Founder of Kaufman, Payton & Chapa, Alan Jay Kaufman personally represents national, international and regional companies in a broad spectrum of corporate, insurance, litigation, and business planning matters. He received his B.A. from Michigan State University in Finance and Insurance Law and earned a J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1973. He continued his law studies in England, concentrating in insurance, corporate and comparative international law at Oxford and the University of London, London School of Economics.
Kaufman is involved in the American Bar Association's Tort and Insurance Law Section. He is also co-chair of its Other Professional Liability Sub-Committee; Excess/Surplus Lines and Reinsurance Law; and Self-Insurers and Risk Managers committees.
Kaufman is currently an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and a mediator for the Michigan Circuit Courts. He is a member of the Michigan State University Foundation board of directors and an active author and public speaker. Kaufman was also the former chairperson of the Detroit Bar Association International Law Section for over ten years (1985-1996).
Kaufman is also involved as a board member with numerous civic and community organizations including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Founders Junior Council of the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Area Boy Scouts of America.
Areas of Practice
Litigation & Appeals
Business Organizations
Contracts
Insurance Law
Real Estate Law
Pensions, Benefits & Compensations -- Employee
Pensions, Benefits & Compensations -- Employer
Personal Injury -- Defense
Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
Products Liability Law
Toxic Torts
Employment Law -- Employee
Employment Law -- Employer
Immigration & Naturalization Law
International Law
Labor Law
Non-profit & Tax-exempt Organizations
Bar Admissions
Michigan, 1973
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1973
U.S. Supreme Court, 1988
U.S. Tax Court, 1976
Education
University of Notre Dame Law School, Notre Dame, Indiana - 1973
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan - 1970
Published Works
Insuring Real Property and Related Risks Homeward Bound Seminars Real Property Law Section, State Bar of Michigan, 1, 1991
Apportionment of Defense Costs and Indemnity Payouts Between Covered and Noncovered Claims Coverage Disputes in Catastrophic Events American Bar Association National Institute, 3, 1991
Liquor Liability Law Text Chapter 2 & 19 Matthew Bender, 1987
Representative Clients
Scottsdale Insurance Company
American International Group
H.W. Kaufman Financial Group, Incorporated
United Artists Communications, Incorporated
References
Christopher T. Crossen, Vice President, Comerica Bank
David Jaffa, President, Financial Network, Incorporated
Honors and Awards
Selected to Michigan Super Lawyers, 2009
Selected to Michigan Super Lawyers, 2008
Detroit Bar Association, Chairperson of the Year
Jerusalem Award, State of Israel
Professional Associations and Memberships
American Bar Association, Member, 1973 - Present
Oakland County Bar Association, Member, 1976 - Present