Civil Trial and Appellate Practice in state and federal courts throughout the U.S.
The Firm of Siegel & Moses PC concentrates in the areas of litigation, regulatory, transactional and licensing all within the alcoholic beverage and hospitality industries. Also included therein are: advertising and marketing, administrative, antitrust, constitutional, franchise and e-commerce. The collective experience of our firm in these areas spans over 100 years.
Our clients are derived from all three "tiers" of the federal and state mandated alcoholic beverage industry. Within the supplier tier and on a national basis, we represent both domestic importers, as well as domestic and foreign, distilleries wineries and breweries. On the wholesale level, our clients include distributors of spirits, wine and beer located throughout the United States, as well as those which operate statewide and locally throughout the metropolitan Chicagoland. At the retail level, we represent regional, national and international, hotel and restaurant chains, as well as those local to the metropolitan Chicagoland area. We secure the issuance and renewal of the requisite licenses to conduct business throughout the United States, as well as provide services with regard to acquisitions, zoning matters and obtaining leasehold interests.
As to the marketing and promotion of alcoholic beverages, we provide our supplier and national retail clients, as well as their respective advertising agencies, with an analysis or assistance in the development of specific programs on a 50-State basis. These programs may generally fall into the categories of consumer sweepstakes, contests of skill, instant cents-off coupons or supplier rebates, sponsorship of various events, consumer or retailer advertising specialties, point-of-sale materials or display activities.
From a litigation standpoint, we are thoroughly versed in the applicable laws of the various states which regulate the relationships between suppliers and wholesalers of alcoholic beverages. We have effectively handled cases at all levels of state and federal court systems as well as federal, state and local administrative agencies and regulatory authorities throughout the United States. We have been directly (as lead counsel) or indirectly (as either a consultant or on behalf of amici curiae) involved in several of the key Supreme Court decisions which pertain to the interpretation of the Twenty-First Amendment and its interaction with the various other provisions of the United States Constitution. Internationally, we practice before the International Court of Commerce of The International Chamber of Commerce and the American Arbitration Association. During the 1970's, the firm legally structured the first wine auction event in the United States for Heublein, Inc. and Christie, Manson & Woods, International, and has taken the lead in developing the concept of direct marketing of wines. More recently, we have developed a compliant regulatory structure for marketing and selling alcoholic beverages through e-commerce. We have served as lead counsel in many industry cases initiated by state regulatory agencies (Florida, Georgia, Utah, Michigan and Alabama) against clients involved in direct marketing and e-commerce. We maintain a thorough involvement with the regulatory schemes in each state and with their respective regulatory authority as well as the federal scheme and with the Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Thus, the firm practices and has developed a concentration within the area of alcoholic beverages consisting of: litigation, administrative and antitrust law, constitutional law, licensing and marketing practices.
Supreme Court Cases: James B. Beam Distilling Co. v. Georgia, 501 U.S. 529, 111 S. Ct. 2439 (1991); South Dakota v. Dole, 483 U.S. 203, 107 S. Ct. 2793 (1987). Amicus; Rice v. Norman Williams Co., 458 U.S. 654, 102 S. Ct. 3294 (1982). Amicus.
Other Cases: Club Misty, Inc. v. Laski, 208 F.3d 615 (7th Cir. 2000); Valley Liquors, Inc. v. Renfield Importers, Ltd., 822 F.2d 656 (7th Cir. 1987); Valley Liquors, Inc. v. Renfield Importers, Ltd., 678 F.2d 742 (7th Cir. 1982); South Rothschild Liquor Mart v. Kozubowski, 752 F. Supp. 839 (N.D. Ill. 1990); Federated Distributors, Inc. v. Johnson, 530 N.E.2d 501, 125 Ill. 2d 1 (1988); North Sheffield, Inc. v. City of Chicago, 494 N.E.2d 711, 144 Ill. App.3d 913 (1986).
