Max Fujii

Overview

Max advises retail and non-retail alcohol and food businesses on regulatory matters. He assists clients with federal and state liquor licensing, tied house compliance and alcohol delivery services.

Working with breweries, wineries and retailers, Max handles federal permitting, multi-state compliance and licensing transfers. His experience includes TTB compliance, labeling requirements and direct-to-consumer shipping regulations.

Max’s practice includes corporate transactions in the alcohol beverage industry, from winery acquisitions to retail expansions. He handles distributor franchise matters, tribal regulations and operational plans for sports and entertainment facilities.

Professional Activities

• Schwartz-Levi Inn of Court, Former Member

Experience

Representative Alcohol Beverage Regulatory and Corporate Work: Non-Retail Work – Wineries, Distilleries, Breweries, Brewpubs

• Regularly obtain federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) permits on behalf of alcohol supplier clients.
• Regularly advise and coordinate TTB and state filings required by changes of ownership or operations.
• Regularly advise on TTB compliance, including labeling, bond requirements and tied house issues.
• Advise one of the world’s largest breweries on a variety of trade practice and marketing issues across multiple states, including issues regarding distributor franchise laws, tied house restrictions, special events, tribal laws and provided analysis on proposed legislation.
• Led a multi-state survey of direct-to-consumer shipping laws and bottle bills in furtherance of a client’s new alcohol beverage product launch.
• Provided analysis of California tied-house issues for potential expansion of client operating a chain of brewpubs, breweries, music venues, historic hotels and theater pubs.
• Served as second-chair attorney in connection with three successful buy-side winery asset purchase transactions for a Washington winery, involving both corporate and alcohol beverage regulatory work.
• Provided analysis of novel tied-house issues in Washington for one of the world’s largest beverage producers.

Representative Alcohol Beverage Regulatory and Corporate Work: Retail Work

• Regularly manage the process for obtaining liquor licenses and other required filings in California, Washington and Oregon on behalf of retailers.
• Regularly advise clients on the procedures for reporting changes of ownership or governance structure in connection with state and federal liquor licenses.
• Coordinated the transfer of multiple California liquor licenses on behalf of a major golf course management company.
• Provided 50-state sales and licensing analysis of low-proof alcohol for one of the world’s largest e-commerce retailers.
• Advise third-party alcohol and food delivery company on third-party delivery permit privileges and restrictions across numerous states.
• Draft private label agreements and provide related advice for one of the world’s largest big-box retailers.
• Drafted Washington sports entertainment facility consolidated operating plan for major college university.
• Assisted in multi-state analysis of restrictions relating to cannabidiol-infused products.
• Assisted in alcohol licensing and regulatory matters in Washington and Oregon for a multibillion-dollar instant delivery retailer of alcohol, food and other consumer goods.

News & Insights