The Wine Institute

Miller Starr & Regalia Logo

The wine and beverage industry is unique and heavily regulated under both federal and state law. Many institutions, corporations, individuals and agencies have prudently relied upon the advice and advocacy of Miller, Starr & Regalia in navigating this often treacherous and confusing minefield.

A Wealth of Scholarship and Skill

Today 50+ attorneys, all based in California, carry forward Miller, Starr & Regalia's 35-year history of ground-breaking scholarship and practice in business and land use law. We possess a unique grasp of the regulatory labyrinth. When parties' interests differ, we are adept at locating common ground. When parties' interests collide, we excel at advocating our client's rights. Our expertise spans the entire arena:

• Assistance in obtaining licenses and approvals from federal and state agencies for wine, beer and spirits manufacturers, wholesalers/distributors and retailers.
• Negotiating and documenting distribution, supply, marketing, licensing, joint-venture, promotional and vendor agreements.
• Counseling clients, and performance of due diligence, on pre-manufacture and post-manufacture of alcoholic products including regulatory compliance, approvals, franchise laws, tied house laws, direct shipping restrictions, control state jurisdiction, labeling, advertising, transportation and bottling.
• Collaborating on development of Master Plans.
• Guiding commercial, retail, hospitality, agriculture and subdivision projects through zoning, entitlement and use permit approval processes at appropriate local, state and federal agencies.
• Counseling clients on the entire CEQA process, from Initial Study through Final EIR, and representing clients in litigation on all aspects of CEQA, RCRA, CERCLA, Clean Water Act, and all other state and federal environmental laws.
• Responding to regulatory agency investigations and developing remediation programs.
• Defending real parties and public entities against legal challenges to project and product approvals.
• Representing both private and public interests in eminent domain and inverse condemnation proceedings and in negotiations regarding "right to take," valuation and pre-condemnation issues.