By: Richard M. Blau, Shareholder and Chair of GrayRobinson’s Food Law, Alcohol Law and Medical Marijuana practice groups
TAMPA, FL – February 22, 2017 – As the number of domestic craft breweries, cideries, distilleries and wineries continues to grow, so do the regulatory compliance challenges facing these producers. The founding members of the Craft Beverage Lawyers Guild, which includes both attorneys from private law firms as well as in-house counsel from the alcohol industry, believe it’s time to help increase the overall knowledge and professionalism of attorneys representing craft producers. So, the CBLG was formed in 2017.
The founding members of this new professional organization are experienced attorneys who dedicate their practices to representing craft beverage producers. The Guild’s goal is to ensure that craft producers across the country are able to success an attorney who has both the knowledgeable counsel they need and the experience they deserve. Comprised of alcohol law attorneys from across America, the CBLG can help brewers, vintners, distillers and other producers connect with an attorney for any legal need. The guild also serves as an educational outlet, conducting public seminars and publishing educational writings through accessible blogs and posted articles.
Anyone selling alcohol beverage products knows the complexities of navigating the alcohol beverage rules. This is especially true when the target market extends across state lines, let alone in all 50 states. Producers are (or need to be) keenly aware of the various issues that arise unrelated to simply running a brewery, winery cidery or distillery. On any given day, a craft beverage producer could be dealing with lobbying for more craft privileges in the state, Human Resources concerns, contracts with goods and/or services suppliers, fundraising, environmental issues or distributor relations (both in terms of creation and termination)
The faster a producer grows, the more legal counsel the producer likely needs. As a founding member of the Guild, I and my colleagues at the CBLG are committed to assisting the continued growth of the craft movement by making competent attorneys, knowledgeable in the industry, easily accessible to producers.
Learn more about the Craft Beverage Lawyers Guild or feel free to contact us at beveragelaw@gray-robinson.com.