Grace H. Yang Attorney At Law

Licensing and compliance lawyer representing alcohol beverage, food, and hospitality clients across Florida and nationwide. Known for multistate licensure and transaction work. 

Grace Yang collaborates with alcohol beverage and food vendors in the areas of regulation, licensing, land use, and multistate compliance issues. With decades of experience advising clients in the hospitality sector, she has handled the purchase, sale, and licensure of thousands of retail stores, resort properties, restaurants, senior living facilities, and other businesses throughout the United States. Clients include hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, package liquor stores, resorts, golf clubs, country clubs, theme parks, breweries, wineries, and distilleries, among others.

On the licensure side, Grace helps clients obtain and maintain liquor licenses, food and lodging licenses, local business licenses, health permits, spa and salon permits, and other licenses needed for lawful operation in various states. She also counsels clients in food and alcohol compliance matters and enjoys helping clients launch new business ventures in this highly regulated industry. Her land use work focuses on commercial development projects where alcohol-related special use or conditional use permits or variances are needed for new businesses. Grace frequently represents alcohol beverage and hospitality sector clients before local and state administrative agencies.

As deputy section chair of the firm’s leading Regulated Products Section, Grace successfully manages project teams working to acquire licenses in multistate business acquisitions. She is an active sector player and frequently sought-after thought leader in the hospitality space. Well respected by clients and colleagues alike, Grace often joins GrayRobinson colleagues in the corporate, real estate, and hospitality practices to deliver wide-ranging and creative support for clients.

• Recognition
  • Chambers USA, Nationwide: Food and Beverages: Alcohol, 2012-2024
  • Florida Trend, Legal Elite, 2009-2010, 2017-2019
  • Tampa Magazine, Top Lawyer in Leisure and Hospitality Law, 2019
• Insights
  • "What Happens in Nashville Doesn't Stay in Nashville - Liquor Liability in Various States," Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys (AHIA) Fall Meeting, October 18, 2024
  • Moderator, "Imposter Syndrome Luncheon," The Hillsborough County Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Joint Luncheon, April 15, 2024
  • “Fla. Restaurants Need To Prep For Liquor License Changes,” Law360, April 6, 2023
  • “Philadelphia, PA Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandates,” GrayRobinson Insights, April 2022
  • “Minding Your Business in the COVID-19 Era,” Southern Beverage Journal, Florida Edition, August 2020
  • Grateful for Our Members Who Give Selflessly to Others,” Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, January - February 2020
  • “Welcome to the New Bar Year!” Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, September - October 2019
  • “Guest Column: From Trade Wars to Bootlegging, Here’s What’s Brewing on the Regulatory Front,” Tampa Bay Business Journal, August 30, 2019
  • Panelist, “Rising in Resilience: Achieving Empowerment Through Advancement & Adaptability,” Florida Diversity Council’s 2023 Tampa Women in Leadership Symposium (WILS), March 22, 2023
  • “Key Licensing Considerations When a Food and Beverage Management Company Changes,” Hospitality Law Conference, November 15, 2022
  • “Discover the Basics of Negotiation,” Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers Young Lawyers Division, November 11, 2022
  • “Digital IDs and Scanning Technology – You Don’t Know About Me, But I’ll Bet You Want To,” National Conference of State Liquor Administrators (NCSLA) 2022 Northern/Southern Regional Conference, October 24, 2022
  • “Celebrating The Past. Looking To The Future.” Hillsborough County Bar Association, April 13, 2022
  • Panelist, “Resiliency: Overcoming Challenges in Today’s Legal Environment,” National Black Prosecutors Association Tampa Bay Chapter Diversity/Hillsborough County Bar Association, Leading the Way to Inclusion Symposium, March 4, 2022
  • Speaker, “Alcohol and Beverage Control Law,” Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, October 5, 2021
  • Presenter, The Florida Bar Gender Equality Subcommittee Meeting, January 12, 2021
  • “Pathways to Bar Leadership,” Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida Panel, December 10, 2020
  • “Are Hospitality Businesses Ready for State Emergency Orders to be Lifted?” COVID-19 Conversations Webinar Series, June 10, 2020
• Media
  • "March 1, 2024 News and Notes," The Florida Bar News, February 29, 2024
  • “January 1, 2024 News and Notes,” The Florida Bar News, January 1, 2024
• Affiliations
  • Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys
    • Board of Directors, 2025-2028
  • Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay
    • Outstanding Member Award, 2023
    • Director, 2012-2018
  • Florida Association for Women Lawyers
  • The Florida Bar
    • Administrative Law Section
    • Voluntary Bar Liaison Committee
    • Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Nominating Committee for The Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award, 2016, 2019
  • Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers
    • Vice President of Membership, 2004-2006
    • Board of Directors, 2003-2004
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association
    • Outstanding Lawyer Award, Recipient, 2023
    • Past President, 2020-2021
    • President, 2019-2020
    • President-elect, 2018-2019
    • Board of Directors, 2012-2018
  • Hillsborough County Bar Foundation
    • President-elect, 2024-2025
    • Treasurer, 2023-2024
    • Secretary, 2022-2023
    • Board of Trustees, 2020-2022
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellow, 2011
  • Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
  • National Association of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys
  • National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals
  • Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay, Florida
    • Board of Directors, 2011-2012
    • Vice President, 2012-2013
  • Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, 2010-2020
  • Westshore Alliance
    • Board of Directors, 2015-2022
  • Yale Club of Tampa Bay, Director, 2001-2019
• Credentials
  • J.D., Cornell Law School, 1997
    • Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy
      • Managing Editor, 1996-1997
      • General Editor, 1995-1996
  • B.A., Yale University, 1994, cum laude and with distinction in the major
• Admissions
  • Florida