What Andre Morris & Buttery does

Andre, Morris & Buttery (AMB) is a privately-held professional law corporation founded in 1948 and headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California, with a second office in Santa Maria. The firm operates across seven practice groups: Business & Real Estate Transactions, Civil Litigation, Employment Law, Estate Planning/Trusts & Probate, Wine & Agribusiness, Environmental & Land Use, and Hospitality. AMB serves individuals, families, small-to-large businesses, corporate entities, and nonprofit organizations throughout California's Central Coast region, with a notable specialization in wine and agribusiness law that has supported more than $100 million in winery sale contracts across California.

The firm generates revenue through traditional professional services billing: hourly rates for most matters, contingency fees for select litigation, and fixed fees for services such as estate planning. It does not operate a proprietary technology platform; infrastructure consists of standard legal practice tools (LawPay, ClientPay) and marketing/analytics software (Google Analytics, Hotjar, AdRoll, HubSpot). Client acquisition is predominantly referral-driven, augmented by community engagement and the annual Central Coast Business Symposium hosted by the firm since 2009, which by 2017 attracted more than 400 attendees. The firm employs 11-50 people, with a roster of attorneys that includes multiple Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent-rated practitioners and Super Lawyers honorees.

AMB's go-to-market is regional and sales-led, anchored by deep community ties tracing to founder Jose Jorge Andre's 1902 grocery store in San Luis Obispo. Leadership consists of Senior Principal Michael Morris (wine mergers, estate planning) and Managing Principal Kathy Eppright (employment law), supported by a principal cohort that includes Dennis Law (now focused on mediation), Karen Gjerdrum Fothergill, and Todd Mirolla, plus Of Counsel and associate additions including lateral hires from McCormick Barstow and Latham & Watkins in 2021. The firm has no external parent, no disclosed funding rounds, and operates as a traditional partnership-style professional corporation with no private equity involvement.

Name

Andre Morris & Buttery

Legal name

Andre, Morris & Buttery, PC

Website

https://amblaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Andre, Morris & Buttery is a private Central Coast California law firm founded in 1948, operating seven practice groups—including wine and agribusiness, civil litigation, and employment law—for businesses, individuals, and nonprofits across San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Commercial Law (BPAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK), Real Estate & Construction Law (BPAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Business law services
• Civil litigation
• Estate planning services
• Employment law counsel
• Wine industry legal services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Luis Obispo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Professional legal services billed primarily through hourly rates, contingency fees for certain matters, and fixed fees for specific services such as estate planning. The firm handles civil litigation, business transactions, employment law, estate planning, and wine/agribusiness legal matters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Andre, Morris & Buttery is a Central Coast California law firm delivering professional legal services across seven practice areas: Business & Real Estate Transactions, Civil Litigation, Employment Law, Estate Planning/Trusts & Probate, Wine & Agribusiness, Environmental & Land Use, and Hospitality. The firm represents individuals, families, small to large businesses, corporate entities, and nonprofit organizations from its offices in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, with specialized expertise in wine-industry transactions, employment law compliance, and civil litigation.

Product overview

Andre, Morris & Buttery is a multi-practice law firm offering comprehensive legal services through seven distinct practice groups: Business & Real Estate Transactions, Civil Litigation, Employment Law, Estate Planning/Trusts & Probate, Wine & Agribusiness, Environmental & Land Use, and Hospitality. The firm also hosts the annual Central Coast Business Symposium as an educational program for the business community. Services are provided to individuals, families, businesses, corporate entities, and nonprofit organizations across the Central Coast region of California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business & Real Estate Transactions Legal Services Legal counsel for business formations, mergers, acquisitions, real estate transactions, and corporate matters for individuals, families, businesses, and corporate clients.
• Civil Litigation Legal Services Representation in civil disputes, including litigation, trial practice, and dispute resolution for businesses and individuals.
• Employment Law Legal Services Counsel on employment matters including HR compliance, workplace policies, wage and hour issues, discrimination, and harassment for Central Coast employers.
• Estate Planning, Trusts & Probate Legal Services Planning and administration of estates, trusts, wills, probate proceedings, and inheritance matters for individuals and families.
• Wine & Agribusiness Legal Services Specialized legal representation for wine industry clients including winery transactions, sales, mergers, succession planning, and agricultural business matters.
• Environmental & Land Use Legal Services Legal counsel on environmental regulations, land use planning, zoning compliance, and permitting for businesses.
• Hospitality Legal Services Legal services tailored for hospitality businesses including hotels, restaurants, and related establishments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100 million in winery sale contracts executed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Thoma Electric CompanyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2012Co-sponsor of the 2012 Central Coast Business Symposium
• Barnett Cox & AssociatesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2012Co-sponsor of the 2012 Central Coast Business Symposium
• Glenn BurdetteminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2012Co-sponsor of the 2012 Central Coast Business Symposium
• Coastal Reprographic ServicesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2012Co-sponsor of the 2012 Central Coast Business Symposium
• Wells Fargo Advisors (Pacific Group)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2012Co-sponsor of the 2012 Central Coast Business Symposium
• Morris & Garritano InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2012Co-sponsor of the 2012 Central Coast Business Symposium
• McCormick BarstowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarren A. Sinsheimer III and David A. Juhnke previously worked with McCormick Barstow in San Luis Obispo before joining AMB as Of Counsel in March 2021

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• McCormick Barstow LLP: Direct Central Coast peer founded in 1974 with offices across California including San Luis Obispo. Full-service business law firm competing for the same wine, agribusiness, and business clients; AMB directly poached two attorneys from McCormick's SLO office in 2021.
• Adamski Moroski Madden Cumberland & Greenevich: Central Coast California law firm with offices in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria offering overlapping business, real estate, employment, and litigation services to similar SMB and mid-market clients in the same geographic footprint.
• The Sayer Law Group, PC: San Luis Obispo-based business and tax law firm providing comparable services to Central Coast businesses and individuals, including entity formation, transactions, and estate planning, with similar regional positioning.
• Fennemore Wendel Carlson & Halvey (Fennemore): California-based business law firm with comparable mid-market positioning across multiple practice areas including real estate, employment, and litigation, serving similarly-sized business clients in regional markets.
• Hall Henson Ohio (regional full-service firm comparable in size and model): Mid-sized full-service regional law firm with comparable practice group structure and SMB/mid-market focus, illustrating the typology of multi-practice regional law firms competing on community relationships rather than scale.

Regional players

• Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP: Sacramento-based California political and business law firm with comparable multi-practice capabilities serving California businesses; broader geographic scope but similar mid-sized firm structure serving state-level commercial clients.
• Herum Crabtree Suntag: Central Valley California law firm with comparable business, agribusiness, and real estate practices serving a parallel agricultural economy, with similar mid-sized firm economics and regional expertise.

Broad incumbents

• Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck: Larger full-service Am Law firm with California offices offering overlapping business, real estate, employment, and wine industry services; serves as a credible competitor for larger wine M&A mandates and complex transactions.
• Stokes Wagner商事 (ALSTON & BIRD California offices): Large Am Law firm with California presence serving wine industry and agribusiness clients with cross-region capabilities; represents the type of competitor AMB would face on large wine M&A and estate planning matters.
• Latham & Watkins: Global Am Law 50 firm with deep California presence. AMB's 2021 hire of two Latham-trained attorneys signals cross-pollination; competes for institutional clients and complex transactions in the same markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Andre Morris & Buttery