Italy Library

GrayRobinson Law Firm
Elizabeth DeConti
201 North Franklin Street, Suite 2200
Tampa,FL 33602
EDeconti@Gray-Robinson.com

www.gray-robinson.com

About Gray Robinson Law Firm

Elizabeth A. DeConti is a shareholder in the law firm of GrayRobinson, P.A. and is a member of the firm's Alcohol Beverage Team. Her practice focuses on litigation and compliance matters related to the rules, regulation and business practices that govern the marketing, sale, and consumption of malt beverages, wine, distilled spirits, and other regulated products.

Ms. DeConti's trial experience has included commercial, franchise, intellectual property, and ADA cases litigated on behalf of major breweries, alcohol suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, and other members of the hospitality industry in state and federal courts and administrative agencies throughout the United States. In addition to her court experience, Ms. DeConti represents many clients in alternative dispute resolution.

Ms. DeConti also advises clients on issues pertaining to trade regulation and marketing practices in the food and beverage industry, and specializes in regulatory compliance and advertising and promotional law. She is also experienced in drafting a wide range of contracts related to advertising, distribution, importation, and related issues.

She is fluent in Italian and French, and advises and represents European clients on international and domestic matter. Ms. DeConti's international work has included negotiation of the sale and purchase of Italian wineries, liaising with Italian law firms on litigation matters pending in Italy and the United States, representation of several German breweries, and advising and counseling foreign entities seeking to import products from Western Europe into the United States.

Ms. DeConti is a member of The Florida Bar and The Connecticut Bar, and is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Florida. Additionally, she is a member of the American Bar Association, and serves on the Executive Steering Committee of the ABA's Committee on Alcohol Beverage Practice. She is also a frequent lecturer to the alcohol beverage and hospitality industries.

Ms. DeConti earned her B.A. cum Laude and with Distinction in Renaissance Studies from Yale University in 1993. She received her J.D. cum Laude in 1996 from the University of Miami School of Law, where she was a Harvey T. Reid Scholar. Prior to joining GrayRobinson, Ms. DeConti was partner with Holland & Knight's Tampa office. She was also a judicial-clerk for the Honorable Antoinette L. Dupont, Chief Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court.

GrayRobinson focuses on delivering exceptional service to clients in Italy and the United States in the areas of litigation, alcohol beverage, administrative law, taxation, import/export, Internet, general corporate, hospitality and intellectual property, among others. The lawyers of GrayRobinson work together to provide seamless service to clients both in the United States and Europe. Examples of our capabilities and past representations include:

Marketing and Commerce

GrayRobinson assists both new and existing businesses with a variety of marketing and commerce issues. Our experience in this area encompasses:
• e-commerce and Internet marketing
• advertising, marketing and compliance issues
• financial and transactional matters
• interstate and international trade arrangements
• franchise and distribution
• shipping and transportation agreements
• protection of intellectual property rights
• bankruptcy and creditors’ rights concerns

Regulatory Compliance

Our lawyers and other professionals work efficiently and cost-effectively to help our international clients comply with the ever-expanding network of local, state, federal and international laws and rules governing regulated industries. Our experience includes:
• compliance auditing and employee training
• governmental relations and representation before regulatory agencies
• local, state, and federal licensing and permitting
• trade practice regulation
• defense against administrative or enforcement actions

Litigation/Alternative Dispute Resolution

GrayRobinson works with its clients to avoid litigation whenever it is practical and in the client’s best interest. In those instances when litigation is inevitable, our law firm endeavors to protect clients’ interests with seasoned trial lawyers who have years of bench and jury trial experience in both state and federal courts. However, because a courtroom trial represents only one method of dispute resolution, we also represent clients in alternative dispute resolution when appropriate. We work with clients to resolve contested disputes in the following ways:
• mediation
• arbitration
• litigation and trial work
• appellate representation

Government Affairs

The government affairs professionals of GrayRobinson are experienced in both monitoring the regulatory environment and advocating for changes. Our scope of experience includes:
• advocating client positions before state and federal legislatures and agencies
• educating clients on existing statutes and rules
• monitoring proposed legislation

Taxation

Taxation is a critical component of legal service for international businesses. GrayRobinson's lawyers have experience in state and federal taxation, including:
• lobbying before federal and state legislatures and agencies
• tax compliance
• tax planning to reduce and minimize future ongoing tax obligations transaction structuring to facilitate tax avoidance