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CRAFT BEER

PRACTICE OVERVIEW

PRACTICE GROUP LEADER:
  Jonathan T. Hyman, Esq.

Supporting Your Brewery’s Success

At Wickens Herzer Panza, we provide tailored business and legal services to every corner of the craft beer industry, from startup brewers and brewpubs to established breweries, restaurants, and their vendors and suppliers. We understand the unique challenges of the craft brewing world and the demands on small businesses—because we know how much your business means to you. This insight allows us to offer effective, practical, and strategic counsel, empowering our brewery clients to operate with confidence, knowing their legal interests are secure.

 

Our team provides a wide range of expertise to meet the specific needs of the craft beer industry, including:

  • Business Formation and Acquisition: Guiding breweries from initial setup to expansion and acquisition, with tailored advice for each stage of growth.
  • Corporate Governance: Advising on sound governance structures to help protect your business and support sustainable growth.
  • Employment and Labor Relations: Assisting with employee handbooks, employment agreements, compliance, and labor relations to maintain a productive workplace.
  • Intellectual Property Protection: Protecting your brand through trademark registration, enforcement, and intellectual property counsel.
  • Liquor License Acquisition and Transfer: Navigating the complexities of liquor licensing to ensure your business remains compliant.
  • Litigation Support: Defending your brewery in disputes and advocating for your business interests when challenges arise.
  • Marketing and Advertising Compliance: Providing counsel on regulatory compliance to help keep your marketing efforts both creative and compliant.
  • Representation Before the Ohio Division of Liquor Control: Working with state regulators on your behalf to address licensing, renewals, and compliance matters.
  • Real Estate Guidance: Assisting with real estate purchases, leases, and site negotiations to support your brewery’s expansion.
  • Trade Secret and Non-Competition Protection: Drafting and enforcing agreements to safeguard your business’s proprietary information and protect your competitive advantage.
  • Vendor, Supplier, and Distribution Agreements: Negotiating and drafting contracts to secure beneficial terms and relationships with key suppliers and distributors.

Our craft beer practice combines industry knowledge with legal insight, helping your brewery grow with peace of mind. We’re here to support you in building a successful, sustainable business that reflects your passion and dedication to the craft.

 

Click here for information on WHP's Craft Brewery Counsel On-Call flat-fee subscription service.

 

The Firm is an:

Allied Trade Member of the
Brewers Association

 

Allied Member of the
Ohio Craft Brewers Association

PRACTICE GROUP LEADER

Jonathan T. Hyman image
Jonathan T. Hyman, Practice Group Leader

PRACTICE PROFESSIONALS

Other Core Practice Areas

OUR SATISFIED CLIENTS

They make my business life easier and help me sleep at night. Sure, they put out fires and solve problems but they're also proactive and provide the guidance I need.
Chris Carroll
President
An Avon, Ohio-based leader in innovative food packaging solutions.
WHP embraces the practice of law as it relates to their clients in the same manner we embrace finance and accounting as it relates to ours. They take a client-centered approach and a team-based approach where collaboration is at the heart of everything.
Rick Fedorovich
CEO / Partner
A large Cleveland-based Accounting firm.
A major strength of the firm is their people. They are very charismatic and relatable – a great group to work with!
Clint Gault
A wealth management, tax and estate planning firm in Ohio and Florida.
Wickens Herzer Panza has been our ‘go-to’ legal team for many years. In my opinion, they are extremely professional and effective but also very personable and empathetic. Our company has benefited greatly from this relationship.
David E. Sustar
VP of Finance
An excavating company based in Oberlin, Ohio.

SEND US A MESSAGE

Our team of attorneys and paralegals understands what it means to be a trusted advisor. Sure, we provide legal counsel but we do so much more. We provide a business partnership, support, advice and protection to our clients who become our family. Get to know us better and decide for yourself.

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