Robert F. Lewis

Robert F. Lewis


Shutts & Bowen LLP

Recognized since 2015

Miami, Florida

Practice Areas

Food and Beverage Law

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Robert F. Lewis, is a co-founder of Spiritus Law firm and focuses his practice on the laws governing alcohol industry members at all three tiers, as well as tobacco and other regulated products. Rob has accumulated over 27 years of experience in the alcohol industry, including previously serving in law enforcement and as a special agent with the State of Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. His practice includes diverse and multi-discipline areas of legal needs common to hospitality, alcohol, and tobacco industry clients. Rob’s experience includes working with foreign and domestic alcohol industry clients on a wide variety of issues including alcohol licensing and structuring of alcohol service operations, alcohol trade practice analysis and consulting, defending regulatory enforcement actions as well as state and federal investigations of alcohol industry members, administrative litigation, land use and zoning analysis and approval processes, and state and local government lobbying efforts. As a former police officer and special agent with the State of Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Rob has experience with the processes and methods by which government regulators investigate and apprehend alcohol and tobacco law violators. Rob has also served as an expert witness on matters relating to alcohol beverage law and administrative code provisions in Florida.

Rob’s experience includes assisting clients with business permitting and transfers of business licenses as a result of new business ventures, expansion, and national mergers and acquisitions between hospitality and alcohol industry clients, including contractual issues, obtaining business tax receipts, building permitting, certificates of use and occupancy, and other related operational permits.

Rob’s clients include domestic and foreign alcohol and tobacco suppliers, importers, wholesalers, real estate developers, and a broad range of alcohol retailers, including large box retailers, national restaurant chains, national pharmacies, nightclubs, private clubs, national retail chains, bars, national hotel chains and national hotel management companies, restaurateurs, sports arenas, including MLB and NBA sport franchises, national movie theater companies, entertainment complexes and establishments, and other members of the hospitality and alcohol industry.

Mr. Lewis has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, in Florida for Food and Beverage Law, as one of only three attorneys selected in the State in 2015, and he has been ranked by Chambers USA in the Nationwide category for Food & Beverages: Alcohol. Additionally, he received an AV Preeminent ranking (the highest ranking possible) by his peers from Martindale-Hubbell. According to Chambers, clients "praise his in-depth comprehension of the many nuances of the various state alcohol licensing permit processes. He is very good at explaining the process and having all of the work done in a professional and efficient manner." Chambers further states that market insiders praise him as “sensitive to the client’s needs and the nuances of a complicated transaction. He is an excellent strategist.”

Contact & Links
Location
  • 200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 4100
    Miami, FL 33131
Languages
  • English
Education
  • University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctorate
Bar Admissions
  • Florida, 09/22/1997
Affiliations
  • Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce - Member
  • Cuban American Bar Association - Member
  • Dade County Bar Association - Member
  • National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) - Member
  • National Association of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys (NAABLA) - Member
  • National Association of Licensing & Compliance Professionals (NALCP) - Member
  • National Conference of State Liquor Administrators (NCSLA) - Member
  • The Florida Bar, Administrative Law Section - Member
  • The Florida Bar, City, County, and Local Government - Member
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida

Shutts & Bowen LLP

Headquarters: Miami, Florida

2 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

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Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for work in:
  • Food and Beverage Law
Special Focus:
  • COVID-19
Awards:
  • Ranked in Nationwide Category: Food & Beverages: Alcohol, Chambers & Partners USA, 2014-2020

  • Best Lawyers in America: Food & Beverage Law, U.S. News & World Report, 2015-2020

  • Outstanding Performance and Contribution to the South Florida Legal Community, South Florida Legal Guide, 2020
  • Rated AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell, 2019

  • Florida Trailblazer, Daily Business Review, 2019
  • Top Attorney, South Florida Legal Guide, 2012-2019

  • Most Effective Lawyers: Government Relations/Regulatory, The Daily Business Review, 2018
  • Top Up and Comer, South Florida Legal Guide, 2007-2010, 2012

Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Leisure and Hospitality Law

Publications

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