Beer, Wine & Spirits

Overview

In recent years, there has been rapid growth in the craft brewing, spirit distilling, and viticulture industries, with new and growing businesses joining the ranks of established operations. This exciting time presents both opportunities and challenges as new products and brands are brought to market. Michael Best’s Beer, Wine & Spirits team helps clients navigate the operational and regulatory aspects of your business so that you can focus on your craft.

Our team’s professionals are experienced legal advisors and business partners. We share your enthusiasm because we are home brewers, wine connoisseurs, and purveyors of craft distilleries. We appreciate the local, craft, and community-focused approach to quality and growth, and we are actively involved with industry groups and trade associations alike to help you remain competitive and compliant in these increasingly-aggressive markets.

Service Areas

We provide a complete range of legal services and understand the unique issues affecting businesses in the beer, wine, and  spirits industries.

Corporate

We counsel clients through the full business life cycle, providing strategic guidance on entity formation, contracts, strategy and planning, financing, governance, tax, and the full spectrum of corporate and commercial issues. Through our Venture Best® practice group, we help new, high-growth companies find financial backing and grow their businesses.

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Environmental & Natural Resources

Breweries, distilleries, and wineries face a variety of environmental issues in the course of their operations, from waste and air emission to energy consumption. Our attorneys provide guidance on federal and state environmental compliance, while helping clients achieve their business needs. Additionally, our dedicated Water industry group helps clients manage the complex regulatory and legal frameworks governing water use and water quality, an essential component to many industry businesses.

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Government Relations, Political Law & Public Policy

Michael Best Strategies LLC (Strategies), our dedicated business consulting, government relations, and public affairs affiliate, is experienced with the alcoholic beverage laws, regulations, policies, and people that shape these industries. Additionally, our FDA attorneys are experienced with regulatory matters impacting wineries and breweries, such as labeling, advertising claims, and ingredient issues, among others.

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Intellectual Property

Protecting your brand is an important part of growing and maintaining your business. Michael Best’s IP attorneys help clients develop, manage, and protect their intellectual assets by providing strategic counsel in the areas of trademark, patent, and copyright law, including prosecution, portfolio management, enforcement, clearance, defense, and litigation.

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Labor & Employment

Whether your employee team is small and growing or you have an established workforce, we provide strategic counsel on the full spectrum of employee benefits, management, labor, and HR services your business needs. From health plans and compensation to employee handbooks and policies, our attorneys help clients make employment-related decisions and plan for the future. We also team with our HR affiliate, Best Workplace Solutions, to provide cost-effective HR advice and consulting.

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Real Estate

Our Real Estate attorneys guide clients through the land use, zoning, acquisition, leasing, construction, and project development issues that come with establishing and maintaining breweries, distilleries, and wineries. We provide comprehensive counsel in every aspect of finding, building, and creating the home for your business’ operations.

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Workplace Safety & Health

We help businesses design, implement, and maintain an effective safety program that protects your workers and your company. We represent clients in OSHA matters involving process safety management, pipe breaking and lockout safety, grain handling and combustible dust safety; government inspections; safety, risk, and prevention plans; compliance programs; risk management practice audits; and other safety matters.

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Primary Contact

Primary Contact

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