With a practice focused on the laws governing alcoholic beverages, tobacco, cannabis, and other regulated products, Ian Bacheikov assists clients across multiple sectors, including entertainment, hospitality, and retail. He serves as chair of Akerman's Alcohol Beverage Sector Team, a multidisciplinary group providing comprehensive counsel to alcohol manufacturers, vendors, middle tier distributors, and retailers. He represents clients in matters including alcohol beverage licensing and permitting, regulatory compliance analysis and consulting, administrative enforcement actions, alcohol and cannabis related land use and zoning, review and drafting of distribution agreements, local government lobbying relating to alcohol beverage and cannabis regulations, commercial leasing for alcohol industry landlords and tenants, and litigation concerning alcoholic beverage law issues.
People
Notable Work
Represent purchaser of oceanfront resort hotel and spa in the transfer and obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses, at closing.
Represent purchaser of oceanfront resort hotel and spa in obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses, at closing, as well as obtaining development approvals from the Historic Preservation Board.
Represent several developers with obtaining land use and zoning approvals for the development of alcoholic beverage and entertainment establishments.
Represent purchaser of 400+ room hotel and restaurant in the transfer and obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses, at closing.
Represent several alcoholic beverage license holders in successful defense against administrative enforcement actions to revoke licensure.
Represent hotel, restaurant, bar, movie theater, and nightclub owners in obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses.
Represent several package liquor stores in obtaining zoning and community board approvals for special exceptions from minimum distance separation requirements.
Represent several developers with obtaining land use and zoning approvals for the development of alcoholic beverage and entertainment establishments.
Represent several business owners with obtaining alcoholic beverage and entertainment establishment licenses.
Represent hotel and restaurant purchaser in obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses.
Represent purchaser in obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses.
Represent hotel and golf club purchaser in obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses.
Nationwide representation of client, obtaining all operating licenses and permits, including alcoholic beverage licenses.
Represent malt beverage manufacturer who sells products in all 50 states in obtaining all necessary alcoholic beverage licenses and registrations.
Represent various restaurant franchise owners in obtaining alcoholic beverage licenses for their new and purchased locations across 16 states.
Represent client in obtaining zoning entitlements for medical cannabis cultivation location in Martin County, Florida.
Represented 3 separate MMTC clients in obtaining Conditional Use Approvals for medical cannabis dispensary locations in North Miami Beach.
Represented MMTC client in obtaining zoning entitlements for medical cannabis dispensary locations in Miami Beach.
Represented MMTC client in obtaining Special Exception for medical cannabis dispensary location in Cocoa Beach.
Represent multiple MMTC license holders in zoning diligence and lease review for prospective cultivation, processing, and dispensing facility locations statewide.
Represent MMTC client in obtaining grandfathered use status for prospective dispensary upon passage of ordinance banning future dispensaries in the City.
Represented MMTC client in obtaining Conditional Use Approval for medical cannabis dispensary in Coral Springs.
Represent client in obtaining zoning entitlements for medical cannabis dispensary.
Published Work and Lectures
- FIU College of Law, Global Legal Studies Initiative, Speaker, “The Global Legal Landscape of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in 2021,” November 18, 2021
- Miami Herald, Quoted, "Miami rejects medical cannabis dispensaries. A lawsuit could bring matter to a head," April 23, 2021
- Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, Panel Speaker, "Development of Marijuana Dispensaries," December 15, 2020
- FSR Magazine, Co-Author, "Responding to COVID-19: What to Do with Excess Alcohol Inventory," March 2020
- Law360, Co-Author, "Essential Precautions to Take in Liquor Licensing Sales," March 6, 2017
Affiliations
- Miami Beach Bar Association, Former President
- Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, Board of Governors
- North Dade & the Beaches Real Estate Council, Director
- The Florida Bar, Governmental and Public Policy Advocacy Standing Committee, Member
- The Florida Bar, Real Property & Probate Law Section, Member; Administrative Law Section, Member; Environmental & Land Use Section, Member; City, County & Local Government Section, Member
Honors and Distinctions
- South Florida Business Journal, 40 under 40 Honoree, 2023
- Miami-Dade Bar, Young Lawyers Section, 40 Under 40 Award Recipient, 2024
- The Best Lawyers of America, 2021-2022, Listed in Florida for Real Estate Law as "Ones to Watch"
- The Legal 500, 2022, Recommended for Real Estate and Construction – Land Use/Zoning