What We Do 

Our bench is deep, and the cannabis industry is wide.

Norris McLaughlin’s attorneys provide expertise in just about every sector of the cannabis industry, ranging from employers and the workforce to environmental impacts, real estate, regulation and compliance, banking and finance, insurance, intellectual property, health care, taxation and corporate structures.

How We Help

We’re poised to advise cannabis employers, start-up companies and entrepreneurs, growers, processors, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and investors who are part of the cannabis supply chain, with the evolving laws and regulations that make the cannabis sector a fast-moving and complex market space in which to do business.

To learn more about the cannabis industry and the far-reaching legal issues related to it, visit the Norris McLaughlin blog at https://norrismclaughlin.com/lg/

Who We Help  

Labor & Employment

• Discrimination and accommodation issues
• Drug testing and background check policies and practices
• Revision of employee handbooks
• Immigration issues
• Employer health and wellness plans

Environmental

• Impact of environmental laws (seed to disposal)
• Pesticide use
• Disposal of unused or discarded marijuana
• Disposal of hazardous and nonhazardous waste
• Government regulations

Health Care Regulations

• Required physician registry
• Conflict of interest restrictions
• Assistance with disciplinary actions
• Guidelines for issuing medical marijuana certifications to qualified patients

Real Estate

• Landlord/tenant issues
• Business zoning
• Land use restrictions
• Commercial leasing

Regulatory and Compliance Issues

• Permits
• Licensing
• Distribution
• Sales
• Advertising
• Storage of product
• Recordkeeping

Banking/Financing

• Purchase/sale of business
• Venture capital and financing arrangements
• Valuation
• Debtor/creditor rights
• Federal banking regulations

Intellectual Property

• Federal and state trademark registrations for company and product names
• Brand protection strategy including the selection, clearance, and enforcement of state and federal trademark rights
• Patents for seed, plant, manufacturing, and related technologies
• Trade secrets, confidential and proprietary information
• Copyright registration and enforcement
• Valuation of intellectual property portfolio

Tax

• Audits
• Surcharges and taxes associated with state laws
• Sales or exchange of capital assets

Corporate

• Business entity formation
• Contract negotiation and drafting
• Commercial agreements
• Business disputes and litigation
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Shareholder agreements

Disclaimer: Possessing, using, distributing, and/or selling marijuana or marijuana-based products is illegal under federal law, regardless of any state law that may decriminalize these activities under certain circumstances.  No legal advice we give is intended to provide any guidance or assistance in violating federal law.