Bahaneh Hobel

Partner

  • Biography

    Bahaneh Hobel heads DP&F’s Alcohol Beverage Law and Compliance practice and is a partner in the firm’s Wine Law practice group.  Bahaneh’s practice focuses exclusively on all aspects of alcohol beverage law and regulation for wineries, breweries, distilled spirits plants, importers, wholesalers and retailers.  On the regulatory side, Bahaneh’s areas of expertise include state and federal licensing, tied house laws, state and federal labeling regulations and approvals, changes in control and winery/brewery/distillery sales, franchise laws, trade practices including advertising, sponsorships, festivals and special events, third party marketing, contests/sweepstakes and direct shipping laws. Bahaneh also assists her clients with all contracts and agreements related to their operation in the alcohol beverage industry, including celebrity brand agreements, alternating proprietor agreements, custom crush agreements, distribution agreements, winemaker agreements, transitional service agreements (related to the purchase or sale of a winery, brewery or distillery) and trademark license agreements.

    Bahaneh represents both domestic and international alcohol beverage industry members and works extensively with, and represents clients in front of, local, state and federal alcoholic beverage agencies throughout the United States, including the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

    Bahaneh has practiced in the alcohol beverage field for the past decade. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia in 1997 with a degree in Political Science.  Bahaneh worked for the United States Solicitor General in Washington D.C. before attending the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, where she served as Projects Editor on the California Law Review.  After receiving her law degree in 2001, Bahaneh served as a law clerk to the Honorable Richard C. Tallman on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and then practiced litigation and transactional law at several established law firms including O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

    In 2015, Bahaneh was named as one of the Forty Under 40  by the North Bay Business Journal. 

    Bahaneh and her husband also produce their own wine, Hobel, named as one of “8 Impressive New Faces from California” by Wine Spectator.

  • Education
    • J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (2001)
    • B.A., Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude, 1997)
  • Writings
    • “The Who, What, and Where of Alcohol Sponsorships, Events and Tastings” ShipCompliant Blog, Guest Post,  June 2015 – View Article
    • “Wine Law Refresher”, Napa Valley Vintners                   June 2014
    • 5 Key Points You Must Cover in Your Distribution Agreements
      January 2014 – View Article
    • New Licensing for DTC Wine Sales in California“, Practical Winery & Vineyard
      Spring 2012 – View Article
    • Important Legal Changes for Wine, Alcohol in 2012″, North Bay Business Journal (co-author)
      November 2011 – View Article
  • Presentations
    • “Updates on the California Bottle Bill,” WineDirect Webinar, July 2023
    • “The Future of a Well-Regulated Industry,” NCSLA Panel, September 2022
    • “2022 Sovos ShipCompliant Wine Summit,” Napa Valley Marriott, April 13-14, 2022
    • “Alcohol Marketing Regulations in a Digital World,” NCSLA Panel, June 21, 2022
    • “Legal Ethics – Consumption in a Crisis,” Wine Beer and Spirits Law, October 2021
    • “Owning and Operating a Winery, Strategies for Leveraging Online Sales,” The Seminar Group, June 2021
    • “The Shifting Beverage Alcohol Regulatory Landscape,” ShipCompliant Wine Summit, May 2021
    • “Alcohol Beverage Law 2021, How Alcohol Beverage Industry is Different,” Practising Law Institute, May 2021
    • “What is The New Normal, the Industry Perspective,” National Conference of State Liquor Administrators, November 2020
    • “Alcohol Beverage Law,” Napa Women Lawyers, November 2020
    • “Alcohol Beverage Laws in the Time of Covid,” Women of the Vine & Spirits, October, 2020
    • “Alcohol Beverages, Protecting the Public,” Natl Conference of State Liquor Administrators Annual Conference, June 15, 2020
    • “How is Alcohol Different from Other Industries?” Practising Law Institute, May 8, 2020
    • “Trade Practices Update,” Wine, Beer and Spirits Law CLE, April 27, 2020
    • “Alcohol Beverage Trade Practices and Other Hot Industry Topics,” Sonoma County Vintners, March 31, 2020
    • “Hot Topics for Wine in 2020,” Women for Wine Sense, March 19, 2020
    • “Hot Topics for Wine in 2020,” Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association, March 12, 2020
    • “Navigating the Legal Landscape of Wine; Preparing for Changes in 2020,” 8th Annual North Coast Wine Industry Expo, December 5, 2019
    • “TTB Trade Practices,” Wine, Beer and Spirits Law Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina, September 16, 2019
    • “Festivals, Sporting Events and Fairs,” National Conference of State Liquor Administrators Central/Western Regional Conference, Portland, Oregon, September 9, 2019
    • “Alcohol Beverage Regulation and Licensing,” OIV U.C. Davis Wine Marketing Course, July 22, 2019
    • “Alcohol Beverage Laws, What Your In House Counsel Should Know,” Practising Law Institute, Alcohol Law 2019, May 10, 2019
    • “Pushing Wine, Legal issues In Sale, Marketing and Distribution of Wine,” Seminar Group Owning and Operating a Winery Conference, March 15, 2019
    • “Trade Practices in The Real World,” Sonoma County Vinters, March 5, 2019
    • “Philosophies of Regulation,” Organisation International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV), UC Davis, July 2018
    • “The Digital Age,” Panelist, Wine, Beer & Spirits Law Conference, April 23, 2018
    • “Philosophies of Regulation,” Organisation International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV), UC Davis, July 2017
    • “Beer Festivals,” Presenter, California Craft Brewers Association Conference, May 22, 2017
    • “Know Your ABCs,” Panelist, California Craft Brewers Association Annual Conference, November 2016
    • “Events, Sponsorships & Festivals,” CEB Wine Law Forum,  Santa Barbara, November 2016
    • “Philosophies of Regulation,” Organisation International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV), UC Davis, July 2016
    • “Centennials, Millennials and Baby Boomers…Oh My! Technology is changing everything!  Are You Prepared?,” NCSLA Annual Conference, Chicago, June 2016
    • “Events and Sponsorships” – ShipCompliant Direct Conference, San Francisco,  June 2016
    • “Millennials: Their Time Has Come” – NCSLA Central/Western Regional Conference, Seattle, September 2015
    • “Philosophies of Regulation: Who can Sell Wine & How,” Organisation International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV), UC Davis, July 2015
    • “Everything You Need to Know About Winery Sponsorships, Events and Tastings,” 2015 Ship Compliant Direct Conference,  May 2015
    • 2015 Sonoma County Beer, Cider and Spirits Conference – Regulations Panelist, February 2015
    • “Wine Law Basic,” CalCPA Wine Industry Conference December 2014   View Presentation
    • “Wine Law Workshop,” Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association, October 2014
    • “Wine Law Workshop,” Napa Valley Vintners, June 2014
  • Associations
    • California State Bar
    • Napa County Bar Association
    • Wine Institute Public Policy Committee
    • California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Licensing Working Group
    • Napa Valley Vintners
    • National Conference of State Liquor Administrators
    • Craft Beverage Lawyers Guild
    • International Association of Wine Law (AIDV)
    • National Associations of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys
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