Shabnam Malek has a broad practice but takes greatest pleasure in advising clients on how best to grow, navigate risk, resolve disputes, and how to think creatively in balancing business needs and legal concerns. Shabnam is recognized as an expert in the field of cannabis intellectual property and clients and colleagues seek her out for her expertise in addressing particularly thorny and novel legal issues. She’s a creative thinker looking for solutions that help her clients succeed. Shabnam truly enjoys the role of counselor to start-ups, woman-owned companies, large, global companies as well individuals.

Shabnam is a co-founder and the founding President of the International Cannabis Bar Association. Today, INCBA boasts a membership base of over 700 individual attorney members and a strong international presence. She currently sits on the governing board of INCBA and helps plan the educational curriculum of the organization with a focus on INCBA’s flagship event, the Cannabis Law Institute. Shabnam is also the Chair of the PLI Cannabis Business Law program and an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. Shabnam recently joined the editorial board of Law360’s Cannabis Editorial Advisory Board.

In addition to serving the business community, Shabnam developed a robust pro bono practice representing imprisoned women before the California Board of Parole Hearings as well as representing houseless San Francisco residents through the Coalition on Homelessness.

Shabnam regularly speaks and writes on the topics of trademarks, brand expansion, regulated industries such as cannabis and hemp, and the role of women in creating change. Her professional affiliations include holding a seat on the Board of Directors of the International Cannabis Bar Association and a committee role with the International Trademark Association.  She is an active member of the California Lawyers' Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Lawyers Guild, the Queen’s Bench, and the Bar Association of San Francisco. Shabnam was named a Northern California Rising Star three years in a row by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Eliana Green Esq., a native of the west side of Chicago, is a sociologist and movement lawyer. 

As The Hood Incubator's former Director of Community Engagement, Eliana provided legal tools and strategies to support our affiliates in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Oakland. She supported their work to create policy platforms that ensure that communities impacted by mass incarceration and the drug war directly benefit from cannabis legalization in the form of expungements, complete relief from the collateral consequences of a criminal record, and community reinvestment of cannabis tax dollars and private sector funds.

Bob Nichols is Corporate Counsel at Kiva Brands, Inc., a leading cannabis edibles company and cannabis distributor.  Bob is licensed to practice in California and Washington, DC.

Previously, Bob was a partner and owner of Kind Law, a boutique law firm located in Santa Rosa, CA for almost five years.  At Kind Law, Bob served cannabis companies throughout the supply chain, ancillary companies, and other clients with issues related to transactional matters, company formation, governance, M&A, financing, real estate matters, commercial contracts, and legal disputes. 

Before joining Kind Law, Bob represented large Fortune 500 companies in Washington, DC for over five years as an associate at two national law firms.

Caren Woodson has a diverse and extensive work history in compliance, licensing, and government affairs. Caren currently holds the position of Sr. Director of Compliance and Licensing at Kiva Brands, Inc. Prior to this, they served as the Director of Permitting and Licensing at Flow Cannabis Co., where they managed a team responsible for acquiring permits and licenses for the company's cannabis business activities. Caren also supported the Vice President of Policy Initiatives in political awareness and policy influence. Before that, Caren was the Legal & Compliance Director at SPARC SF. Caren has also worked as a Government Analyst at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and as a Principal Project Manager at National Licensing Services. In addition, they held managerial positions at The Green Cross and Americans For Safe Access. Caren began their career as a Policy Analyst at the Drug Policy Alliance, where they conducted analysis and grassroots mobilization efforts.

Caren Woodson's education history begins in 1991 when they attended Bishop Gorman High School, where they pursued a general degree. Caren completed their high school education in 1995, focusing on a college/university preparatory and advanced high school/secondary diploma program.

After graduating from high school, Woodson enrolled at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas for their undergraduate studies. From 1996 to 1999, they pursued a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Political Science and Government.

Following their bachelor's degree, Woodson continued their education at American University from 2000 to 2002. There, they earned a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P) degree with a specialization in Public Policy, Formation & Analysis.

Based on the provided information, it can be concluded that Woodson's educational journey includes a high school diploma, a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government, and a master's degree in Public Policy with a focus on formation and analysis.

Luke Zimmerman, Esq. LL.M. founded the Law Office of Luke S Zimmerman APC in 2013 and focuses his practice on assisting clients with trademark, copyright, and other intellectual property related issues.

Luke founded the intellectual property section at Oaksterdam University and regularly teache at the school. He has written articles for a variety of cannabis publications on the issues of intellectual property. He is also a regular speaker at cannabis events and has lectured internationally about emerging intellectual property issues in the global cannabis industry. Luke was identified as a subject matter expert in the field of intellectual property by the CDFA and participated on the Appellations of Origin working group. He is also a life-time member of the National Cannabis Bar Association.

Luke believes there is a need for drug policy reform in the United States, which is why he offered pro bono representation, through the 2014 Clemency Project, to a federal inmate serving a life sentence for criminal charges related to a nonviolent drug offense. He was successful in assisting the inmate to receive a commutation from President Barack Obama.

Luke holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Oregon, a Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and a Masters of Laws focused on international trade and investment law from the University of Amsterdam. Luke is currently enrolled in a Masters of Laws program focused on international intellectual property at ITC-ILO School of Development, a member of the WIPO Academy, in Turin Italy researching issues relating to the international harmonization of the Nice Classification System as it relates to cannabis trademarks.

Mary Shapiro
Evoke Law, PC
mary@evoke.law

Mary Shapiro, Managing Director of Evoke Law, PC, based in San Francisco, California, is an intellectual property attorney specializing in trademark, consumer protection, copyright, and internet law.

For 20 years prior to her legal career, Mary served in a variety of marketing positions in the book industry, including roles in retail, distribution and publishing. Mary started her legal career in 1999 at Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP. There, Mary supported businesses in a variety of industries: technology, medical device, pharmaceutical, wineries, non-profit foundations, and consumer products.
Her cannabis practice began in earnest in 2009, offering specialized legal services in intellectual property and consumer protection. Mary strives to assist cannabis operators in selecting strong and enforceable brand names, with her day-to-day work encompassing clearing, filing, prosecuting, enforcing, and licensing trademarks in the U.S. and internationally.

In 2016, Mary rebranded the firm to Evoke Law, continuing to specialize in serving the cannabis industry. By registering brands and enforcing intellectual property rights, businesses are positioned to expand their brands nationally and globally. In the consumer protection arena, Evoke Law guides cannabis operators through the complex compliance issues associated with packaging and labeling, recalls, and advertising. The firm encourages clients to carefully view each decision from the vantage point of its overall marketing strategies and business objectives, as well as the company’s risk tolerance level.

Mary has been a leader in bridging intellectual property law, state cannabis regulations, and the cannabis marketplace. In 2015, Mary was a founding Board member of the National Cannabis Bar Association (NCBA), which now has over 700 active members. She currently serves as the Board Secretary, co-chairs the organization’s worldwide expansion (as the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA), and is in a leadership role in the Continuing Legal Education program. In 2016-2017, Mary collaborated with industry advocacy groups and fellow legal colleagues, to persuade the California Secretary of State to allow registration of trademarks for cannabis products and services. In early 2018, with the assistance of a technical advisor and expert witness testimony, Evoke Law provided the USPTO with irrefutable scientific evidence that the mature stalks do indeed produce CBD in appreciable quantities without the commingling from other plant parts, including any ‘resinous’ secretions, which debunked the USPTO’s incorrect internal position on this matter, and resulted in the federal registration of a client’s trademark for a hemp-derived product.

Evoke Law provides pro bono assistance to Marijuana Policy Project, Americans for Safe Access, California Cannabis Industry Association, International Cannabis Bar Association, and Cannabis Marketing Association. Mary is also a First 50 supporter of Women Grow, and regularly speaks at industry conferences including MJBiz, NCIA, CCIA, INCBA, Women Grow, and Emerald Cup.