Cannabis

  • May 08, 2024

    In Final Memo, Blumenauer Eyes Path Forward For Cannabis

    Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., a longtime champion of cannabis reform in Congress who plans to retire this year, is calling marijuana reform a "winning issue" for policymakers and outlined numerous actions both legislators and federal agencies can take to move the issue forward.

  • May 08, 2024

    Cannabis Law Firm Accused Of $5M Error In Pot Shop Deal

    A cannabis retailer has sued Vicente LLP in Massachusetts state court, alleging the law firm negligently drafted an amendment to a purchase agreement that prevented the company from recovering nearly $5 million in damages when the deal fell through.

  • May 08, 2024

    CBD Retailer Wants To Avoid Privacy Suit

    CBD retailer Charlotte's Web Inc. has urged a California federal judge to toss a woman's suit accusing it of secretly recording conversations of those who visit its website, saying the lead plaintiff didn't even use the allegedly wiretapped chat functions and therefore can't have been harmed.

  • May 08, 2024

    Vape Fluid Co. Urges Justices To Take Up FDA Challenge

    Lotus Vaping Technologies LLC is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's denial of its application to market bottled flavored e-cigarette fluids, saying the case provides an appropriate vehicle to examine the FDA's policies.

  • May 07, 2024

    GOP Reps. Want IP Enforcers To Get Tougher On Infringers

    Republican lawmakers complained at a Tuesday congressional hearing about the Biden administration's move to end the controversial Trump-era "China Initiative" aimed at curbing suspected economic espionage and questioned administration officials over how diligently they have pursued intellectual property cases on behalf of U.S. manufacturers, retailers, movie studios and vape companies.

  • May 07, 2024

    Canopy Growth Expands In US With Wana, Jetty Buys

    Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth announced Tuesday that its U.S. division has exercised options to acquire two American companies as part of its goal to establish a domestic "brand-focused powerhouse" — acquisitions for which Canopy spent nearly $370 million.

  • May 07, 2024

    NY Officials Tout Crackdown On Illicit Cannabis Market

    New York state cannabis regulators on Tuesday touted new legislative changes empowering them to more swiftly crack down on unregulated marijuana sales, the same day that New York City officials announced a program to step up enforcement against unlicensed retailers.

  • May 07, 2024

    LA Cannabis Co. Owes $216K In Taxes, City Says

    Los Angeles has slapped a Venice cannabis shop with a lawsuit accusing it of shirking a more than $200,000 tax obligation, asking a state court for to force the dispensary to pay up.

  • May 06, 2024

    Alaska Man Gets 2 Years Over 'Bud And Breakfast' Scheme

    An Alaska man has been sentenced to two years in prison and will have to pay more than $580,000 in restitution after duping investors into staking a purported plan to build a marijuana-themed hospitality center referred to as a "Bud and Breakfast."

  • May 06, 2024

    SEC Settles Insider Info Charges With CBD Co.'s Ex-Chairman

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has announced a settlement with the former chairman of Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. to resolve charges that he leaked inside information about the company's then-pending purchase of SugarLeaf Labs Inc. to a friend's wife.

  • May 06, 2024

    Full NC Court Asked To Review Panel's 'Double Odor' Pot Test

    A man who pled guilty to cannabis-related charges after a traffic stop is asking for an en banc review of a North Carolina appeals panel's rejection of his argument that the evidence against him was unconstitutional. 

  • May 03, 2024

    Criminal Defense Attys Push Biden For Cannabis Clemency

    On the heels of the U.S. Department of Justice's announcement that it would recommend relaxing federal restrictions on marijuana, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has urged President Joe Biden to grant clemency and compassionate release to those with federal nonviolent marijuana convictions.

  • May 03, 2024

    'Bud And Breakfast' Cannabis Scammer Gets 2 Years In Prison

    An Alaska man who pled guilty to conspiracy stemming from a scam bilking investors out of $722,000 to fund a failed "Bud and Breakfast" tourist lodge and on-site marijuana grow was sentenced to two years in prison in Alaska federal court on Friday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

  • May 03, 2024

    4th Circ. Preview: Hemp, Wells And A Withdrawal

    The Fourth Circuit's second session of 2024 will have the court pondering the tension between Virginia's recent hemp restrictions and federal regulations, and how the Truth in Lending Act impacts a case accusing PNC Bank of an unauthorized account withdrawal.

  • May 03, 2024

    No Retrial Coming After $20M Cannabis Investor Verdict

    A Los Angeles judge has denied a bid by CADM Inc. for a retrial following a $20 million verdict against it and its affiliates on claims that they defrauded investors with a real estate scheme, finding that the motion was not served to the proper attorneys on time, and even if it had been, the judgment would stand.

  • May 02, 2024

    Financier Says Colo. Cannabis Growers Made Off With Plants

    A private equity firm is looking to claw back some $117,000 in emergency funding it gave to struggling cannabis entrepreneurs in Denver, saying the growers breached the debt agreement by selling off plants and equipment without sharing the revenue with the financier.

  • May 02, 2024

    State Legislators Urge Feds To Change Cannabis' Status

    A coalition of state lawmakers on Thursday urged the heads of the U.S. Department of Justice and its drug enforcement agency to prioritize changing cannabis' status as a highly restricted drug.

  • May 02, 2024

    NJ Group's Challenge To Town's Pot Law Partially Revived

    A New Jersey appeals panel has revived state law claims brought by a group challenging the Borough of Highland Park's cannabis licensing laws, while finding that the federal Controlled Substances Act does not preempt either the town's law or state cannabis law.

  • May 01, 2024

    3 Takeaways From The DOJ's Cannabis Recommendation

    The marijuana advocacy and business world responded with guarded optimism after the U.S. Department of Justice's announcement this week that it recommended relaxing restrictions on marijuana for the first time in more than 50 years.

  • May 01, 2024

    Pa. Justices Asked To Determine If Workers' Comp Covers CBD

    An attorney representing himself — and, in a way, suing himself — will get an opportunity to convince the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that CBD oil and other nonprescription medicine should be covered by workers' compensation, according to a Tuesday order from the justices.

  • May 01, 2024

    Senate Dems Reintroduce Bill To Tax And Regulate Cannabis

    Senate Democrats on Wednesday reintroduced a cannabis legalization bill that would remove the drug entirely from the ambit of the Controlled Substances Act and impose a tax-and-regulate scheme akin to what is currently in place for alcohol and tobacco.

  • May 01, 2024

    Vape Wholesaler Can't Escape Suit Over Exploding Battery

    A Washington federal judge has refused to let e-cigarette wholesaler Vapor Beast LLC out of a suit by a man alleging he was injured by an exploding lithium-ion battery, saying there isn't enough evidence for the court to determine whether his claims were filed on time.

  • April 30, 2024

    Blank Rome Opens Boston Office With New 25-Atty Team

    Blank Rome LLP said Wednesday that it has opened a Boston office with 25 corporate and finance attorneys from Burns & Levinson LLP, including 13 partners.

  • April 30, 2024

    BCBS Says Federal Drug Law Preempts NM Medical Weed Row

    A group of insurers, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, urged a New Mexico federal judge to reject a proposed class action seeking to compel them to cover their policyholders' medical marijuana costs, arguing that state law doesn't require it and federal law forbids it.

  • April 30, 2024

    NJ AG Asks Court To Nix UAW's Suit Over Smoking In Casinos

    The New Jersey attorney general has requested that a state court dismiss a United Auto Workers complaint claiming a law excluding casino workers from a smoking ban at certain indoor workspaces violates the state constitution, saying the dispute should be left to the Legislature.

Expert Analysis

  • Expediting Psychedelics Approvals In The EU, UK, Australia

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    Accelerated pathways for regulatory approvals for psychedelic drugs in the European Union, U.K. and Australia is indispensable to facilitate a seamless advancement of treatments from the research environment to the consumer, say Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell, and Ana Dukic and Sabrina Ramkellawan at AxialBridge.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Brazil

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    Environmental, social and governance issues have increasingly translated into new legislation in Brazil since 2020, and in the wake of these recently enacted regulations, we are likely to see a growing number of legal disputes in the largest South American country related to ESG issues such as greenwashing if companies are not prepared to adequately adapt and comply, say attorneys at Mattos Filho.

  • Series

    Competing In Dressage Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My lifelong participation in the sport of dressage — often called ballet on horses — has proven that several skills developed through training and competition are transferable to legal work, especially the ability to harness focus, persistence and versatility when negotiating a deal, says Stephanie Coco at V&E.

  • How Poor Governance, Weak Contracts Harm Cannabis Cos.

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    Decades into cannabis decriminalization and legalization, many companies in the industry still operate on a handshake basis or fail to keep even minimally required records, which can have devastating effects and lead to costly, business-killing litigation, says Griffen Thorne at Harris Bricken.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • Expediting Psychedelics Approvals In The US And Canada

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    Accelerated regulatory pathways for psychedelics in the U.S. and Canada play a pivotal role in the progression of drugs, devices and novel therapies toward commercialization, say Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell, and Ana Dukic and Sabrina Ramkellawan at AxialBridge.

  • Series

    Playing Competitive Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing competitive tennis has highlighted why prioritizing exercise and stress relief, maintaining perspective under pressure, and supporting colleagues in pursuit of a common goal are all key aspects of championing a successful legal career, says Madhumita Datta at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

  • Series

    Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

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    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

  • Perspectives

    6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice

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    An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Canada

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    In Canada, multiple statutes, regulations, common law and industry guidance address environmental, social and governance considerations, with debate over ESG in the business realm potentially growing on the horizon, say attorneys at Blakes.

  • 5 Legal Considerations For Psychedelic Therapy Sector

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    With multiple developments signaling the rise of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, it is imperative that clinicians understand unique legal nuances ranging from corporate formation to specialized insurance coverage, say Kimberly Chew and Natasha Sumner at Husch Blackwell.

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