canna law blog

The Right Blend: Selecting a Board of Directors for Your Cannabis Business

Last week it was announced that Former Speaker of the House John Boehner and Former Governor of Massachusetts William Weld would be joining the Board of Directors of a multi-state cannabis company, Acreage Holdings. First, it’s worth noting the significance of John Boehner–once third-in-line for the US Presidency–taking such a position in a marijuana company.

canna law blog

Cannabis Mergers and Acquisitions: Preparing for Success

The cannabis industry in California in 2018 is still finding its feet on many fronts – with both a regulatory framework and a banking solution being very much under construction. As these normalize, companies will establish their business metrics and get a firmer idea of the size of their opportunity, and then naturally increased M&A

canna law blog

California Cannabis Taxes and IRC Section 280E

In California, the first Cannabis Tax Return is due on April 30, 2018 and many of our clients are now working through the issues related to the Cannabis Cultivation and Excise Tax. In addition, many marijuana businesses must file their first 2018 estimated federal tax payment by April 17, 2018. To estimate taxable income, every

canna law blog

Cannabis Company Compliance: The Essentials

Last week I spoke on a panel about compliance at the Cannabis Cultivation Conference hosted by the Cannabis Business Times. If you’ve been following the latest developments in California you’d know that compliance with the myriad of regulations is the biggest obstacle for businesses looking to join the state legal cannabis market. For commercial cannabis

canna law blog

The Dos and Don’ts of Marijuana Joint Ventures

It seems like most days I receive a call or an email from a client or potential client that wants to examine a marijuana joint venture (JV). Whether it’s a business arrangement between companies that already has been negotiated, or stage one of the deal process, marijuana JVs are all the rage, even though many

canna law blog

Paying Oregon Cannabis Farm Workers

Cannabis producers make up the largest number of Oregon industry licensees. As of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s (OLCC) February 15, 2018 report, there are 922 licensed producers and approximately 1100 producer licenses awaiting approval. In comparison, the next largest license category is retail establishments, with a total of 527 approved licenses and approximately 200 awaiting approval.

canna law blog

Did You Just Hire a Cannabis Employee or an Independent Contractor?

We receive a lot of questions regarding employment relationships versus independent contractor relationships in the marijuana industry. Independent contractors are an excellent way for cannabis businesses to bring on individuals or companies with specialized skills to perform services or provide goods. The trick is making sure the person or company you hire will actually be viewed

canna law blog

Employee Handbooks for Cannabis Businesses

The cannabis industry continues to grow. Each year we see additional states legalize recreational marijuana. Along with more legalized weed, comes more cannabis employees. And more employees means more employment litigation. We recently hosted a litigation webinar where I spoke about employment litigation and ways to protect your marijuana business. One of the tools I

canna law blog

Oregon Cannabis: Leases Galore

For any marijuana business not fortunate enough to own its land outright, there are few documents more important than the lease. Not only is the lease the only transactional document reviewed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) prior to licensure, but it sets fundamental operating parameters than can determine the success –and even life cycle