Cannabis

Legal CBD, Hemp and Cannabis Attorneys in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC

We make it our business to understand yours – and for clients in the complex and rapidly growing cannabis industry, this is especially important.

According to New Frontier Data’s 2022 report, The U.S. Cannabis Report 2022 Industry Outlook, the United States legal cannabis market is expected to reach annual sales of $32 billion in 2022. Recognizing the tremendous business opportunities this market presents, we have gained considerable experience helping clients throughout the United States capitalize on the industry while mitigating risk.

We provide a full range of legal services to cannabis industry clients including investors, growers/cultivators, processors/manufacturers, dispensary owners, medical professionals, technology and product development companies and other businesses that intersect with the cannabis sector.

Our team leverages our collective experience to support clients with:

• Strategic planning
• General corporate governance
• Entity structure and formation
• Tax efficient structuring in connection with 280E
• Raising capital and securities compliance
• Mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations
• Joint venture negotiations
• License procurement
• Risk mitigation and Insurance
• Management agreements
• Employment matters
• Real estate matters
• Intellectual property matters
• Employee equity incentive plans
• Transactions
• Regulatory compliance

With special attention to the conflicts between state and federal law, we maintain a strong understanding of the constantly changing regulatory landscape that governs this industry and we work collaboratively across practice groups to help clients grow their businesses with confidence.

The following practice groups are instrumental to our work in this industry:

• Business and Financial Services
  • Business Planning
  • Investment Funds
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Tax Law
• Commercial Lending
• Commercial Litigation
• Employment and Labor Law
• Financial Regulatory and Compliance
• Intellectual Property
• Real Estate
  • Commercial Leasing
  • Land Use and Zoning
• Startups and Emerging Growth Companies

Results

• Represented Maryland-based multi-state operator in $240mm acquisition by publicly owned mid-Atlantic multi-state operator
• Represented Colorado-based cannabis cultivator in nearly $10mm acquisition by Colorado-based cannabis operator
• Represented Maryland-based cannabis dispensary in nearly $5mm acquisition by another Maryland-based dispensary
• Represented Maryland-based multi-state operator of cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary businesses in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia in strategic planning and general corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions, capital raise activities, joint venture negotiations, new license procurement, management agreements, employment law issues and equity incentive grants.
• Represented Colorado-based multi-state operator of cannabis cultivation, processing and distribution businesses in Colorado and California with strategic planning and general corporate matters, tax efficient structuring in connection with 280E, mergers and acquisitions, including acquisition of cultivators, dispensaries, capital raise activities, joint venture negotiations, management agreements and real estate leasing matters.
• Represented cannabis grower/cultivator/processor/distributor in a $32mm capital raise and advised on additional multi-million-dollar transactions.
• Represent Baltimore, Maryland-based dispensary in tax efficient structuring in connection with 280E and internal restructuring.
• Represent a membership-based organization of accredited investors formed for investing in cannabis-related businesses in connection with investment transactions, strategic planning, investment adviser and other securities regulatory matters, and general corporate and business matters.
• Represented Maryland-based cannabis company in $500k Convertible Promissory Note financing and provided counsel on their application for a Maryland processing and cultivation license.
• Provided counsel to protect the intellectual property interests of a national leading company gathering and providing financial and other information about the cannabis industry.
• Advise national grower/cultivator/dispensary with multistate operations in $11mm capital raise.
• Represented investor in a $4mm investment in a Maryland dispensary.
• Represent Washington, D.C.-based multi-state operator of cultivation and processing businesses with strategic planning and general corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions, capital raise activities, joint venture negotiations, new license procurement, management agreements, employment law issues and equity incentive grants
• Successfully negotiated a site amendment plan on behalf of a Maryland medical marijuana dispensary, allowing them to operate in an existing commercial center. Through a productive collaboration with city officials, the client was able to incorporate surface parking, hydraulic lift spaces and valet parking into the final solution to meet the increased parking space requirements

Practice Co-Chair

Felix J. Kushnir

Shareholder

Scott D. Museles

Shareholder