Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries

Wineries, breweries and distilleries face rapidly evolving market conditions coupled with a complex and extensive regulatory system.

For more than 30 years, we have been proud to counsel, advocate for, grow and protect many of the Pacific Northwest’s most successful and respected wineries, breweries, and distilleries. With an in-depth knowledge of both industry norms and our clients’ individual business goals, we serve as trusted business advisors – alerting clients to business opportunities and changing regulations, and helping them evaluate risk and mitigate potential obstacles. Our team is responsive, approachable, and committed to providing practical advice on the day-to-day challenges faced by both emerging and established alcohol beverage producers. Our involvement in industry associations puts us at the forefront of developing legislative and business initiatives, allowing us to constantly monitor legal and policy developments that may affect our clients.

We represent over 200 individual wineries, vineyards, and imported wine brands and have served as general counsel for the Oregon Winegrowers’ Association for more than 15 years. Our food and beverage industry team was recently recognized as one of the top five nationwide by the prestigious Chambers & Associates rankings. From Chambers USA 2011.

We help wineries, breweries, and distilleries: 

• Comply with ongoing regulatory obligations affecting the structure and operation of alcoholic beverage industry business relationships and transactions
• Respond to compliance issues, audits and investigations
• Structure business entities and related organizations
• Negotiate and close corporate business transactions such as leases, mergers and acquisitions, securities and various forms of equity finance
• Obtain state licenses and federal permits and counsel them regarding maintaining and making changes to their licenses and permits
• Coordinate the transfer and approval of state licenses and federal permits as part of sales and acquisitions of wineries, breweries and distilleries
• Determine best practices for the responsible and compliant service of alcohol at their tasting rooms and other on-premises sales locations
• Manage distribution and supply chain commitments
• Handle real estate and land use matters
• Clear and register trademarks, enforce trademark rights and obtain label approval
• Negotiate and manage distribution relationships and sales activities
• Resolve disputes and litigation

Representative clients include: