Grace H. Yang Attorney At Law

Grace H. Yang is a member of GrayRobinson’s Alcohol Beverage Group.  Her practice includes compliance analyses for alcohol beverage manufacturers, suppliers and retailers; alcohol, hotel, restaurant, lottery, and occupational licensing work; representation of alcohol and hospitality industry members before local, state and federal administrative agencies; alcohol related zoning issues; alcohol tax issues; and other issues concerning the sale, distribution, advertisement and marketing of alcohol products.  Grace is a past editor of The Bar, the ABA newsletter reporting on Alcohol Beverage legal developments.  She graduated from Yale University in 1994 with a B.A. cum laude and With Distinction in Political Science.  She received her J.D. in 1997 from Cornell Law School, where she was the Managing Editor of the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy and the Justice of her Phi Alpha Delta chapter.  Grace is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese and proficient in Spanish. 

• Education
  • Yale University, B.A. political science (cum laude and with distinction in the major, 1994)
  • Cornell Law School, J.D. (1997)
    • Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy
      • Managing Editor (1996-1997)
      • General Editor (1995-1996)
    • Phi Alpha Delta, Wilson Chapter Justice (1995-1997)
• Admissions
  • Florida
• Professional Associations and Memberships
  • The Florida Bar, Member (1997-present)
    • Administrative Law Section
    • Voluntary Bar Liaison Committee, 2021-present
    • Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Nominating Committee for the Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award, 2016, 2019
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association, Member (1997-present)
    • Past President (2020-2021)
    • President (2019-2020)
    • President-elect (2018-2019)
    • Board of Directors (2012-2018)
    • The Lawyer, Magazine Editor (2010-2012)
    • Leadership Institute, Chair (2009-2010)
    • Leadership Institute Executive Committee (2008-2009)
    • Leadership Institute Class of 2008
  • Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers, Member (2000-present)
    • Vice President of Membership (2004-2006)
    • Board of Directors (2003-2004)
  • 13th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee, Member (2010-2020)
  • Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Member (2000-present)
  • Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association, Allied Member (2006-present)
  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Member (2000-2004, 2006-present)
  • Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Tampa Bay, Member (2006-present)
    • Director (2012-2018)
  • Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay, Florida, Member
    • Board of Directors (2011-2012)
    • Vice President (2012-2013)
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellow, 2011
  • National Association of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys, Member (2006-present)
  • National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals, Member 
  • Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys, Member (2018-present)
  • Hillsborough County Bar Foundation, Board of Trustees (2020-2022), Secretary (2022-2023)
• Awards and Recognitions
  • AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Florida Trend, Legal Elite, 2009-2010, 2017-2019
  • Chambers USA, Nationwide: Food and Beverages: Alcohol, 2012-2024
  • Tampa Bay Business Journal, Business Woman of the Year, Legal Services, 2015
  • Tampa Top Rated Lawyer, Alcohol Beverage, 2013  
  • Lawyers of Color, Inaugural Hot List, 2013  
  • Florida Super Lawyers, "Rising Star," 2010, 2011
  • Hillsborough County Bar Association's James M. "Red" McEwen Memorial Award, Recipient, 2008
• Civic
  • Yale Club of Tampa Bay, Director, 2001-2019
  • Leadership Tampa, Class of 2011
  • Westshore Alliance
    • Board of Directors (2015-2017)
• Articles and Publications
  • "January 1, 2024 News and Notes," The Florida Bar News, January 1, 2024
  • “Fla. Restaurants Need To Prep For Liquor License Changes,” Law360, April 6, 2023
  • "Minding Your Business in the COVID-19 Era," Southern Beverage Journal, Florida Edition, August 2020
  • "Grateful for Our Members Who Give Selflessly to Others,"  Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, January - February 2020
  • "Welcome to the New Bar Year!" Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer Magazine, September - October 2019
  • "Guest Column: From Trade Wars to Bootlegging, Here’s What’s Brewing on the Regulatory Front," Tampa Bay Business Journal, August 30, 2019
  • "Land Development Issues For New Stores," National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals Newsletter, September 2012
  • "Clearing the Path for Licensing and Compliance," Inside the Minds: Food, Beverage, and Drug Law Client Strategies, 2008
  • "Keeping Food Safe: FDA's New Food Protection Plan," Food Safety Solutions, Winter 2008
  • "Florida's Alcohol Surcharge Tax to Be Repealed," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, Summer 2006
  • "Rapid Enforcement Unit Formed in New York," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, Summer 2006
  • "DISCUS Members Agree to Remove Ads From Certain Magazines," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, Summer 2006
  • "State Update," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, October 2001
  • "Wine Tastings - Do You Know the Rules?," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, June 2001
  • "Vermont Now Requires Employees of Alcohol Licensees to Complete Training," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, November 2000
  • "Utah Liquor Commission Appoints New Commissioner Frank Bud," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, November 2000
  • "California ABC Appoints New Chief Counsel," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, September 2000
  • "Michigan Cracks Down on Unlawful Alcohol Sales," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, June 2000
  • "Reminder: ATF Special Tax Renewal Registration and Return Packages Due Soon," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, June 2000
  • "Michigan Liquor Control Commission Updates Its Administrative Rules," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, June 2000 
  • "Focus: Alcohol Issues for Gas Station Convenience Store Operators," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, March 2000
  • "Michigan Adopts an Electronic Fund Transfer Program," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, March 2000
  • "Road Dog Ale's Case Becomes Road Kill," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, December 1999 
  • "The Complex World of Alcohol Beverage Laws – It's Enough to Make You Dizzy," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, October 1999
  •  "Wet Zoning and Distance Requirements: Don't Overlook These on Your Next Project," Alcohol Beverage Chronicle, September 1999
• Presentations and Seminars
  • "Liquor Law Hot Topics & Forum: How Does Massachusetts Compare to Your State?,” Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys (AHIA), April 21, 2023
  • "Key Licensing Considerations When a Food and Beverage Management Company Changes," Hospitality Law Conference, November 15, 2022
  • "Discover the Basics of Negotiation," Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers Young Lawyers Division, November 11, 2022
  • "Digital IDs and Scanning Technology – You Don’t Know About Me, But I’ll Bet You Want To," National Conference of State Liquor Administrators (NCSLA) 2022 Northern/Southern Regional Conference, October 24, 2022
  • "Celebrating The Past. Looking To The Future." Hillsborough County Bar Association, April 13, 2022
  • Panelist, "Resiliency: Overcoming Challenges in Today’s Legal Environment," National Black Prosecutors Association Tampa Bay Chapter Diversity/Hillsborough County Bar Association, Leading the Way to Inclusion Symposium, March 4, 2022
  • Speaker, "Alcohol and Beverage Control Law," Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, October 5, 2021
  • Presenter, The Florida Bar Gender Equality Subcommittee Meeting, January 12, 2021
  • "Pathways to Bar Leadership," Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida Panel, December 10, 2020
  • "Are Hospitality Businesses Ready for State Emergency Orders to be Lifted?," COVID-19 Conversations Webinar Series, June 10, 2020
  • "Understanding the Two-Way Street of Tied House Laws," Fintech and GrayRobinson Webinar, October 25, 2017
  • "Responsible Alcohol Service and Training," Florida Restaurant and Lodging Show, October 13, 2017
  • "Snapshot: Food and Beverage Management Agreements," Hospitality Law Conference, April 25, 2017
  • "How to Manage the Management Agreement," Hospitality Law Conference, February 23, 2016
  • "Best Practices and Tips in Working With Alcohol Regulators," National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals, October 14, 2015
  • "Hotel Sales and Interim Management Agreements: Key Considerations Including Beverage Licensing," Hospitality Law Conference, February 10, 2015
  • "Personal Data, Fingerprints and 101 Other Things," National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals, October 3, 2013
  • "Liquor Licenses," We Sell Restaurants Radio Show, August 17, 2013
  • "Social Media Panel," National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals, October 11, 2012
  • "Valuing Diversity: Wealth Components of a Global City," 83 Degrees Media "Not Your Average Speakers" Series, May 17, 2012
  • "Alcohol Use Approvals," City, County and Local Government Section of The Florida Bar's Land Use Continuing Education Seminar, May 10, 2012
  •  "4th Annual Tampa Bay Young Women's Leadership Symposium," South Florida Young Women's Leadership Symposium, February 25, 2012
• Languages
  • Mandarin Chinese
  • Taiwanese