Legal Counsel for Craft Beverage Businesses:
Starting and running a brewery, winery, distillery, or alcohol retail business involves more than making a great product. It requires navigating a complex legal and regulatory environment that affects how you operate, grow, and ultimately realize the value of your business.
Beer Law Center works with craft beverage businesses across North Carolina and beyond, providing practical legal guidance tailored to the realities of this industry.
Supporting Your Business at Every Stage:
We represent small, independent producers, growing manufacturers, and alcohol retailers. Our work spans the full lifecycle of a craft beverage business—from initial concept through expansion and, when the time comes, transition or sale. (Beer Law Center)
Our services include:
- Business formation and entity selection
- Federal and state alcohol licensing (TTB and state ABC compliance)
- Contracts, distribution agreements, and commercial leases
- Trademark registration and brand protection
- Employment and workforce considerations
- Regulatory compliance and advertising review
- Mergers, acquisitions, and business sales
- Ongoing outside counsel support
Navigating Alcohol Regulation:
Alcohol law presents unique challenges. Federal, state, and local requirements can overlap in ways that are not always intuitive, and compliance issues can affect day-to-day operations as well as long-term planning.
We assist clients in understanding and navigating these requirements so they can focus on running their business with greater clarity and confidence.
Building and Protecting Your Brand:
Alcohol law presents unique challenges. Federal, state, and local requirements can overlap in ways that are not always intuitive, and compliance issues can affect day-to-day operations as well as long-term planning.
We assist clients in understanding and navigating these requirements so they can focus on running their business with greater clarity and confidence.
Contracts That Reflect How Your Business Operates:
Whether you are working with distributors, vendors, landlords, or collaborators, your agreements should reflect how your business actually functions.
We assist with drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts that are aligned with your operational needs and risk tolerance.
Planning for Growth, Investment, and Exit:
As your business develops, new opportunities and challenges may arise—bringing on investors, expanding distribution, or preparing for a sale.
We help clients evaluate these transitions and structure transactions in a way that supports their long-term goals.
A Long-Term Advisory Relationship:
We are not focused on one-time engagements. Many of our clients work with us over the life of their business—from formation through growth and beyond. (Beer Law Center)
Our approach is to provide practical, candid guidance so you can make informed decisions as issues arise.
If We Can Help, We Will—If Not, We’ll Point You in the Right Direction:
We are a boutique practice with a focused industry scope. In some situations, your needs may extend beyond what we handle directly.
If that happens, we will tell you—and, where possible, help connect you with attorneys or professionals who may be better suited to assist.
Start the Conversation:
We offer an initial consultation at no charge. If you are starting, growing, or transitioning a craft beverage business, we welcome the opportunity to learn more about your goals and how we may be able to assist. (Beer Law Center)
What We Believe:
- We believe a “rising tide lifts all boats”.
- We believe that in building long term relationships with our clients.
- We believe in a health, sustainable, craft beverage industry.
We do not believe in "hoarding" information and will always provide as much information, insight, and advice as we can, even in a free consultation and even if you do not hire us. We will tell you when you do, or do not, need an attorney. We are committed to the industry and its people, not just to making money.
Our founder, John Szymankiewicz, has been a homebrewer for more than 25 years and is a certified Cicerone, BJCP Judge, and Level II WSET in Wines. For John, this is more than just a job, it is a passion and life's work. That passion led to the creation of Beer Law Center. Since its founding, Beer Law Center has helped over 200 small and independent alcohol businesses achieve their business goals. And we always feel grateful for our clients' trust in us to represent their best interests. John's commitment to clients and the industry runs through everything that Beer Law Center does. Let our team help you to grow and develop your business today and for the future.