Michael Brill Newman

Michael B. Newman is head of the firm’s Alcohol Beverage Team, focusing on counseling industry clients on national and international regulatory, contract, legislative, and licensing matters, advertising and promotional law, intellectual property rights, importation matters, trade practices, and inter-tier relations. He represents clients on matters before the federal Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and State Board of Equalization, and other state alcohol beverage agencies throughout the United States.

Mr. Newman has experience representing all three tiers of the alcohol beverage industry. He has worked with international importers, suppliers, and exporters, domestic manufacturers, regional and local distributors, and retailers (including multi-state restaurant and hotel and convenience store and other off-premise chains) across the United States. He also has worked with national and statewide industry trade groups and associations including Wine Institute, the American Brandy Association, the Vodka Producers Association, the California Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association, and the US OIV Working Committee. He has served on Wine Institute's Public Policy Committee for 20 years. He lectures frequently on compliance and other alcohol beverage regulatory matters to clients and other alcohol beverage industry members.

Mr. Newman and the firm’s Alcohol Beverage Practice Team also service the hospitality industry in a variety of ways, including: alcohol beverage, tobacco, and lottery licensing; health and food service inspection compliance; responsible vendor and employee training; representation in administrative proceedings; and litigation/dispute resolution.

Mr. Newman is an Industry Member of the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators (NCSLA) and lectures often on Alcohol Beverage Law issues before regulators at its annual and regional meetings.