Jeff Katz focuses his practice on alcoholic beverage control law.  He represents alcoholic beverage distributors and wineries in all of the legal aspects of their business, including compliance issues, contracts, mergers, acquisitions, financings, advertising, marketing and divestitures.  Jeff’s clients trust him to safeguard and advocate their position and interests at every turn, finding solutions and approaches that are congruent with their business model while streamlining their licensing and trade practices needs.

In his third decade of practice, Jeff offers in-depth experience in the alcoholic beverages industry and with the agencies that regulate it.  He offers legal counsel pertaining to all of the challenges associated with the production, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages.  His experience includes licensing and permitting before the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, and the many state alcoholic beverage control boards.  He advises on alcoholic beverage marketing and advertising, intellectual property protection, regulatory compliance and dispute avoidance and mitigation.  He is involved in all related transactional initiatives, ranging from mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances, to all variety of contract negotiation and documentation.

Jeff’s deep experience in the alcoholic beverage industry allows him to identify and avert potential obstacles before they can develop into serious roadblocks to progress.  Early in his career, Jeff was involved in a billion dollar joint venture between two international pharmaceutical giants combining their businesses worldwide.  A skilled negotiator, Jeff also recently concluded an acquisition of a sake distribution business, as well as the disposition of a French alcoholic beverage producer.

In addition, Jeff represents general business and corporate clients in the area of mergers and acquisitions and corporate trust and agency matters.  He also provides general corporate and contract advice to privately held companies and individuals of high net worth.
 

Represented a U.S. company in its buyout of its partners in various California wineries as well as in the financing of the construction of a new winery.

Represented a New York based wine and spirits distributor in connection with its world-wide distribution and importation agreements.

Represented a U.S. spirits distributor in connection with the sale of certain of its distribution rights.

Represented a national wine wholesaler in connection with alleged violations in New York and California.

Represented a French winery in connection with the acquisition of an Oregon vineyard.

Represented a U.S. auto parts manufacturer in connection with multiple acquisitions and dispositions.

Represented a U.S. company in connection with its worldwide distribution agreements.

Represented corporate trustees in multibillion-dollar debt offerings, including asset-backed securitizations.

Represented many companies of different sizes as either buyer or seller in various stock and asset transactions, as well as mergers.