Try our Advanced Search for more refined results
Cannabis
-
March 05, 2024
Pot Co. Partner Questioned On Why $140M Award Was Unfair
A Colorado appeals judge seemed to doubt that a trial court correctly threw out a $140 million arbitration award in a dispute between partners in a cannabis business, pressing the target of the tossed award to prove the arbitrator was so unfair that his decision should be erased.
-
March 05, 2024
Gibson Dunn AI Leader On Weathering The AI Policy Blizzard
Like a mountaineer leading a team through a snowstorm, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP's artificial intelligence co-chair Cassandra L. Gaedt-Sheckter is guiding companies developing and using artificial intelligence through a blizzard of new laws and regulations coming online in Europe and the U.S., saying that assessing AI risks is the North Star to mitigating them.
-
March 05, 2024
Ohio Pot Facility Explosion Sparks Suit Against Lighting Co.
An Ohio cannabis grower and its insurer accused a lighting products company of failing to warn them about the dangers of its merchandise after one of its lamps allegedly exploded in a growth facility, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage.
-
March 05, 2024
Judge Rips THC Drink Co.'s 'Repackaged' Injunction Bid
A manufacturer of THC- and CBD-infused beverages shouldn't prevail on its second attempt to stop a rival from marketing drinks under an allegedly similar name, an Illinois federal magistrate judge found Monday, writing that the company's second injunction request "simply repackaged and reargued information."
-
March 05, 2024
Hemp Cos. Say NY Regulations Will Sink Industry In State
A group of hemp product makers, distributors and sellers are suing the New York State Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management in federal court, saying newly adopted regulations will hamstring the industry and cost the businesses millions.
-
March 04, 2024
Tobacco Cos. Urge DC Circ. To Ax Broad Health Warning Order
Tobacco giants R.J. Reynolds and ITG Brands have backed a bid to overturn a D.C. district court order classifying Philip Morris USA's electronic tobacco devices, called HeatSticks, as "cigarettes," thereby subjecting them to the same marketing requirements that warn consumers of the negative health effects of smoking.
-
March 04, 2024
Pot User Cites Bruen In Bid To Escape Gun Charge Indictment
A man who police say fired a shotgun at his neighbor's front door is looking to evade criminal charges related to having and transferring a gun while using marijuana, filing a dismissal bid to the same judge who declared identical charges levied on the defendant's wife unconstitutional.
-
March 04, 2024
9th Circ. Rejects Abstention In Calif. Pot Permit Law Challenge
A Ninth Circuit panel on Monday reversed and remanded a district court's decision to abstain from a challenge to Sacramento's social equity cannabis licensure program, saying even if a state court clarified the program's unambiguous residency requirements, it wouldn't change the outcome of the plaintiff's federal commerce clause claim.
-
March 04, 2024
Smoke Shop Worker Says Planet Zong Didn't Pay Full Wages
A former worker for Arizona's Planet Zong smoke and vape shop is suing the company, saying that it misclassified him as an independent contractor when he was an employee, and didn't pay him minimum wage and overtime as required under federal law.
-
March 01, 2024
Cannabis Consulting Co. Says Clinic Owes $101K On Contract
A laboratory and consulting firm that focuses on the cannabis industry alleged that a Michigan clinic owes the firm more than $100,000 for unpaid services, according to a lawsuit filed in Colorado federal court.
-
March 01, 2024
5th Circ. Accepts Miss. Medical Pot Co. Ad Ban Lawsuit
A Mississippi medical marijuana dispensary is taking its fight to upend a state law banning medical cannabis advertising to the Fifth Circuit, asking the appeals court to review a federal judge's decision to toss its First Amendment claims.
-
March 01, 2024
Ariz. Senate Passes Bill For Psilocybin Treatment Centers
Arizona clinics could treat certain kinds of mental health issues with psilocybin mushrooms as early as 2026, after the state Senate passed a bipartisan bill allowing for facilities to secure licenses.
-
March 01, 2024
Investment Co. Ordered To Follow Wage Suit Settlement
An investment advisory company must abide by a settlement previously approved by a New York federal court to resolve a former employee's unpaid wage claims, a federal judge has ruled.
-
February 29, 2024
Pot Co. Says Neighbor Let Transient Grow Pot And Cause Fire
A Los Angeles County cannabis entrepreneur is suing owners of a neighboring property whose building caught fire, allegedly due to an illicit grow operation run by "the local transient," sending smoke and soot into the legal cultivation facility, causing the total loss of his inventory and some $10 million worth of damages.
-
February 29, 2024
Pot Biz Founder Says Co. Runners Must Renew License
A cannabis entrepreneur is asking a Los Angeles judge to order the two men she says "hijacked" her business to renew its cannabis license with the city, saying that at a recent hearing they incorrectly said that their bid to transfer the license to another location had already effected the renewal.
-
February 29, 2024
NC Says Court Blocked From Philip Morris Franchise Tax Row
The North Carolina Department of Revenue is urging the state Supreme Court to uphold a loss for Philip Morris in the agency's fight to fetch more than $300,000 in franchise tax from the tobacco giant, arguing that state law forbids an administrative court from contemplating the constitutionality of tax law.
-
February 28, 2024
Calif. Judge Denies Ethics Complaint Of Drugs, Antisemitism
A California state judge categorically denied an ethics complaint accusing him of using a cannabis oil vape pen, pantomiming "something similar to a lap dance" on a woman married to a local public defender and repeatedly calling another public defender an antisemitic slur during a camping trip.
-
February 28, 2024
Tilray Can't Get Exec's $4M Arbitration Award Tossed
Cannabis company Tilray Brands Inc. can't evade a nearly $4 million arbitration award to a former executive it fired, a federal judge ruled, saying the company's arguments for why the Washington district court should have jurisdiction over a Minnesota arbitration are "wrong on all counts."
-
February 28, 2024
Suit Blames Father-Son Mismanagement For Pot Co. Collapse
A member of a Colorado cannabis cultivation and dispensary business is asking a state district court to appoint a receiver over the company, saying a father and son involved have mismanaged the company by buying unlicensed cannabis plants and failing to prepare a processing facility.
-
February 28, 2024
Delayed Filing Dooms Bid To Block Maryland Pot Licenses
A Maryland federal judge has denied a cannabis entrepreneur's bid to block the state's social equity license lottery, saying her delay in filing both her suit and the motion for an injunction outweighs the harm she'll suffer from the lottery going ahead.
-
February 27, 2024
10th Circ. Backs FDA E-Cigarettes Marketing Denial
The Tenth Circuit on Tuesday upheld the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's denials of two companies' applications to market flavored e-cigarettes, rejecting their argument that the agency secretly planned to reject any applications without long-term studies.
-
February 27, 2024
Vape Supplier Asks 9th Circ. To Toss $892K Award
A vape company that supplies products for use with cannabis is asking the Ninth Circuit to overturn a district court decision affirming an $892,000 arbitration award against it in a distributor's contract dispute, saying the district court ignored evidence of fraud.
-
February 27, 2024
NJ Town Residents Say Cannabis Laws Violate Federal Law
A group of residents of Highland Park, New Jersey, are suing the town, aiming to overturn town ordinances allowing for the sale and distribution of cannabis, saying they are in conflict with the federal Controlled Substances Act and state law.
-
February 26, 2024
Altria Unit Drops Suit Against Dozens Of Vape Makers
Altria Group Inc. subsidiary NJOY has quietly dropped a California federal lawsuit accusing more than 30 vape product makers of breaking state and federal laws by selling flavored tobacco products that are forbidden in the Golden State.
-
February 26, 2024
UK Photog Drops Copyright Claims Against Cannabis Co.
A photographer who accused a cannabis licensing firm of using his image of the Empire State Building to push sales without his say-so has quietly dropped his copyright suit in New York federal court.
Expert Analysis
-
Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes
Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.
-
Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys
Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.
-
State Regs Sow Discord Between Cannabis, Hemp Industries
Connecticut, Maryland and Washington are the latest states choosing to require intoxicating hemp products to comply with the states' recreational marijuana laws, resulting in a widening rift between cannabis and hemp as Congress works on crafting new hemp legislation within the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill, say attorneys at Wilson Elser.
-
Series
Playing In A Rock Cover Band Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Performing in a classic rock cover band has driven me to hone several skills — including focus, organization and networking — that have benefited my professional development, demonstrating that taking time to follow your muse outside of work can be a boon to your career, says Michael Gambro at Cadwalader.
-
Series
The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'
The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.
-
Opinion
Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform
The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.
-
Landmark Ark. Ruling Is Welcome News For Hemp Industry
An Arkansas federal court's recent ruling in Bio Gen v. Sanders creates a road map for plaintiffs to attack state laws that restrict hemp, making it one of the most important cases to date addressing the 2018 Farm Bill and state laws regarding hemp, says Rod Kight at Kight Law.
-
Series
ESG Around The World: Japan
Japan is witnessing rapid developments in environmental, social and corporate governance policies by making efforts to adopt a soft law approach, which has been effective in encouraging companies to embrace ESG practices and address the diversity of boards of directors, say Akira Karasawa and Landry Guesdon at Iwata Godo.
-
How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing
Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.
-
New Calif. Hemp, CBD Rules Affect Nationwide Compliance
Because of its huge market share, it is imperative that operators in every state understand the nuances of California's hemp and CBD regulatory regime, including policies refined over the past year and pending legislation that would allow cannabis licensees to sell, manufacture and distribute hemp and CBD products, say Alexis Lazzeri and Meital Manzuri at Manzuri Law.
-
Opinion
Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats
Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.
-
How Law Firms Can Use Account-Based Marketing Strategies
Amid several evolving legal industry trends, account-based marketing can help law firms uncover additional revenue-generating opportunities with existing clients, with key considerations ranging from data analytics to relationship building, say Jennifer Ramsey at stage LLC and consultant Gina Sponzilli.
-
Why Bankruptcy Is A Budding Alternative For Cannabis Cos.
A set of recent decisions from a California bankruptcy court regarding The Hacienda Co. signal a retreat from a zero-tolerance policy requiring dismissal of any bankruptcy case involving a cannabis-related business, and show why cannabis companies could benefit from having full access to the bankruptcy system, say George Singer and Rachel Gillette at Holland & Hart.
-
Potential Outcomes Of High Court Gun Sentencing Case
In Brown v. U.S., the U.S. Supreme Court will decide the standard that triggers minimum sentencing enhancements for previously convicted people facing new gun charges, thus resolving a deepening circuit split and potentially alleviating some sentencing disparities, says attorney Sami Azhari.
-
Strategic Succession Planning At Law Firms Is Crucial
Senior partners' reluctance to retire, the rise of the nonequity partner tier and generational differences in expectations are all contributing to an increasing number of departures from BigLaw, making it imperative for firms to encourage retirement among senior ranks and provide clearer leadership pathways to junior attorneys, says Laura Leopard at Leopard Solutions.