Warren Kalyan is a boutique Austin business law firm representing founders, operators, and investors on the legal work that decides whether a company grows, exits well, and avoids preventable problems.
About Our Austin Practice
Warren Kalyan was founded in Texas and built around the legal work that Austin business owners actually need. Most Austin clients fall into one of four groups: founders building a company toward a sale or strategic event, operators running established businesses who want general counsel without the cost of an in house lawyer, real estate investors active in multifamily and commercial property, and hospitality operators navigating TABC, leases, and growth.
The Austin office at 1501 East 4th Street, Building B, Suite 150 sits in the East 4th Street corridor between downtown and East Austin. The location is intentional. East Austin is where many of the hospitality and creative class businesses we represent operate, and the building is fifteen minutes from the Travis County Courthouse, the Texas Capitol, and most of the firm's transactional partners.
Services We Provide in Austin
The Austin team handles the full range of business law matters for SMB and lower middle market companies. The table below shows the practice areas we focus on, the typical client, and how engagements are usually structured.
| Practice Area | Typical Client | Engagement Model |
|---|---|---|
| Entity formation and governance | New founders, growing businesses, multi entity holding structures | Flat fee |
| Commercial contracts | Operating companies, vendors, B2B service providers | Flat fee or hourly |
| Mergers and acquisitions | Buyers and sellers in deals from 500K to 25M | Retainer plus hourly |
| Capital raising | Founders raising debt or equity from private investors | Hourly or flat fee per stage |
| Real estate transactions | Multifamily and commercial property owners, syndicators | Flat fee per closing |
| Commercial leasing | Landlords and tenants for office, retail, restaurant, multifamily | Flat fee |
| TABC liquor licensing | Restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, hotels | Flat fee per permit |
| Hospitality M and A | Hospitality operators and acquirers | Retainer plus hourly |
| Landlord and tenant litigation | Multifamily and commercial property owners | Hourly |
| Business and commercial litigation | Operating businesses in disputes | Hourly |
| General counsel retainer | SMB businesses needing ongoing legal support | Monthly retainer |
Industries We Serve in Austin
Warren Kalyan represents Austin businesses across multiple industries, with particular depth in:
- Hospitality and food and beverage (restaurants, bars, breweries, hotels, catering, food trucks)
- Multifamily real estate (owners, operators, syndicators, property management companies)
- Commercial real estate (developers, investors, brokers)
- Professional services (consulting firms, agencies, healthcare practices)
- Technology and software (early stage and growth stage Austin tech companies)
- Retail and consumer brands (boutique retail, ecommerce, consumer products)
- Construction and trades (general contractors, specialty trades, subcontractors)
Why Founders and Operators Choose Warren Kalyan in Austin
Austin business owners have many legal options. The reasons our clients consistently choose Warren Kalyan over Big Law or general practitioners:
Senior attorney access. You work directly with the partner or member handling your matter, not a rotating cast of associates.
Practical, business focused counsel. Our recommendations are sized to the business, the risk, and the budget rather than reflexive belt and suspenders advice.
Industry depth. The team has handled hundreds of hospitality, multifamily, and SMB M and A matters across Texas, which means fewer learning curves on your dollar.
Transparent pricing. Flat fees and capped engagements wherever possible. No surprise bills.
Direct attorney access. Active clients have direct phone, email, and text access to their attorney. No gatekeeping.
How We Bill
We use five engagement structures to match the matter at hand. Every engagement letter spells out the structure clearly before work starts.
- Flat fee for defined scope work.
- Hourly for matters where scope is fluid.
- Cap fee, where our fee is a percentage of the total transaction value.
- Hybrid hourly contingency fee, which is the greater of (i) a capped hourly fee structure or (ii) a percentage of an award from litigation.
- Monthly retainer for ongoing general counsel.
Typical fee ranges for common Austin engagements:
| Engagement | Typical Fee Range | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Texas LLC formation with operating agreement | $800 to $2,000 | Flat fee |
| Series LLC or multi entity structure | $2,500 to $6,000 | Flat fee |
| Standard commercial contract drafting | $800 to $4,000 | Flat fee |
| Contract review (NDA, MSA, vendor agreement) | $250 to $1,200 | Flat fee |
| TABC Mixed Beverage permit application | $3,500 to $7,000 | Flat fee plus state and local fees |
| TABC Beer and Wine permit application | $2,000 to $4,500 | Flat fee plus state and local fees |
| Commercial real estate transaction (under 3M) | $4,000 to $8,000 | Flat fee |
| Commercial lease (landlord or tenant side) | $1,500 to $4,000 | Flat fee |
| SMB acquisition (buyer or seller side) | $20,000 to $75,000 | Retainer plus hourly |
| Ongoing general counsel retainer | $1,500 to $7,500 per month | Monthly retainer |
| Business litigation | Variable by matter | Hourly |
Austin Specific Legal Considerations
Several aspects of practicing law in Austin and Texas more broadly affect how our clients structure their businesses and transactions:
Texas Business Organizations Code
Texas offers specific entity structures, including the series LLC, that are useful for multifamily real estate portfolios and certain operating businesses. Selecting and structuring the right entity at formation prevents expensive restructuring later.
TABC and dry, wet, and damp jurisdictions
Austin is fully wet, but some surrounding municipalities have alcohol restrictions that affect where a restaurant or bar can operate. We help operators plan permitting before lease signing.
Travis County courts
Litigation outcomes vary by court and judge. The Travis County District Court, County Court at Law, and the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas have their own procedural quirks. Our litigators practice in all of them.
Texas franchise tax
Texas does not have a state income tax, but franchise tax applies to most entities doing business in the state. Entity structure and election decisions affect franchise tax exposure.
Texas non compete law
Texas enforces non competes when properly drafted around consideration, scope, and duration. Our employment and M and A teams structure restrictive covenants to be enforceable, not just impressive on paper.
Senate Bill 38 (eviction law)
Texas SB 38 changed eviction timelines and tenant defenses. Multifamily owners and operators should align lease language, notice procedures, and collection workflows with the new rules.
Our Austin Office
| Address | 1501 East 4th Street, Building B, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78702 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (512) 347-8777 |
| hello@warrenkalyan.com | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, by appointment recommended |
| Parking | On site parking available; bike and rideshare friendly |
| Nearest courthouse | Travis County Civil and Family Courthouse, approximately 10 minutes by car |
Meet Your Austin Legal Team
Most Austin client matters are led by one of the firm's partners or senior attorneys, with deep support from the broader team. Several attorneys live and work in the Austin area and appear regularly in Travis County courts. Visit the team page to see attorney bios, education, and bar admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions from Austin Business Owners
Where is Warren Kalyan located in Austin?
1501 East 4th Street, Building B, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78702. The office is in the East 4th Street corridor between downtown and East Austin, about ten minutes from the Travis County Courthouse.
What types of businesses do you represent in Austin?
SMB and lower middle market companies across hospitality, multifamily real estate, technology, professional services, and retail. Most clients have between five and one hundred employees and annual revenue between five hundred thousand and fifty million dollars.
Do you handle TABC liquor licensing for Austin restaurants and bars?
Yes. TABC permitting is one of the firm's core practices. We handle Mixed Beverage permits, Wine and Beer permits, brewpub and manufacturer permits, transfers, and TABC compliance and enforcement responses.
How much does an Austin business attorney cost?
Flat fee, hourly, or monthly retainer depending on the matter. Most Austin SMB clients on retainer spend between fifteen hundred and seventy five hundred dollars per month. Entity formation runs eight hundred to two thousand dollars. M and A matters typically start at twenty thousand dollars.
Do you offer free consultations?
Yes. Initial consultations to discuss potential representation are no charge and typically last thirty to sixty minutes.
Can you handle multifamily real estate transactions in Austin?
Yes. Multifamily and commercial real estate is one of the firm's deepest practices. We handle acquisitions, dispositions, leases, syndicated deals, joint ventures, financings, and landlord and tenant litigation across the Austin market.
What if my business operates in both Texas and New York?
The firm practices in both states, which is a real advantage for clients with operations or investments in both. We routinely structure transactions that touch both jurisdictions.
How quickly can you take on a new matter?
For most matters, we can begin work within one to three business days of receiving a signed engagement letter. Urgent matters can usually be accommodated within twenty four hours.
Do you take cases on contingency?
Generally no. We are a transactional and advisory firm; engagements are flat fee, hourly, or monthly retainer.
How do I get started?
Reach out through the contact page, email hello@warrenkalyan.com, or call the Austin office at (512) 347-8777. We will schedule an initial consultation and define scope before any work begins.
Get Started in Austin
If you operate, invest in, or are building a business in Austin and want counsel that knows the Texas market, understands SMB economics, and gets to the point, we would welcome the chance to talk.
Reach out at hello@warrenkalyan.com or (512) 347-8777, or visit the contact page.
Related practice areas: Austin business attorney | Austin mergers and acquisitions | Austin real estate | Texas hospitality and liquor licensing