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Cannabis
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March 13, 2024
Mass. Gov. Announces Pardon Plan For Marijuana Possession
Massachusetts Gov. Maura T. Healey has announced plans for sweeping pardons of misdemeanor cannabis possession convictions, following the directive of President Joe Biden, who urged state executives to follow his lead in pardoning low-level marijuana offenses.
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March 13, 2024
Juul Investor Tells Chancery: 'We Were Trying To Help'
A director of Juul Labs Inc. denied on Wednesday that he kept the company out of bankruptcy in 2022 to profit from his own investments, telling Delaware's Chancery Court that he helped Juul refinance and backstopped millions worth of settlements because he wanted the e-cigarette company to succeed.
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March 13, 2024
Ex-CFO Raided Corporate Funds, Trulieve Suit Claims
Florida's largest medical marijuana company, Trulieve, is suing its former chief financial officer in federal court, claiming he misused his corporate credit card, charging "hundreds of thousands of dollars" for expensive clothing, vacations and attorney fees and fraudulently received reimbursement for personal expenses.
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March 13, 2024
Santa Barbara County Wants Pot Raid Suit Tossed Again
The county of Santa Barbara is asking a California federal court to once again throw out a cannabis farmer's claim that his farm was illegally raided by the sheriff's office, saying the latest complaint still falls short of alleging facts to support the claims.
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March 12, 2024
Patent Deal Brings End To Philip Morris Import Ban
The U.S. International Trade Commission has decided to pull its import ban on a line of Philip Morris heated tobacco products following a settlement of its patent fight with British American Tobacco, over the objections of the agency's own in-house lawyers.
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March 12, 2024
Reps Push Regulators For Answers On Marijuana Research
A bipartisan pair of congress members on opposite sides of the cannabis legalization issue joined forces on Tuesday to blast federal agencies for not effectively implementing a bill whose stated purpose was to expedite research into marijuana's potential harms and benefits.
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March 12, 2024
Colo. Cannabis Brands Hit With $5.5M Creditor Suit
BellRock, the cannabis company behind brands such as Mary's Medicinals and Dixie, was hit with a lawsuit seeking $5.5 million in defaulted loans, weeks after the company announced its chief executive's departure and that it is considering restructuring debt.
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March 12, 2024
Pot Co. Says Commerce Clause Meant To Stop 'Trade Wars'
Cannabis company Peridot Tree WA Inc. is urging a Washington federal judge to reject a bid to dismiss its suit alleging the state's cannabis social equity licensing scheme violates the Constitution's dormant commerce clause, saying the court should find that it applies to cannabis businesses.
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March 11, 2024
Judge Blasts Instagrammer's Bid To Upend $1.6M Ruling
A lifestyle brand headed by Instagram celebrity Dan Bilzerian could face sanctions should it continue to recycle arguments for why it shouldn't be forced to pay a $1.6 million judgment to a consulting firm it was accused of cheating, a Nevada federal judge warned in an order denying the brand's motion for reconsideration.
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March 11, 2024
DC Circ. Mulls Tax-Exempt Status For Ayahuasca Church
A D.C. Circuit panel on Monday pushed counsel for an Iowa church that uses the psychedelic substance ayahuasca in its ceremonies to explain why the Internal Revenue Service erred in denying it tax-exempt status.
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March 11, 2024
CBD Co. Says Investors' Fraudulent Intent Claims Fall Short
Canopy Growth Corp. is urging a New York federal court to throw out claims that it misled investors about the prospects of a sports nutrition subsidiary, saying the proposed class action fails to establish a motive for the alleged fraud or that the cannabis company was aware that any statements it made were false.
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March 08, 2024
CBD Shop Seeks Relief From Fees For Lost Trial Against Cops
The owner of a shuttered CBD shop urged a Tennessee federal judge to free him from $35,000 in court costs for a trial he lost against the local cops who raided his shop, even though all of his products were legal, saying his net worth is in the red.
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March 08, 2024
Union Urges Affirming Reinstatement Award Over Pot Test
An aircraft mechanics union has asked a Washington federal judge to back an arbitration board's decision ordering Alaska Airlines to reinstate a unionized worker who testified positive for marijuana, saying the award was properly based on the parties' labor contract.
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March 08, 2024
Colo. Dispensary And Tracking Vendor Settle Fee Suit
A Colorado state judge has called off a trial between a dispensary chain and Metrc LLC, the company contracted by the state to track cannabis sales, after the two agreed to settle a lawsuit the retailer filed over monthly fees the vendor charged for its state-mandated services.
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March 08, 2024
Md. Pot Regulators Eye Win In Challenge To Social Equity Plan
Maryland cannabis regulators on Friday asked a federal judge to toss a lawsuit alleging the state's social equity scheme unconstitutionally discriminates against out-of-state players, asserting that there is no such thing as a federally legal marijuana market.
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March 08, 2024
Colo. Judge Sends Pot Co. Receivership Dispute To Arbitration
A member of a struggling cannabis cultivation and dispensary business alleging mismanagement by other owners must take its receivership battle to arbitration, after a Colorado state judge found that the company's operating agreement requires it.
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March 08, 2024
Hiller PC Says Ex-Atty Stole From Firm, Not The Reverse
Boutique firm Hiller PC told a New York state judge that a suit by a former attorney alleging she was underpaid should be trimmed, arguing that unjust enrichment claims fail because she was actually stealing money from the firm, not the other way around.
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March 08, 2024
Longtime Cannabis Atty From Bressler Joins Fox Rothschild
Fox Rothschild LLP announced that an experienced cannabis and financial services attorney who spent nearly two decades with Bressler Amery & Ross PC has moved to the firm's litigation practice as a partner in Morristown, New Jersey.
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March 07, 2024
Biden Blasts 'Hidden Fees' During State Of The Union
During what could be his last State of the Union, President Joe Biden touted on Thursday night his administration's efforts to protect consumers by combating such issues as "junk fees" and price gouging.
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March 07, 2024
NY Cannabis License Scheme Not Discriminatory, State Says
New York cannabis regulators have urged a federal judge to reject a bid seeking to temporarily halt the issuance of marijuana retail licenses by a company that claims the social equity program is biased against white male entrepreneurs, arguing that the company "fundamentally misunderstands" how the program works.
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March 07, 2024
Marijuana Store Retaliated After Complaint, Ex-Worker Says
An Atlantic City, New Jersey, marijuana dispensary fired one of its employees after she requested that "loud music" being played in the shop be turned down because it triggered her post-traumatic stress, paranoia and anxiety, the ex-worker says in a discrimination lawsuit filed in New Jersey state court.
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March 07, 2024
Hawaii Senate OKs Cannabis Legalization Bill
The Hawaii Senate has approved a bill to legalize marijuana for adult nonmedical use and tax and regulate its sale, sending the proposal to the state House of Representatives for review.
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March 07, 2024
Sens. Tell Stores To Get Illegal E-Cigs Off Their Shelves
Five U.S. senators on Thursday told the heads of major convenience store and gas station chains to stop sales of unauthorized flavored e-cigarette products, saying that their illegal sales pose a major threat to public health, especially children's.
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March 07, 2024
Pot Co. Worker Claims Retaliation For Spotting Bad Policies
A Hollywood Boulevard-located cannabis dispensary, Pineapple Express, terminated one of its top-selling employees after he complained about the ways it was failing to follow California marijuana laws, according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Court.
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March 06, 2024
Vape Co. Is Denied Atty Fees After Subsidiary Loses Case
A vape and lifestyle brand headed by Instagram celebrity Dan Bilzerian that was hit with a $1.6 million judgment in a contract dispute can't get back its attorney fees, a Nevada federal judge has ruled, saying a party actually has to win money to recover expenses.
Expert Analysis
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What Marijuana Status Change Would Mean For Industry
If the Drug Enforcement Administration accepts the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ recent recommendation to change marijuana’s classification under federal law, it would be a significant regulatory shift that could foster many industry benefits — but questions, risks and uncertainties at both the state and federal levels would remain, say attorneys at Neal Gerber.
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Maximizing Law Firm Profitability In Uncertain Times
As threats of an economic downturn loom, firms can boost profits by embracing the power of bottom-line management and creating an ecosystem where strategic financial oversight and robust timekeeping practices meet evolved client relations, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.
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5th Circ. Ruling Reminds Attys That CBP Can Search Devices
The Fifth Circuit’s recent Malik v. Department of Homeland Security decision adds to the chorus of federal courts holding that border agents don’t need a warrant to search travelers’ electronic devices, so attorneys should consider certain special precautions to secure privileged information when reentering the U.S., says Jennifer Freel at Jackson Walker.
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Series
ESG Around The World: European Union
As the EU makes ESG regulation a priority, companies — both those based in the EU and others just doing business there — need to keep abreast of myriad new legislation that has either already taken effect or will in the near future, as noncompliance could result in fines, damages and director liability, say attorneys at Steptoe & Johnson.
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Avoiding The Ethical Pitfalls Of Crowdfunded Legal Fees
The crowdfunding of legal fees has become increasingly common, providing a new way for people to afford legal services, but attorneys who accept crowdsourced funds must remember several key ethical obligations to mitigate their risks, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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Issues Ahead As Psychedelic Medicine Faces Pivotal Moment
Recent regulatory changes and decriminalization efforts have opened doors for research and development in psychedelic medicine, but challenges like stigma, access and funding persist, meaning companies will need to address these issues to support the industry’s credibility, say consultants at FTI Consulting.
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What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review
Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.
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Series
Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
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Opinion
Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues
Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.
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How To Protect Atty-Client Privilege While Using Generative AI
When using generative artificial intelligence tools, attorneys should consider several safeguards to avoid breaches or complications in attorney-client privilege, say Antonious Sadek and Christopher Campbell at DLA Piper.
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NY Cannabis Licensing Row Compounds State Industry Woes
A New York trial court’s recent injunction, preventing state regulators from issuing any new cannabis retail licenses, is the latest setback in a program rollout riddled with legal challenges and other delays, and will likely have negative impacts on operators, applicants, consumers and the state economy, say Meaghan Feenan and William Wolfe at Harris Beach.
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How New Lawyers Can Leverage Feedback For Growth
Embracing constructive criticism as a tool for success can help new lawyers accelerate their professional growth and law firms build a culture of continuous improvement, says Katie Aldrich at Fringe Professional Development.
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Series
ESG Around The World: Australia
Clive Cachia and Cathy Ma at K&L Gates detail ESG-reporting policies in Australia and explain how the country is starting to introduce mandatory requirements as ESG performance is increasingly seen as a key investment and corporate differentiator in the fight for global capital.
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In Ga., Promptness Is Key To Setting Aside Default Judgments
The Georgia Court of Appeals' recent vacating of a lower court's decision to set aside a default judgment against Samsung Electronics America is a reminder of the processes and arguments provided by Georgia's statutes for challenging default judgments — including the importance of responding quickly, says Katy Robertson at Swift Currie.
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Twitter Legal Fees Suit Offers Crash Course In Billing Ethics
X Corp.'s suit alleging that Wachtell grossly inflated its fees in the final days of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition provides a case study in how firms should protect their reputations by hewing to ethical billing practices and the high standards for professional conduct that govern attorney-client relationships, says Lourdes Fuentes at Karta Legal.