Ben Barlow’s practice focuses on litigation at both the trial and appellate levels where he advises both employers and employees on labor and employment matters (including discrimination; wage and hour issues; non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants; and issues related to security clearances, debarment, and government contracts).  Ben has represented clients in copyright, trademark, and domain name disputes before federal courts in Virginia and Maryland, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court (cert. denied).  Additionally, Ben is experienced in general commercial litigation and arbitration and in defamation suits.

Saphira Galoob is the Principal and CEO of? The Liaison Group?(TLG).? The Liaison Group was the first – and remains the only – Washington, DC-based lobbying firm focused exclusively on the cannabis industry.? She was the driving force for the creation and launch of the?National Cannabis Roundtable.? As the coalition’s Executive Director, she oversees the organization and leads federal policy initiatives for the country’s leading cannabis operators, including Cresco, Trulieve, Pura Vida, and others.? Other clients include the California Cannabis Industry Association, the most influential state-based cannabis trade association, which currently counts more than 500 businesses and 670 brands among its membership.?

A keen strategist who prioritizes transparency and collaboration, Saphira works closely with the both the House and Senate Cannabis Caucus and Working Groups.? She was recently selected by POLITICO as?Who to Know on K Street?for cannabis lobbyists and was named the 2020 Influencer of the Year by the Industry Power Women Awards.? Saphira received her Juris Doctorate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law and a Master's in International and Comparative Law (L.L.M.) from Georgetown University School of Law. She regularly speaks on US cannabis policy at events in the US and internationally. She lives in the DC-area with her family. 

Dr. Marcelo Pomeranz’s practice focuses on the development and execution of world-wide intellectual property strategies for biotech and pharmaceutical companies. He has extensive experience in securing, defending, and challenging patents to provide clients with the necessary protection and freedom to operate to monetize their inventions. He has extensive technical experience in plant biology, RNA silencing, CRISPR gene editing, strain engineering, plant-derived medicines, molecular biology and systems biology. Marcelo is also an expert in cannabinoid biology and chemistry, representing clients in all areas of cannabinoid research, including cannabis and hemp breeding and genetics, cannabinoid and terpene biosynthesis, synthetic cannabinoid chemistry, cannabinoid and terpene extraction and detection, and cannabinoid formulation and pharmacology. He successfully secured the first patents to THC-containing plants in the US, Canada, and Europe. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Marcelo's doctoral research focused on elucidating mechanisms for AU-rich mediated RNA degradation and the formation of RNA processing bodies and stress granules in plants. After his graduate work, he undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at The Ohio State University Center for Applied Sciences and the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center. His postdoctoral work focused on the discovery of gene regulatory networks and developmental expression programs using next-generation sequencing and mathematical modeling. Marcelo was awarded the American Bar Association's Award for Excellence in intellectual property law. He has authored and co-authored numerous publications appearing in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, The Plant Journal, Plant Physiology and Plant Signal Behavior.

Amber Littlejohn has served as a lawyer, strategist, and advocate for businesses in emerging markets for more than 15 years, providing government and business affairs services to businesses, nonprofit organizations, and lawmakers in regulated industries. She creates innovative legislative, regulatory, and public engagement strategies to access and grow markets, stabilize supply chains, and reduce crisis frequency and reach.

Named a Top Cannabis Lobbyist by Business Insider, Amber is a nationally recognized voice for the cannabis industry and related policy initiatives appearing regularly in national media outlets. She has testified before Congress on issues including small business capital access and cannabis legalization. She engages regularly with lawmakers and regulators at all levels of government. Prior to her work in cannabis, she was a business owner, strategist, and advocate for specialty consumer packaged goods and consumer health products including dietary supplements and sports nutrition products. 

Prior to joining Ice Miller, Amber was president and chief strategic officer for a public affairs firm that served to provide solutions in the areas of legislative and regulatory policy development, as well as government and regulatory affairs. She has also served as policy counsel and a consultant for several organizations in Washington, D.C.