Navigating the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (“ABCC”): Hearings, Licensing, and Avoiding Common Pitfalls

This program is online only and will be recorded. Anyone who registers will receive a link to the video recording.

Faculty

• Ralph Sacramone, Executive Director, Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission
• Kyle Gill, General Counsel, Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission

For attorneys representing hospitality clients, a single licensing error or a poorly handled hearing can derail a business for months. Join the ABCC’s Executive Director and General Counsel for an essential deep dive into the commission’s administrative processes. Drawing on years of direct experience, the faculty will provide a “start to finish” roadmap for handling administrative hearings and identify the most frequent mistakes made by licensees and applicants during the state and local licensing process. The panel will draw on their experiences at the ABCC. Topics to be discussed include:

The ABCC Hearing Process:

• Pre-Hearing Strategy: Navigating discovery, issuing subpoenas, and preparing witnesses.
• Hearing Types: Understanding the nuances of violation hearings, informational hearings, and appeals of local board decisions.
• Creating the Record: Best practices for introducing evidence and handling objections.
• Post-Hearing Advocacy: Crafting effective closing briefs

The Licensing Lifecycle

• License Classes: Distinguishing between State and Retail licenses.
• Applications & Transactions: Procedural requirements for new licenses, transfers, and amendments.
• Common Pitfalls: Identifying the technical errors that lead to delays or denials in the application process.