GrayRobinson announced former Commissioner of the New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA), Greeley Ford, has joined the firm’s national Alcohol Law Team as an alcohol regulatory compliance consultant based in the Miami office.

With more than three decades of broad-based public and private sector experience, Ford bolsters the team of former federal and state government regulators, working alongside GrayRobinson’s nationally recognized regulatory attorneys, the announcement said.

“During his tenure as a Commissioner of New York’s State Liquor Authority, Greeley Ford won the admiration and respect of industry members and their attorneys, as well as his colleagues within the SLA,” said GrayRobinson Shareholder and Regulated Products Section Chair, Richard Blau, who leads the firm’s national Alcohol Law Team. “We are proud to have Commissioner Ford join our other former federal and state alcohol regulators on GrayRobinson’s Alcohol Law Team.”

At GrayRobinson, Ford will help provide compliance and support services for clients with interests in the alcohol beverage, cannabis, food, tobacco, and other heavily regulated sectors, in addition to helping clients manage complex compliance concerns.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to exercise my consulting talent with this impressive GrayRobinson team,” said Ford. “GrayRobinson’s unique platform of former federal and state government regulators, combined with my broad-based work in both the private and public sectors, will provide even more opportunities for the firm and clients alike. I’m excited to get to work.”

Ford served as a two-term commissioner for the NYSLA. In this regulatory role, Ford issued decisions on approximately 12,000 cases concerning licensing for both on- and off-premise locations.

Ford recently retired from his 35-year career with AT&T, including as an engineer, playing an instrumental role on the design and buildout of the FirstNet Public Safety Network.

In 2022, Ford was recognized by his peers as an AT&T Black Future Maker for his commitment to equality and positive impact on the company and the community.

Ford spent over a decade as a regular contributing columnist for the Utica Observer-Dispatch and the Daily Sentinel, offering his perspective on political and social issues. Ford received a bachelor’s degree in speech communications and dramatic arts from Utica University.