Business, Regulatory & Transactional Attorneys
The James Firm advises entrepreneurs, business owners, investors, restaurants, hospitality operators, cannabis businesses, and property owners on transactions, regulatory matters, licensing, and commercial legal issues.
New York Liquor Licensing
The James Firm represents restaurants, bars, nightlife venues, liquor stores, hotels, and hospitality operators before the New York State Liquor Authority. We handle licensing from the first location review through approval — and we stay with operators once the license is issued.
Because licensing outcomes often turn on location, community input, and the record built early in the process, we manage the application, the municipal proceedings, and the agency relationship as one coordinated strategy.
- New applications
- Transfers
- Location eligibility
- Community Board proceedings
- 500-Foot Hearings
- Temporary permits
- SLA compliance
- Violations
- Denials and reconsideration
Cannabis Licensing, Compliance & Business Counsel
We advise cannabis entrepreneurs, applicants, and licensed operators on the regulatory and business questions that determine whether a license is granted — and whether the business built around it can operate and grow.
Cannabis matters rarely stay purely regulatory. Ownership structures, investor arrangements, leases, and vendor agreements all have to survive regulatory review, so we handle the corporate and licensing sides together.
- New York licensing
- New Jersey licensing
- Compliance programs
- Regulatory matters
- Ownership and corporate transactions
- Business agreements
- Operational compliance
- Administrative and enforcement matters
Buying, Selling & Structuring Businesses
We represent buyers, sellers, investors, and business owners in the transactions that transfer ownership of a company — from the letter of intent through diligence, negotiation, and closing.
Our transactional work is informed by the regulated industries we serve. Deals involving restaurants, bars, liquor stores, cannabis operators, and leased commercial space carry licensing and landlord approvals that have to be sequenced correctly, or the closing slips.
- Business acquisitions
- Business sales
- Asset purchase agreements
- Stock purchase agreements
- Letters of intent
- Due diligence
- Contract negotiation
- Shareholder transactions
- Partner buyouts
- Transaction closings
- Entity and ownership restructuring
Deal terms, diligence, licensing, and lease transfers all move on the same clock. Talk through your transaction with an attorney before you sign the LOI.
Speak With an AttorneyCommercial Real Estate & Leasing
We represent business owners, investors, landlords, tenants, and purchasers in commercial real estate matters — with particular depth in space that will host a licensed or regulated operating business.
A lease is often the single largest commitment an operator signs. We negotiate the terms that matter — use clauses, contingencies, build-out, assignment, and personal guaranties — before they become permanent.
- Commercial leases
- Lease negotiation
- Commercial acquisitions
- Commercial sales
- Due diligence
- Business acquisitions involving real estate
- Regulatory and location issues for operating businesses
Counsel for the Business Lifecycle
These practice areas are not four unrelated niches. A single client often buys a business, negotiates the lease for its space, transfers the license that lets it operate, and years later sells it. We represent businesses across that entire arc.
Entity formation, ownership structuring, founder and partner agreements.
Business acquisitions, asset and stock purchases, and the real estate that comes with them.
Commercial contracts, vendor agreements, leases, and day-to-day regulatory compliance.
Liquor and cannabis licensing, permits, community board proceedings, and agency approvals.
New locations, additional licenses, expansion leases, and add-on acquisitions.
Business sales, ownership transfers, partner buyouts, and closing execution.
Tell Us About Your Business or Transaction
Whether you’re applying for a license, acquiring a business, negotiating a commercial lease, addressing a regulatory issue, or preparing to sell, schedule a consultation with The James Firm.
- Licensing and regulatory matters
- Business purchases and sales
- Commercial leases and real estate
- Compliance, violations and hearings