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Biography
Before joining Thompson Burton, PLLC, Jim served as of counsel at Safford Motley, PLC. Prior to Safford Motley, PLC, Jim was a co-founding member of Guidant Law PLC in Tempe, Arizona. At the beginning of his legal career, Jim honed his diverse skill sets at Portland-based Davis Dixon Kirby LLP, where he served as founding and managing partner, as well as Davis Wright Tremaine in Portland, Oregon. Jim maintains offices in Gilbert, Arizona and Nashville, Tennessee.
Favored for his tenacious approach to complex legal issues, Jim Kuzmich focuses his practice on entertainment law, corporate law, intellectual property, and all types of business transactions. He has additional experience in commercial real estate transactions and employment contracts.
Jim provides legal counsel to small and mid-sized businesses, advising on both the challenges and growth opportunities that owners experience throughout numerous transitional phases. Notably, Jim is a valued advisor during the acquisition or sale of a company as well as navigating business partnerships. He has assisted startup companies faced with a myriad of legal issues, including entity formation and structure, commercial leasing, intellectual property protection, and general operational matters.
Highly regarded as a top entertainment attorney, Jim has experience representing musicians, YouTube influencers, producers, songwriters, entertainers, and professional athletes. He brings extensive knowledge of trademark, copyright, endorsement and licensing law, presenting practical solutions to some of the most common legal issues that musical artists and other creatives face in business. He previously served as in-house counsel and vice president to an amid-sized baseball agency specializing in athletic representation. During his tenure, Jim assisted with negotiating player contract salaries, endorsements contracts and preparing salary arbitration cases.
Jim also offers unique insight into the veterinary industry, having assisted many veterinarians with both the acquisition and sale of veterinary practices as well as the ongoing legal matters of operating a veterinary practice.
Originally hails from Chicago, Illinois, Jim spent his teenage years in Arizona’s“Valley of the Sun.” An avid music fan and audiophile, Jim can almost always be found with music playing in the background. He and his wife, Beth, love to travel and take road trips when time allows.
Jim is admitted in Arizona, Oregon (inactive status) and Tennessee.
Education
- University of Oklahoma School of Law, J.D. with Honors, 2000
- Northern Arizona University, B.S. Hotel and Restaurant Management, 1991
Experience
Memberships
- Academy of Country Music
- Country Music Association
- Major League Baseball Players Association
- Arizona Veterinary Medical Association
- Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association
Representative Matters
- Advise small and medium businesses regarding all aspects of legal related issues including entity formation, asset purchase and sales, and general employment matters
- Serve as outside general counsel to numerous small to medium size businesses
- Advise and consult with franchisees on all areas of business operations
- Intellectual property, including trademark and copyright prosecution and licensing
- Analyze pending trademark status including filing of applications, response to denials, and implementation of registered marks
- Advise and negotiate endorsement contracts for entertainment clients
- Advise and consult on talent contracts in the areas of reality television
- Advise and represent numerous musicians, songwriters and producers with respect to all aspects of theircareers, including corporate structure and ancillary business opportunities
- Advise independent record companies with respect to all corporate matters
- Real estate transactions, including commercial leasing and purchase transactions
- Advise, draft and negotiate commercial leases for national retail and hospitality tenants
- Advise, negotiate and draft communication tower site leases
- Real property title review and analysis
- Review extant operational contracts for food and beverage services including negotiation of concession operator agreements, enforcement of lease and license obligations, and monitoring of food and beverage licensing
- Abstract existing lease and license agreements with concession vendors and luxury suite holders, making recommendations for possible revisions
- Representation of professional baseball players