James R. Hearon practices in the area of litigation with a focus on government contracts and cannabis law. Mr. Hearon has represented large and medium sized companies, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies and state and local governments in a variety of matters, including breach of contract claims, constitutional issues, land use and redevelopment disputes, white-collar defense and regulatory investigations, class actions, appellate practice and administrative investigations.
Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Hearon served as law clerk to the Hon. Greta Gooden Brown of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.
Mr. Hearon is a 2017 graduate of Rutgers Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Rutgers Business Law Review, and a graduate of Rowan University.
Admissions
- New Jersey
Education
- Rutgers Law School, J.D., 2017
- Editor-in-Chief, Rutgers Business Law Review - Rowan University, B.A., 2013
Experience
- Duane Morris LLP
- Associate, 2022-present - Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC
- Associate, 2019-2022 - White & Williams LLP
- Associate, 2018-2019 - The Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division
- Law Clerk to the Hon Greta Gooden Brown, 2017-2018
Selected Publications
- Co-author, "Delta-8 Product Manufacturers Should Be Aware of Consumer Class Action Risks," Duane Morris Alert, April 17, 2024
Representative Matters
Represented an early stage cannabis venture fund in several of its investments into New Jersey cannabis dispensaries.
Reversed the decisions of the state of California and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to strip the disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) certification of Kal Krishnan Consulting Services Inc., an engineering and project management firm that has long been certified as a DBE that designs and manages public construction work in California and elsewhere. Successfully appealed the decertification, which threatened much of the client’s current and future public contracting business, to the United States Department of Transportation.
Represented Illicit Gardens in its $34 million acquisition of a deeply troubled cannabis operator, Harmony Foundation of New Jersey, out of receivership and in its conversion to for-profit status, while also securing regulatory approvals that were conditions to closing. Harmony is one of New Jersey's original medical cannabis licensees with a highly valuable permit allowing ownership of three dispensaries; Illicit's acquisition followed a two-year, multiparty receivership action in the Bergen County Chancery Division imposed due to executive misconduct.