Our Practice

Beverage Law

Cairncross & Hempelmann’s national Beverage Law Team focuses on the Brewery, Winery, Hotel and Restaurant industries. This group of uniquely qualified professionals assists our varied client base with:

Regulatory Compliance/Enforcement

State and Federal Licensing

Marketing and Distribution

Alcoholic Beverage Concessions

Our Beverage Law Team

This group was formed to address the specific needs of those in the Brewery, Winery, Hotel and Restaurant industries. The Beverage Law Team is comprised of attorneys and paralegals from our core business and real estate practice areas, as well as litigators and intellectual property law team members. Beyond the regulatory compliance and licensing issues, the Beverage Law Team provides legal assistance for:

Project Planning and Development

Sales and Acquisitions, Commercial Leasing and Financing

Beverage Management and Operational Agreements

Trademark and IP Protection

Labor and Employment

Sales and Marketing

Litigation

While our practice is based in the Pacific Northwest, the scope of this practice is national. Team members have worked with beverage licensing and control entities in states all over the country, including Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. In addition to monitoring changes in the law and business trends in the Brewery, Winery, Hotel, and Restaurant industries, the Beverage Law Team members play active roles in the food and beverage community. Team members advise and serve on restaurant and hospitality boards and committees, as well as speak and write on beverage law and licensing issues. These industry activities, combined with our team's experience, allow us to provide our clients with the most effective and efficient legal advice for their alcoholic beverage needs.

Our Philosophy

In this ever-changing industry, we believe it is imperative to:

Listen to our clients and understand their goals and business needs;

Provide a wide variety of creative and plausible alternative approaches; and

Act in a manner that will successfully accomplish our clients' goals, while still meeting all of the industry's legal requirements.

Affiliations & Memberships

We are active members in the following beverage and related hospitality organizations:

Washington State Hotel & Lodging Association; Washington Restaurant Association; National Restaurant Association; Washington State Chapter of Meeting Professionals International; and International Association of Conference Centers.

For more information: Contact Greg Duff at (206) 254-4403 or email him directly here.