Marbet Lewis, Co-Chair of the Alcohol and Regulated Industries Practice Group, recently participated in a Q&A for Law360 Pulse, discussing the decision to join Shutts & Bowen LLP.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Marbet and Robert Lewis, Co-Chair of the Group, noticed an industry shift and wanted an opportunity to provide their clients with the resources of a larger firm.
"Our practice area, which I think pre-pandemic was very much based on alcohol regulatory licensing and compliance, has morphed into much more than that. It's more project development, and taking the client from A to Z, and being very creative with licensing regulations to see how we can license all the different uses properly under one venue," Marbet states.
Marbet noted the influx of retailers and entertainment establishers, the corporate restructuring of businesses and packaging innovations during the pandemic attracted clients to full-service law firms instead of boutique firms.
“Now working with Shutts, it's a much more comprehensive group that can service various different areas which, to us, is a relief. It's a huge relief to be able to tell a client, "Oh, I just have to call my partner down the hall," as opposed to, "Let me find another law firm that can handle that for you."
To read the entire Q&A, please click here (subscription required).
About Marbet Lewis
Marbet Lewis is a Partner in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where she is Co-Chair of the Alcohol & Regulated Industries Practice Group. Since 2004, Marbet has focused her practice on the laws governing the alcohol industry and the manufacture, importation and sale of alcohol beverage products. She represents clients in all aspects of alcohol and business licensing; alcohol licensee mergers and acquisitions; negotiation of asset purchase agreements and required alcohol use provisions; license transfers and licensing due diligence; trade practices; alcohol product advertising; and regulatory compliance guidance. Marbet’s experience also includes enforcement action defense and administrative litigation; zoning and land use due diligence and approval processes; and state and local government regulatory compliance, which includes drafting municipal code ordinances and amendments as well as assisting with redistricting and development of entertainment overlay districts.