News

Obtaining a liquor license in the state of New York can be a complicated process, and the ongoing backlog at the New York State Liquor Authority (the SLA) is resulting in application processing times of between six and eight months; however, in many cases, applicants may be able to obtain a temporary permit to operate while the application is reviewed.If you are thinking of starting or purchasing a business requiring a liquor license, there are a number of threshold issues to consider before you [...]

Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP, the Capital Region’s largest law firm, has extensive experience representing clients in the area of Alcoholic Beverage Law and is continuing to grow this practice with the addition of Alexandra Becker and Richard Burstein.Alcoholic beverage regulation is uniquely complex. The industry is constantly evolving and COVID has exacerbated the already high demand for licenses and need for new capabilities, including take out of alcoholic beverages and the [...]

As a craft brewer, your focus is on making the best beer possible.  However, being a craft brewer means you are also a small business owner, which means that you also have to focus on managing a successful business.  As your brewery grows, it will inevitably lead to hiring employees.  Being an employer can be incredibly rewarding, as the right employees can become valuable assets to your business.However, becoming an employer can also be scary at times because having employees [...]

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is soliciting stakeholder input regarding the potential issuance of a State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) general permit that would provide coverage for wastewater discharges to groundwater from licensed Wineries, Breweries, and Hard Cideries in New York State. Click here to download the full Advanced Notice of Proposed Permit

At Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, we strive to provide the highest quality services to meet the needs of our region. In light of the recent surge of craft alcohol producers in our area - up 50% since 2014 - we’ve decided to take our support of the industry to the next level, adding an Alcoholic Beverages practice area to our firm. Our attorneys are no stranger to this practice area. In fact, we’ve been regularly handling licensing and compliance matters unique to the industry, as [...]