Elizabeth A DeConti

Practice Areas

Alcohol Beverage

Cruise Line

Food Law

Hospitality

International

Litigation

Residential, Resort and Club

Restaurant

Professional Memberships

The Florida Bar

The Connecticut Bar

American Bar Association

Federal Bar Association

Hillsborough County Bar Association

Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys

Women of the Vine and Spirits

Experience

Elizabeth DeConti serves as a trusted advisor to clients in the ever-evolving alcohol beverage and food sectors. For more than 25 years, she has helped clients navigate all aspects of alcohol beverage and food law regulation, licensing, compliance, and promotion. Representing clients in front of state and federal courts and administrative agencies, Elizabeth’s expertise is centered on the rules, regulations, trends, and business best practices governing the marketing, sale, and consumption of malt beverages, wine, distilled spirits, and other regulated products. Her clients include major alcohol suppliers, wholesalers, national chain retailers, marketing companies, and other members of the hospitality industry.

Elizabeth’s litigation work for alcohol and food industry members includes complex commercial disputes, franchise, administrative law, and intellectual property matters. Her sector-specific litigation experience strengthens her ability to create clear, concise, and protective contracts related to advertising, distribution, importation, and related industry issues. In addition to her litigation services, Elizabeth has built a national reputation alongside clients in the area of alcohol-focused advertising and promotions, with particular expertise in regulatory compliance issues associated with software development and digital and social media. She is a sought-after advisor on the intersection of state and federal alcohol regulations and Federal Trade Commission regulations involving sweepstakes, contests, and other games. Elizabeth also manages large-scale liquor license transactions for the firm’s supplier and retailer clients.

A worldly and seasoned advisor, Elizabeth is fluent in French and Italian and advises European clients on international and domestic matters. Her international experience includes negotiation, sale, and purchase of Italian wineries, liaising with Italian law firms on litigation matters pending in Italy and the United States, representing several German breweries, and advising and counseling foreign entities seeking to export products from Western Europe into the U.S. She frequently teams with GrayRobinson colleagues in the corporate, tax, and intellectual property practices to provide comprehensive advisory services for alcohol beverage and food law clients.

Languages Spoken

Italian

French

Education

Publications

“Nothing is Certain but Death and (Liquor) Taxes,” Presenter, The Hospitality Law Conference, May 14, 2025

“Women in Law and Compliance in the Beverage Alcohol Industry,” Moderator, Women of the Vine & Spirits Leadership Series C-Suite Insights, April 29, 2025

“The Mechanics of Interim Management Agreements for Alcohol Beverage & Food Service in Hotel and Restaurant Chain Acquisitions,” The Hospitality Law Conference, October 9, 2024

“Guidelines for the Proper Role of Third Party Marketing Companies,” The Hospitality Law Conference, April 23, 2024

“Crypto, NFT’s, and Alcohol in the Metaverse,” Hospitality Law Conference, May 9, 2023

“Metaverse, NFT’s, & Crypto Revisited,” Co-panelist, National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA) 30th Annual Legal Symposium, March 15, 2023

“National Overview of Server Ages and Function,” Hospitality Lawyer, May 31, 2022

“Legal Issues in the Post-COVID World,” Very Important Beverage Executives Conference (VIBE) Conference, 2021

“Expanding Businesses Around the Globe with Judith D. Pryor, Board of Directors, EXIM,” Women of the Vine and Spirits Leadership Series C-Suite Insights, April 27, 2021

“The Rise of E-sports and the Fall of Illegal Sports Betting: How They are Related and Why it Matters,” Co-Author, GrayRobinson Insights, January 2021

“How to Manage the Licensing Process in a Large-Scale Acquisition,” The Virtual Hospitality Law Conference: Quick Service + Fast Casual, February 24, 2021

“Which Liquor License is Right?” Southern Beverage Journal, Florida Edition, September 2020

“Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew About My Liquor Licensed Premises,” Hospitality Lawyer, August 27, 2020

“How Suppliers Can Support Bartenders and Sommeliers Who are in Need of Funds Today,” Women of the Vine and Spirits Live Chat, August 26, 2020

“Top Ten Things I Wish I Knew About My Liquor Licensed Premises,” The Virtual Hospitality Law Conference, June 30, 2020

“Are Hospitality Businesses Ready for State Emergency Orders to be Lifted?,” Panelist, COVID-19 Conversations Webinar Series, June 10, 2020

“Transfer of Property Needing Continuous Operation,” 32nd Annual RPTE National CLE Conference, May 14, 2020

Awards