Jesse D. Lyon

Partner

Chair, Food + Beverage and Agriculture Practice; Chair, Portland Corporate and Business Transactions Practice

I remind my clients not to confuse "lawyers who are foodies" with experienced "food business lawyers."

Jesse Lyon helps food, beverage, and agriculture companies find and realize business opportunities and solve complex challenges. With first-hand experience on his family’s farm, advanced degrees in agricultural economics, and a deeply focused legal career spanning nearly 20 years, his exceptional knowledge helps food, beverage, and agriculture clients thrive.

Jesse has guided food & bev companies of all sizes, and their investors, as they navigate this industry. Jesse spends most of his days advising emerging companies, middle market and family-owned businesses, and established global brands about strategically important decisions and transformational transactions…from crop production and ingredient sourcing, manufacturing, supply chain relationships, wholesale and consumer products branding and distribution models, brand and plant variety intellectual property strategies, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic agreements. He helps alcohol beverage businesses grow through strategic and practical counsel, particularly with regard to multi-state distribution and tied house laws.

Practice Highlights

Agriculture

Represented Agriculture Capital in the acquisitions of Cal Valley Citrus (vertically integrated citrus production and packing) and of Columbine Vineyard (vertically integrated table grape production and packing).

Food

Represented frozen snack company Brazi Bites in its investment transaction with San Francisco Equity Partners.

Alcohol Beverage

Represented King Estate Winery in the sale of its Acrobat brands to Foley Family Wines.

Recent Representative Experience

Other Representative Experience

Admitted to Practice

Oregon, 1998
Washington, 2007

Education

J.D., George Mason University School of Law, 1998, with high honors
- Articles Editor, George Mason Law Review
- Kleinfeld Fellow of the Food and Drug Law Institute
M.S., Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, 1995
B.S., Agricultural Economics, Washington State University, 1992, cum laude
- Harry S. Truman Scholar

Memberships & Affiliations

- Founder and Host, Farm to Label, Davis Wright Tremaine event, 2013-2016
- Board of Directors, Zenger Farm
- General Counsel, Oregon Winegrowers Association
- Advisory Committee, School of Hospitality Business Management, Washington State University
- National Board of Advisors, College of Business, Washington State University
- Steering Committee, Northwest Agribusiness Executive Seminar
- Past President, Agricultural Law Section, Oregon State Bar

Professional Recognition

- Named as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" by Chambers USA in Food & Beverages: Alcohol (Nationwide), 2010-2019; Corporate/M&A (Oregon), 2011-2014, 2018-2019; Named a "Recognised Practioner" for Corporate/M&A, 2019
- Selected to "Oregon Super Lawyers," Thomson Reuters, 2012-2019
- Named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Mergers & Acquisitions by Best Lawyers, 2020-present
- Industry Partner Award,” Oregon Wine Industry, 2006
- Named as one of the "Forty Under 40," Portland Business Journal, 2004

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