Experienced Nevada attorney who helps companies establish and grow their business, conduct compliant operations, and communicate and build relationships with local governments and regulatory agencies. Skilled at collaborating with various stakeholders and delivering exceptional client results. Strengths include resourcefulness, dependability, and personability.

As a natural-born advocate, I bring a unique set of skills and experiences to my practice. I am a solid communicator, well-organized, and a team player. I have experience working with business deals, regulatory compliance, and government affairs. 

I love helping clients and producing results. I love to volunteer my time by serving vulnerable communities. I am on the board of a non-profit organization that supports at-risk youth. I also volunteer to represent children through the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada Children's Attorneys Project. 

Mitzi Vaughn is a shareholder at Karr Tuttle Campbell in Seattle, Washington. She represents clients in matters of cannabis regulatory compliance, corporate transactions and governance, and intellectual property. She was a founding board member of the International Cannabis Bar Association and currently sits on its advisory board.

From 2017 to 2020, Mitzi was the Chief Legal Officer of a company that provides intellectual property licensing, financing, real estate and hard assets leases, and other support to U.S. and international cannabis and hemp enterprises. From 2013 to 2017 she worked with Greenbridge Corporate Counsel, a transactional law boutique exclusively serving the cannabis industry in Washington, California, and Hawai’i. She served as its Managing Attorney. She has advised governmental bodies regarding cannabis regulation, including the Jamaican Cannabis Licensing Authority, the Hawaii Legislature’s Joint Health Committee, members of the Washington State Legislature, and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (“WSLCB”).

In 2019, Mitzi participated in legislative negotiations the resulted in the passage SSB 5318 – the statute “reforming the compliance and enforcement provisions for marijuana licensees.” She drafted revisions to the first bill that were incorporated into the substitute bill and voted into law. Mitzi subsequently assisted in drafting Washington Administrative Code provisions and WSLCB Enforcement Division policies implementing SSB 5318. She continues to be active in the legislative and rulemaking process.

Mitzi is also actively involved with international and U.S. drug policy reform organizations. She served as General Counsel to the Coalition for Cannabis Standards and Ethics (WA) from 2013-2015.  Since 2015, she has represented The Cannabis Alliance (successor to CCSE) in a General Counsel role. Finally, Mitzi is a Board Member for the Drug Reform Coordination Network & the DRCNet Foundation, organizations that are active at the United Nations at home and abroad.

Mitzi was awarded a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law, studied international human rights at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, and earned a B.A. in History, magna cum laude, from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Melissa Nowak focuses her practice on developing trademark and patent portfolios to secure protection for her clients' intellectual property. Melissa has experience in all aspects of trademark practice including worldwide trademark search and clearance, preparation and prosecution of trademark applications, and trademark enforcement and defense. Melissa also counsels clients in the areas of copyright protection and infringement. She has worked with clients in many different industries including media and entertainment, software, aviation and aerospace, building and construction, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, dietary supplements, medical devices, transportation, higher education, and non-profits, and has provided valuable in-house attorney services for trademark clients. In addition, Melissa routinely handles appeals, cancellations, and oppositions before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Melissa works with life science and biotechnology companies, universities, and non-profit research organizations to successfully obtain patent protection using practical and cost-efficient approaches. Melissa's areas of technical expertise include molecular biology, immunology, genetics, and neurosciences. Representative client technologies include applications relating to kinase inhibitors, fluorophore-protein conjugates, pH monitoring systems, microfluidic devices, DNA isolation and purification, high throughput drug screening, bacterial inhibitors, peptides, nanoparticles, antibiotic compounds, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, transcription modules, somatic embryogenesis, cellulose fibers, and dietary and nutritional supplements.

Prior to entering law school, Melissa's graduate research in comparative immunology focused on the genetic diversity of antibody light chains in monotremes. Melissa also worked as a research assistant in the field of neurosciences, where her research focused on neuronal-specific RNA binding proteins and neuronal plasticity. The results of her research have been published in prominent scientific journals.

Melissa is a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA) and currently serves on the Public Resources Committee, which prepares and publishes information on trademarks and brands. Melissa is recognized in Chambers and Partners' Chambers USA, in World Trademark Review's WTR 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, in Intellectual Asset Management's IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Professionals, as well as their premier global guide, IAM Global Leaders: Interviews with the Pinnacle of the Patent Law Profession, and in Managing Intellectual Property's IP Stars.  Melissa is proficient in French.

Neil Juneja is the founder of Gleam Law, a cannabis-focused law firm based in Seattle, Washington with clients in 46 states and on five continents. The majority of his practice focuses on trademark protection of cannabis brands in state and federal law as well as patent protection for cannabis inventions. In addition, Neil has written numerous articles on cannabis law and intellectual property and spoken at many events including on the National Mall in Washington DC, ABA CLEs, LawProCLEs, NBI CLE, and in South America. Neil also appeared in Newsweek, Time Magazine, and on several documentaries for his work in the cannabis legal industry. He has also been awarded numerous accolades including a multitude of SuperLawyer’s Rising Star awards, the 40 under 40 most influential people in the cannabis industry, and the National Law Journal Cannabis Trailblazer award.