Duane Morris attorneys represent businesses and individuals at every level of the cannabis supply chain. Our clients include state-licensed adult-use marijuana, medical marijuana and hemp cultivators, processors, distributors and dispensaries, whether vertically integrated or operating as standalone businesses, as well as investors in those businesses. We also represent the full range of business vendors that supply their products and services to the cannabis industry, such as raw materials, technology, advertising, social media, consumption products and security companies. We have advised a wide variety of non-cannabis companies, including traditional consumer goods companies, real estate developers, insurance companies, banks, media companies, government contractors, broker-dealers, and private equity and venture capital funds in evaluating the regulatory and business considerations pertinent to entering into the cannabis space.
Duane Morris attorneys have gained comprehensive, hands-on, cannabis-related experience and apply that knowledge to advise clients based in the United States, Canada and other countries on the federal, state and local laws, regulations and governmental guidance relevant to conducting business and investing in cannabis. This includes the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the 2018 Farm Bill), Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering (AML) statutes and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and guidance, and state-specific marijuana and hemp regulations.
We assist our cannabis-related clients in understanding and assessing the federal and state regulatory framework for cannabis; applications for licenses to operate and related administrative matters; commercial litigation; negotiating and documenting investments, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions; conducting due diligence on the targets of such transactions; federal, state and local tax issues; day-to-day regulatory advice and general business counsel; and labor and employment, including workplace training and litigating workplace claims.
We have provided corporate governance and capital formation advice on both public and private securities offerings on behalf of privately and publicly held cannabis companies, including serving as counsel in the first investment-bank led public offering by a U.S. cannabis company. Additionally, we served as lead counsel for the first-ever trademark infringement action arising out of cannabis branding, and regularly represent clients in patent and trademark protection and enforcement matters.
Duane Morris’ deep commitment to the cannabis space is best reflected by our rankings as a national leader in cannabis law by Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and Law360's Group of the Year series. In addition, we are the national law firm partner of the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp, the first ever partnership between a major law firm and trade organization in this industry. Together, we are working on national issues affecting the legal cannabis and hemp industry as a whole. Duane Morris attorneys are at the forefront of this industry, driving thought leadership through frequent presentations at industry conferences, providing media outlets with insightful information, as well as supplying clients with the latest information through our Cannabis Industry Blog and webinar series.
Range of Experience
Duane Morris attorneys have specific experience pertinent to clients participating in or otherwise involved with the cannabis industry, including:
- Regulatory
- Licenses to grow, process or dispense adult-use marijuana, medical marijuana and hemp
- Assessment of business and individual risks under federal and state cannabis-related laws, regulations and guidance
- Administrative matters pertaining to licensure
- Litigation
- Civil matters, such as RICO actions, breach of commercial contracts, fraud/misrepresentation and partnership/shareholder disputes
- Products liability, manufacturing defects and failure to warn
- Trademark and patent infringement
- Employment claims, such as harassment
- Challenges to state licensure programs
- Corporate
- Corporate formation and structure, addressing complexities resulting from state-specific statutes and the conflict between federal and state law
- Public companies and filings with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other agencies
- Capital formation activities, including public and private securities offerings and lending transactions
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Partnership and operating agreements
- Domestic and cross-border financing and merger and acquisition transactions
- Taxation
- Federal and state planning and advice, including in connection with corporate formation and governance
- IRS Section 280E
- Real Estate and Construction
- Zoning, water rights and land use
- Leasing and landlord/tenant matters
- Civil forfeiture risk
- Intellectual Property
- Trademarks and patents
- Licensing agreements
- Marketing and branding
- Health Law
- University research centers and licensing
- Hospital compliance
- Labor and Employment
- Workplace training
- Non-compete and trade secrets
- Executive employment agreements and severance agreements
- National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
- Bankruptcy
- Information Technology and Management Software
- Public and Community Relations
- Environmental Considerations
For More Information
For more information, please contact Tracy Gallegos, Paul P. Josephson or any of the group members referenced in the Attorney Listing.