Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce that veteran alcohol beverage practitioner Adena Santiago has joined the firm’s Food & Agribusiness industry group as senior counsel in the Washington office. Santiago has a nationwide practice assisting brewers, winemakers, distillers, and other alcohol industry players in every aspect of licensing, labeling and compliance.
Santiago’s practice encompasses virtually all operational aspects of the business of alcohol – including manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing – and addresses legal challenges at the federal, state and local levels of government. Notably, she obtains certificates of label approval and other state and federal licenses for her clients and advises beverage manufacturers on how to comply with labeling rules and regulations under the Food and Drug Administration and Federal Alcohol Administration Act; she also negotiates franchise and distribution agreements in the alcohol industry and advises clients on complying with restrictions that govern the marketing of alcohol.
“Adena’s regulatory expertise at all levels of government is a terrific complement to our firm’s strong transactional, litigation and intellectual property practices within the alcohol and beverage industry,” said James Mathis, chair of Husch Blackwell’s Alcohol & Beverage practice group. “Her arrival signals to clients our dedication to serving more of their specialized industry needs.”
Husch Blackwell’s Alcohol & Beverage practice group represents brand owners, wholesalers, and retailers in all sectors of the industry.
Prior to joining Husch Blackwell, Santiago practiced for over a decade at the Buchman Law Firm, LLP, a boutique law firm serving the alcohol beverage and hospitality industries. In 2017 she was named Responsible Attorney for that firm’s Washington office. Prior to entering private practice, Santiago served as a law clerk for Honorable Judge Kenneth S. Levy of the New Jersey Superior Court. She received her J.D. from California Western School of Law and holds a B.A. from Brandeis University.