campaign finance, and government ethics. Geographic peer to Sandler Reiff/Elias and a comparable high-end practice-set to Kaufman Legal Group's national matters.
• Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered: Washington, D.C. tax/political law firm with a Political Law practice covering campaign finance, lobbying disclosure, and government ethics for high-net-worth donors, PACs, and corporations. Overlaps with Kaufman Legal Group's major donor and compliance practices inside a broader national firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/traceylwaters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Kaufman Legal Group