Derek Kaufman is an attorney from Los Angeles, California. He will be appearing as a contestant on the 42nd season of the legendary trivia game show, Jeopardy!
Moreover, his debut episode will air on Thursday, 30 April 2026. As per the show’s format, he will share the stage with two more contestants, including a returning champion, Greg Shahade.
Derek Kaufman will seek a victory against a returning three-day champion, Greg Shahade, and another new contestant, Kate Brody, on his Jeopardy debut on the 30 April episode, this season. (Source: Jeopardy’s Official Website)
Greg secured his third straight win on the 29 April episode, scoring $20,001 in the final. A chess player from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he is a former member of the executive board of the United States Chess Federation.
As a three-day champion, he has amassed total winnings of $74,602. Likewise, the other new contestant to appear on the episode will be Kate Brody, a novelist from Los Angeles, California.
Get to know the Jeopardy contestant Derek Kaufman’s wiki, age, family, job, marital status, and personal life details below.
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Derek Kaufman Wikipedia, Age & Family
Kaufman has reached the age of 45 now. He was born Derek Jay Kaufman somewhere in the year 1980.
A native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he was raised by his parents there. His mother is Joyce Kaufman, and he is accompanied by an elder sister in the family.
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Derek holds a double Bachelor of Arts in Economics / Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard University, graduating in 2002. Likewise, he earned a Doctor of Law from Yale Law School in 2006.
While at Yale Law School, he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal, president of the Yale Entertainment and Sports Law Association, editor of the Yale Journal on Regulation, and was a Coker Fellow.
What Is Derek Kaufman’s Job?
Kaufman is an attorney and business executive by profession. He holds a track record of building and leading teams to scale, manage, and execute content initiatives, business development, and marketing programs in the digital media space.
Currently, he serves as a Deputy Head of Legal Affairs at an entertainment-focused tabloid news organization named TMZ. He also works as the Head of TMZ Audio Network. He joined the organization as a Senior Counsel in June 2013.
Prior to that, he was an attorney at a law firm named Munger, Tolles & Olson. There, he was primarily focused on corporate restructuring, Section 363 bankruptcy sales, asset purchase agreements, distressed debt financing, and related general litigation.
Kaufman has represented various organizations, such as Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway, 99 Cents Only Stores, and numerous creditor and equity committees in Chapter 11 bankruptcies. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School, teaching courses on advanced corporate reorganization and restructuring.
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Derek Kaufman Wife: Is He Married?
Kaufman is a happily married man. He has been married to his wife, Mary Kaufman.
The couple tied the wedding knot on 1st January 2012. They dated for a while before getting married.
Mary is a seasoned legal professional with over a decade of experience. She now serves as the General Counsel and Head of HR at a company named Ideal Living. Additionally, she holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.
Derek and his wife are raising two kids: a daughter named Nixie and a son named Carter Kaufman. Nixie came to this world on 10 March 2016, whereas Carter was born on 15 June 2019.
| Bio & Family | |
|---|---|
| Name | Derek Kaufman |
| Birth Name | Derek Jay Kaufman |
| DOB | 1980 |
| Place of Birth | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Father’s Name |
NA
|
| Mother’s Name |
Joyce Kaufman
|
| Brother/s | NA |
| Sister/s |
One
|
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| High School | NA |
| College/University | Harvard University, Yale Law School |
| Career & Net Worth | |
|---|---|
| Profession | Attorney |
| Career | ?-present |
| Known For | Jeopardy! |
| Net Worth | NA |
| Salary | NA |
| Notable Credits | Appared on the 42nd season of Jeopardy! |
| Personal Life | |
|---|---|
| Gay/Lesbian | No |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Husband/Wife | Mary Kaufman |
| Boyfriend/Girlfriend | No |
| Engaged | NA |
| Wedding Date | 1 January 2014 |
| Son/s | Carter Kaufman |
| Daughter/s | Nixie Kaufman |
| Divorce | Not Yet |
| Body Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Height | NA |
| Weight | NA |
