Cleveland Foodservice Guide Northeast Ohio

Liquor licensing attorneys

Lawyers who handle Ohio liquor permits — new applications, transfers, renewals, objections, and citations before the Liquor Control Commission.

Ohio liquor permits are quota-limited by class and population, which means many are bought on a secondary market rather than simply applied for. The permit can easily cost more than your kitchen equipment, and the transfer can take longer than your build-out. This is the one category where operators most consistently try to save money and most consistently regret it.

What to ask before you hire

Take this into the call. No vendor gets to edit this list.

  1. Is there an existing permit at this address, what class is it, and is it transferable to me? A site with a live permit is a completely different deal from one without.
  2. Am I applying for a new permit or buying an existing one? If the class I need is at quota in this municipality, ask what the realistic path and price are.
  3. How long will the transfer actually take, start to finish — and can I open and operate without it in the meantime?
  4. What can trigger an objection, who gets notified, and what happens if the local legislative authority or residents object?
  5. What is your fee structure — flat fee per permit type, or hourly? And what is the state filing cost on top of your fee?
  6. Do you also handle citations and violations before the Liquor Control Commission? The lawyer who got your permit is not automatically the one who defends it.
  7. If my deal falls through, what happens to the permit and my money — is safekeeping or escrow involved?
  8. Do I need a separate endorsement for Sunday sales, patio or outdoor service, or a second location?

Listings

Listed alphabetically. Order is never sold or influenced by sponsorship.

  • DBL Law — Beer, Wine & Spirits Practice Group

    Practice group serving breweries, wineries, distilleries, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and importers across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Covers licensing and regulatory compliance plus trademarks, labeling and advertising rules, distribution agreements, and event permits.

    Services: Licensing and regulatory compliance · Labeling and advertising review · Trademark protection · Distribution agreements · Event permits

    Serves: Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage, Geauga counties

    Strongest fit if you produce as well as sell — brewing, distilling, or self-distributing — since the group covers labeling and distribution law, not just permits. Not Cleveland-based; confirm who would actually handle a Northeast Ohio matter.

    Verified Aug 8, 2026

  • Justin C. Miller, Esq.

    Elyria and Medina attorney representing restaurants, taverns, bars, hotels, nightclubs, grocery stores, and entertainment venues on Ohio liquor licensing, including transfers between businesses and payment plans with the state.

    Services: Liquor licensing · License transfers · Administrative law · Business law

    Serves: Lorain, Medina, Cuyahoga counties

    Offices in Elyria and Medina — one of the few options on this list based in the western and southern counties rather than downtown Cleveland.

    409 East Ave, 2nd Floor, Elyria, OH 44035
    330-931-3281

    Verified Aug 8, 2026 · number checked against 2 sources

  • Kohrman Jackson & Krantz (KJK)

    Cleveland firm with a restaurant and hospitality practice covering Ohio liquor licensing — new applications, renewals, transfers, and license defense — before the Ohio Division of Liquor Control and the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

    Services: New liquor license applications · Renewals and transfers · License defense and appeals · Federal TTB matters

    Serves: Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage, Geauga counties

    Handles revocation and suspension defense as well as getting the permit in the first place — worth asking about up front, since those are often different engagements. Also has a Columbus office.

    1375 East Ninth St, One Cleveland Center, 29th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114
    216-696-8700

    Verified Aug 8, 2026 · number checked against 3 sources

  • Mark S. Gutentag — Ohio Liquor Lawyer

    Solo practice devoted entirely to Ohio liquor permit holders and applicants statewide, covering applications, renewals, transfers, tax matters, and citations. Worked in the permit industry as a bartender, manager, and owner before practicing law.

    Services: Permit applications · Renewals and transfers · Citations and violations · Liquor permit tax issues

    Serves: Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage, Geauga counties

    Columbus-based but practices statewide, and the practice is liquor permits only rather than a general firm with a liquor page. Note the website is served over http — the secure version currently throws a certificate warning.

    22 E Gay St, Suite 201, Columbus, OH 43215
    614-365-1700

    Verified Aug 8, 2026 · number checked against 3 sources

  • McCarthy Lebit

    Cleveland firm with a dedicated Hospitality & Liquor Law practice area serving restaurant and bar clients.

    Services: Hospitality law · Liquor licensing

    Serves: Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit counties

    Their practice page is thin on specifics — ask directly which attorney handles liquor matters, whether they do transfers and citations, and how fees are structured before engaging.

    Verified Aug 8, 2026

Related guides

Listings are free and unpaid. We verify contact details before publishing and re-check periodically, but businesses change — if something here is wrong, tell us. Inclusion is not an endorsement, and this site does not accept commissions or referral fees from listed vendors. Dean Supply publishes this site and appears in the directory on the same terms as everyone else.