Will Cheek, Rob Pinson, Brad Lampley and Gif Thornton
Adams and Reese LLP is pleased to announce that nationally recognized liquor lawyers Rob Pinson and Will Cheek have joined the firm as partners to launch a dedicated Alcohol and Hospitality Team within the firm’s Intersection of Business and Government practice group. Under Pinson’s leadership, the team will provide regulatory, transactional and litigation counsel for businesses and entrepreneurs in the hospitality and alcoholic beverage industries.
“I am delighted to welcome Will and Rob to Adams and Reese as we expand our capabilities and services nationally by adding the new Alcohol and Hospitality Team,” said Gif Thornton, Managing Partner. “They are the front-runners in their practice fields, and Adams and Reese is now poised to build a prominent and national liquor and hospitality legal team. Additionally, the two share our firm’s philosophy of partnering with clients to understand their businesses, goals and plans. Moreover, they manage their work as we do, with core values of collaboration and teamwork.”
“Will and Rob have earned a reputation as the go-to attorneys for alcoholic beverage law in Tennessee and throughout the Southeast, for good reason. They have been instrumental in the development of Nashville’s entertainment scene and the growth of venues and businesses throughout the southeastern U.S.,” said Brad Lampley, who leads the firm’s Intersection of Business and Government practice group. “These industries, and especially liquor law, have exploded throughout the Southeast in the last 10 years, and will undoubtedly continue growing. By combining this team with our footprint, we are primed to build one of the country’s preeminent liquor and hospitality teams. This move will be a game-changer in terms of offerings to our clients and for our alcohol and hospitality practice.”
“We are thrilled to bring our practice to the next level with our new colleagues at Adams and Reese,” said Rob Pinson, Partner and Alcohol and Hospitality Team Leader. “The firm’s platform and southeastern footprint allow us to further meet the needs of distilleries, breweries and wineries, as well as guilds and other industry organizations, in a much larger way. Plus, the firm’s legislative talent will serve our liquor clients well as we continue to seek innovative paths for structuring their business operations throughout the Southeast.”
“In Nashville, you see cranes across the skyline signaling more development and a booming hospitality industry that will continue to grow. And it’s not just here in Nashville,” said Will Cheek, Partner. “Adams and Reese is the perfect place for us to expand our practice. With the firm’s resources, we are positioned to help license all the new restaurants, bars, breweries and distilleries popping up across Tennessee.”
The Adams and Reese Alcohol and Hospitality Team serves industry participants across the spectrum of the supply chain, from breweries, distilleries, and wineries, to distributors, retailers, bars and restaurants, and trade associations, assisting with everything from regulatory compliance and licensing issues to labeling and tax considerations. The team represents clients before local beer boards and state alcoholic beverage commissions in actions related to licensing, enforcement actions, administrative hearings, and violation notices.
Pinson formed the Tennessee Distillers’ Guild and assisted in the formation of the new Tennessee Whiskey Trail, which consists of approximately 25 distilleries across the state ranging from small, boutique-style operations to well-known distilleries that have been operating for generations. He assisted the Guild in planning for and obtaining the licensing for several annual whiskey festivals across the state, including coordinating with city officials and other various businesses.
Pinson earned his LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, his J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law, and his B.A. from Oberlin College.
Cheek is the only attorney ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA in the Southeastern category of Food & Beverages: Alcohol. He has been ranked by Best Lawyers in America in Food and Beverage Law, as well as Nonprofit/Charities Law, for 11 and nine consecutive years, respectively. Cheek is a founding member of the Alliance of Alcohol Industry Attorneys and Consultants and serves as an advisory board member and legal counsel for the National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals. He authors Last Call, a renowned blog covering alcohol and hospitality industry insight on new regulations and developments.
Cheek earned his J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and his B.A. from Columbia University.
Pinson and Cheek are based in the firm’s Nashville office at 1600 West End Avenue, in the Broadwest office tower in midtown.
Paralegals Beth Frasch and Randi Bruce also join the new Alcohol and Hospitality Team.
ABOUT ADAMS AND REESE LLP
Adams and Reese, founded in 1951, is a multidisciplinary law firm with over 270 attorneys and advisors strategically located throughout the United States and Washington, D.C. The American Lawyer includes Adams and Reese on its distinguished list of the nation’s top law firms, the Am Law 200. The National Law Journal also includes the firm among the top 200 on the NLJ 500 list of the nation’s largest law firms. Learn more at www.adamsandreese.com.
