About Us

Our Philosophy

As an industry focused law firm, we work closely with our clients to provide the variety of legal services required to succeed in the alcoholic beverage industry. We provide value to our clients by delivering the right advice at the right time, so they can focus on their business.

Our goal is to help each client reach their goal of maintaining compliance with state and federal laws while operating a successful business. Our firm helps foster positive relationships with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and other state and local regulators to achieve this goal.

From the time your business enters the Texas market through its expansion and growth, we work with you as your partner and trusted local counsel. We work collaboratively with attorneys and firms handling other aspects of business transactions.

BrackinSchwartz PLLC is part of a network of like-minded lawyers around the country working to ensure you have excellent sources of alcoholic beverage regulatory advice, nationwide. We often refer clients to, and work closely with, the best regulatory counsel in other states.

Our Team

Dewey Brackin

Marcus Schwartz

Catherine Chamblee

Jessica Reedy Sole

Christina Tanner

Kim Harvey

In his 25th year of legal practice, Dewey Brackin has extensive experience working with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). He focuses on administrative law, specifically the enforcement, licensing, compliance, and governmental affairs issues surrounding the sale and service of alcoholic beverages in the State of Texas.

At the start of his legal career, while serving as a staff attorney at TABC, Dewey not only prosecuted contested cases, but also helped develop many of the regulations and procedures currently in place. As a former Texas Assistant Attorney General, Dewey also represented TABC in state district and appellate courts. After a combined ten years representing TABC, Dewey spent 14 years in legal practice at the Am Law 200 firms Gardere, Wynne & Sewell LLP and Foley & Lardner LLP. Dewey understands the need to work on a collaborative basis with regulators while advocating for clients’ business needs and timelines.

Dewey represents clients in all segments of the food and beverage industry. His clients include restaurants, bars, hotels, sports stadiums and amusement parks, private equity firms, beer/wine/spirits manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of all alcoholic beverages, nascent and established, large and small.

Specifically, Dewey has:

represented private equity firms buying national restaurant chains in order to coordinate their expansion into Texas;
assisted stadium and arena owners/operators with obtaining Public Entertainment Facility certification and navigating the applicable Texas’ tied house laws;
guided clients in mixed beverage sales tax/gross receipts tax audit matters before the State Comptroller;
navigated food and beverage and private club audits initiated by the TABC, ensuring compliance with TABC accounting and membership applications;
represented national restaurant chains in administrative hearings seeking denial or cancellation of liquor licenses;
advised on constitutional legal challenges to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code;
drafted and advised clients on bills proffered to the State Legislature;
assisted small businesses and franchisees in corporate structuring, formation, and licensing requirements.

Having lived and raised a family in Austin for over 30 years, Dewey feels lucky to live in a town he loves doing a job he was born to do.

Professional Affiliations

Member, State Bar of Texas
Travis County Administrative Law Section
Associate Member, National Conference of State Liquor Administrators
Associate Member and Advisory Board Member, National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals
Member, Alliance of Alcohol Industry Attorneys and Consultants

Education

J.D., The University of Texas School of Law (1993)
Robert S. Strauss Presidential Scholar of International Law, Queen Mary and Westfield College, London, England (1992)
B.A., The University of Texas at Austin (1988)

Admissions

Texas (1993)

Speaking and Continuing Legal Educations (CLE)

Dewey has participated in numerous panels and presentations to the State Bar and other national groups, including:

Structuring the Sale Of Alcoholic Beverages In Your Hospitality Company

Firearms Law Issues In The Hospitality Industry

Cited Cases:

Four Stars Food v. Tex. Alco. Bev., 923 S.W.2d 266 (Tex. App. 1996)

St. Agnes Academy, Sharpstown Civic Association, and Clarewood House Residents Association v. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Club Bellaire, Inc. D/B/A El Corral, 03-12-00099-CV (Tex. App. 2012)

Marcus Schwartz is a former Am Law 200 attorney with over a decade of legal experience in alcoholic beverage licensing, compliance, and enforcement. Marcus primarily serves owners and investors in the Texas food and beverage industry, including hotels and resorts, state universities, sports stadiums, restaurants, bars, caterers, convenience stores, private clubs, delivery services, grocery stores, big box stores, wineries, distilleries, breweries, wholesalers, distributors and general retailers. He has represented retailers, breweries, distillers, wineries and distributors/wholesalers in obtaining the requisite federal and state licenses and permits as well.

Specifically, Marcus has:

advised on hotel and restaurant concession, management, and licensing agreements;
represented clients in municipal, administrative, and state courts as well as before numerous city, county, state and federal agencies in matters involving permitting and enforcement actions. These include, among others, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas Lottery Commission, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the federal Department of Agriculture, and the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau;
advocated for applicants and permittees/licensees in contested case hearings, enforcement matters, county judge protest hearings;
advised on private club compliance and alcoholic beverage local option elections issues;
obtained variances, land use and zoning changes or exceptions.

Prior to becoming a founding partner of BrackinSchwartz, Marcus spent three sessions at the Texas Legislature (77th, 78th and 79th) as a legislative analyst for Sen. Ken Armbrister, and was an attorney with the law firms Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP and Foley Lardner LLP.

Professional Affiliations

Member, State Bar of Texas
Associate Member, National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals
Associate Member, National Conference of State Liquor Administrators

Education

J.D., The University of Texas School of Law (2005)
B.A., Duke University (2002)
Economics
Political Science

Admissions

Texas (2005)

Catherine Chamblee is an associate in the Austin office of BrackinSchwartz. She focuses her practice on enforcement and licensing issues facing the food and beverage industry. Catherine represents alcoholic beverage manufacturers, hospitality-related establishments and retail-related outlets that sell alcoholic beverages.

Catherine spent over two years at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission where she represented the State of Texas in alcohol-related permit and license protests, permit cancellations and litigation regarding multi-level violations. She was also assigned to TABC’s Special Investigations Unit.

Before her time at the TABC, Catherine served seven years as an assistant state attorney in Florida. In her role at the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office, Catherine was lead prosecutor or co-counsel in over 50 felony jury trials.

Catherine has:

coordinated the day-to-day licensing needs of 1000+ units for a national retail chain;
responded to subpoenas and informal requests for information;
tried administrative hearings before the State Office Administrative Hearings regarding alleged sales to minors, sales to intoxicated persons, breaches of the peace, and marketing practices violations;
worked to mediate successful resolutions of contested cases.

Professional Affiliations

Member, State Bar of Texas
Member, The Florida Bar

Education

J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law (2002)
B.S., University of Florida (1999)
Animal Science

Admissions

Texas (2012)
Florida (2003)

Jessica’s professionalism and enthusiasm are just two attributes that make her a vital asset to the BrackinSchwartz team and our clients.

Jessica Sole has been a TABC licensing professional for over 15 years — first, as licensing processor at TABC, then as a paralegal with Am Law 200 law firms for the last 12 years.

Jessica has:

drafted and processed original and renewal applications;
drafted corporate merger, conversion, and change of officer/shareholder filings;
coordinated the licensing needs of nation-wide restaurant chains and off-premise retailers, and their franchisees;
handled lottery, tobacco, propane gas, nursery, and other state and local permits for convenience store and retail chains.

Christina Tanner has been a TABC licensing professional for almost 20 years — first with national restaurant chains, then at Am Law 200 law firms for the last 15 years. Christina’s adept abilities in working with the local TABC offices, cities, and counties. Based in Dallas, Christina is intimately familiar with the complex local processes in north Texas and the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Christina has:

coordinated the re-licensing of national restaurant chains taking back a local franchisee chain;
worked with convenience store franchisees and corporate to obtain joint TABC beer and wine licenses;
worked on large-scale corporate acquisitions to ensure smooth transfers of TABC and other operating permits;
coordinated on local inspections, building permits, and sign postings.

Kim Harvey has just recently come out of a brief retirement after over 40 years in the industry to join the BrackinSchwartz team. Her extensive experience includes many years as a TABC processor and also as a lead team member of a Houston-based liquor consultant. Kim’s experience and wisdom provides the BrackinSchwartz team and our clients with keen perspectives and understanding. Based in Houston, Kim’s client responsiveness is recognized and appreciated by clients nationwide.

Our Philosophy

Our Team

Dewey Brackin

Marcus Schwartz

Catherine Chamblee

Jessica Reedy Sole

Christina Tanner

Kim Harvey

Dewey Brackin

Partner

Professional Affiliations

Education

Admissions

Speaking and Continuing Legal Educations (CLE)

Cited Cases:

Marcus Schwartz

Partner

Professional Affiliations

Education

Admissions

Catherine Chamblee

Professional Affiliations

Education

Admissions

Jessica Reedy Sole

Christina Tanner

Kim Harvey

Affiliations & Organizations

News

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