Recent Legal News & Firm Updates

More updates are rolling out on the City of Boston’s Liquor License Upgrade process. Here is what you need to know: On January 8, the Boston Licensing Board voted to adopt new regulations (Board Rule 1.08R) to authorize conversion of Beer/Wine Licenses to All Alcohol Licenses for existing license holders, with certain restrictions. Key takeaways…

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Multi-state operators face a complex patchwork of alcoholic beverage licensing frameworks, each with its own regulatory priorities and enforcement standards. As the retail and wholesale industry continues to adapt to shifting market conditions and evolving consumer trends, regulatory updates have become increasingly vital to sustaining economic viability while managing compliance standards. The National Association of…

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This week, the Boston City Council approved a measure that will allow the city’s roughly 375 existing beer and wine license holders to upgrade to full all-alcohol licenses, opening the door for them to serve liquor and cocktails in addition to beer and wine. Boston was among the first to act on the state’s June…

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What Restaurants Need to Know about the New “Unfair and Deceptive Fees” Law Starting September 2, 2025, new rules from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office will change how restaurants display prices. The regulations (940 CMR 38.00) target so-called ‘junk fees’ by requiring clear, upfront disclosure of charges on menus and customer checks. For restaurants, that…

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The transfer of an alcoholic beverages license from one party to another is a routine part of retail, restaurant, and hotel transactions. While parties often rely on governmental approvals as the benchmark for closing on a license transaction, such licensing approvals do not necessarily mean the license is free from financial liabilities, which could impact…

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In recent years, high interest rates, inflation, and changing consumer trends have resulted in a tightening of financing options available for restaurants. Lenders often require various forms of collateral for restaurant financing, particularly in assets that hold strong market value and can be resold in case of a borrower default. One increasingly popular solution for restaurateurs…

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National operators face continuing challenges with alcoholic beverage licensing and compliance, predominantly due to the inherent complexity of adhering to a diverse array of liquor control regulations across the United States. Each state, and often municipalities within them, have their own rules for obtaining and maintaining licenses, covering everything from hours of sale to employee…

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On September 11, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed into law a bill which will create 225 new liquor licenses in the City of Boston over the next three years. The bill, formally titled “An Act authorizing additional licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises in the City of…

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On April 30, 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed a new law that will expedite outdoor dining approvals at the local level and authorize licensed restaurants to serve cocktails “to go.”  The new law, titled “An Act Making Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2024 to Provide for Supplementing Certain Existing Appropriations and for Certain Other…

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Outdoor dining throughout Boston increased as a response to pandemic restrictions and, over the course of the past three years, further proliferated as customers, restaurant operators, and local officials realized the social and economic benefits of outdoor dining space. Even as concerns related to COVID-19 subside, customers continue to seek the diversity of options offered…

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