Alcoholic Beverage Law | Hospitality Industry

At Dickinson Wright, we understand the alcohol industry’s unique challenges and provide tailored solutions, enabling you to stay focused on your growth. Our team is in it for the long haul to guide you through startup, scaling, and change. From starting or purchasing a brewery, distillery, or winery to acquiring liquor licensing for a bar or any other type of establishment, Dickinson Wright’s alcohol law attorneys can help you achieve your business goals.

Our assistance starts from the ground up. We begin by reviewing commercial leases and establishing your business with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and the state beverage commission. From there, we provide assistance in all legal matters related to the production, distribution, and sales of alcoholic beverages. No matter where you’re starting, we’ll help establish your business to adapt within the industry.

Our Team

Our alcohol law attorneys define success by our clients’ metrics. Our team is proactive and accessible, providing practical solutions and actionable advice. We are always mindful that we must earn our reputation each and every day by delivering results that speak for themselves. Our alcohol law team always stays at the forefront of new and changing laws within the industry to provide our clients with the best advice throughout a changing legal landscape.

Our Clients

We serve a broad spectrum of clients in the alcohol industry from restaurants to special event venues and beyond:

Manufacturers	Food trucks
Wholesale distributors	Hotels & resorts
Retail vendors	Restaurants, bars & clubs
Importers	Concert & sports venues
Convenience & grocery stores

Our Services

Our Alcoholic Beverage Law practice offers a comprehensive approach to legal services for all participants in the alcohol beverage industry. Our work includes:

Alcohol Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) Federal basic permitting	Manufacturing permits
COLAs & brand registration	On & off-premises beer permit
Commercial leases	Operating & partnership agreements
Contract brewing agreements	Regulatory compliance
Corporate formation	Retail package store permits
Distillery & winery permits	Special occasion licenses
Liquor licensing	Trademark search & registration
Management agreements	Wholesale distribution permits

Representative Matters

–Counseled numerous restaurants, taverns, bars, nightclubs, convenience stores, gift and liquor stores, and concert and sports venues in liquor matters, including obtaining licenses and ongoing compliance.

–Served as lead counsel to a nationally distributed brand of creamed whiskey regarding COLA labeling requirements, distribution agreements nationwide, trademark issues, and liquor compliance.

–Served as lead counsel for various breweries in Tennessee regarding beer and liquor license compliance, corporate governance, trademarks, and contracts.

–Served as lead counsel for bars, restaurants, hotels, transpotainment companies, breweries, distilleries, meaderies, and wineries regarding corporate governance and structure, trademarks, beer and liquor licensing, and compliance.

–Retained by a wine and alcoholic beverage company to handle its trademark portfolio and enforcement, including the impending global launch of its newest wine.

–Served as lead counsel for whiskey museum in Nashville, TN, regarding 501(c) nonprofit compliance.

–Represented new and emerging brands of alcoholic beverages regarding corporate structure and governance, alcohol licensing and compliance, and trademarks.

–Advocated alcohol issues on behalf of a major national brewer with an Ohio manufacturing facility.

–Additionally, we have regularly represented clients before the:

• Michigan Liquor Control Commission,
• Arizona Liquor Licensing Board,
• Clark County Liquor and Gaming Licensing Board in Nevada, and
• Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission

Related Services

Practice Contacts

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