cannabis litigation

Cannabis Litigation: Mediation Tips

Our litigation team regularly attends mediations both before a lawsuit is filed and while a lawsuit is pending. We’ve covered mediation in the past, but for those who are unfamiliar, mediation is essentially a conference in which parties sit down together, generally with a neutral third party, to see if they can resolve cannabis litigation

Director of Policy

Meet New York’s Cannabis Director of Policy

As part of New York Cannabis Control Board’s (CCB) meeting on August 15, 2022, the CCB proposed and approved John Kagia as the Office of Cannabis Management’s Director of Policy. Given the expansive and stratified plans for New York’s adult-use cannabis industry (with the general ban on vertical integration, emphasis on social equity and advanced

new york home cultivation

New York’s Home Cultivation Regulations

As part of New York’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) meeting on September 20, 2022, the CCB passed a resolution to permit the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to adopt revised regulations for home cannabis cultivation. To be clear, pursuant to the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), home cannabis cultivation is currently limited to medical

Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson’s Ear-Shaped Edibles Show the Paternalism of Cannabis Regulators

Mike Tyson wants to market cannabis edibles shaped like ears with bite marks in them. Love him or hate him, you have to admit it’s clever. He’s apparently having a hard time getting his “Mike Bites” to market, due to regulators who apparently can’t take a joke or regulations that don’t seem to make any

bankruptcy

Marijuana Bankruptcy: The Answer is Still “No”

The struggles of failing marijuana businesses to wind down and pay creditors in an orderly fashion serve no one. Among the problems marijuana businesses face such as lack of access to banking and onerous taxation stemming from IRC 280E is the lack of access to bankruptcy proceedings. This post discusses a  Michigan-based medical marijuana company

cannabis contract dates

Cannabis Contract Dates and Why They Matter

Contract dates are among the most basic, fundamental aspects of any contract– cannabis or otherwise. Nevertheless, parties often mess them up or overlook them in potentially disastrous ways. Today, I want to look at a few key contract date issues and what they mean. Key contract date terms An execution date is the date on which

Harris Sliwoski law firm announces a $6.8m jury trial win. The image proudly features Jesse Mondry, Staci Black, Kathleen Biddle, and Javne Sobers.

Harris Sliwoski Litigators Notch $7.4 Million Jury Trial Win

A very big congratulations to a longtime Oregon cannabis client, and to our trial team, which just won a decisive, hard-fought victory in a nine-day jury trial in Portland, Oregon, led by Harris Sliwoski attorney Jesse Mondry. This complex case concerned the failed merger of 26 California and Oregon cannabis companies. Harris Sliwoski’s client is

government marijuana

Government Owned Cannabis: Better or Bust?

Government owned cannabis is gaining speed. At least, it is in Canada. This week, I saw a tweet from MJ Biz Daily business journalist, Matt Lamers, that said: The most profitable cannabis businesses in Canada are owned by the government. Provincial monopoly cannabis wholesalers profit/loss (most recent FY): Ontario: $70.2 million; Quebec: $66.5 million; BC:

second circuit

Second Circuit Denies Challenge to Marijuana’s Schedule I Classification

People in the cannabis industry know that marijuana is federally classified as a schedule I controlled substance. Schedule I means the drug has no recognized medical value, has a high potential for abuse, and cannot be safely administered even under a doctor’s supervision. Other schedule I drugs include heroin, methamphetamine, and several psychedelic substances including

washington social equity

Washington’s Draft Cannabis Social Equity Licensing Rule

Proposed social equity rule Following Washington’s creation of the Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force during the 2020 legislative session, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (“LCB”) approved draft social equity licensing rules for cannabis licensees on August 3. The proposed rules would add section “570 Social Equity in Cannabis Program” to Washington Annotated