Jessica C. McElfresh Related Seminars and Products

Founder and Principal

McElfresh Law, Inc.

Jessica C. McElfresh of McElfresh Law, Inc. has worked in cannabis law and policy since 2010. She is the Chair of the International Cannabis Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee and a member of its Board of Directors.  Jessica focuses on local and state applications, land use, regulatory compliance, and business law.  She represents cannabis retailers, distributors, cultivators, manufacturers, and testing labs, as well as landlords and ancillary businesses.  She has guided clients through successful applications in jurisdictions such as the City of San Diego, La Mesa, and the County of San Diego.   

Jessica has authored or advised on nearly ten local ballot measures to regulate cannabis businesses.  Successes include Measure U in La Mesa and Measure V in Lemon Grove in 2016 and Measure H in Encinitas in 2020.  As part of this work, Jessica has won writs of mandate at the local and appellate level to compel local governments and registrars of voters to accept petitions and count voter signatures. 

Jessica represents people facing discipline or loss of state and local licenses, particularly in the cannabis industry.  She began her career in criminal defense and continues to take select cases.  Jessica has unique experience with the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege and the duties of an attorney under investigation or facing criminal charges.   

Outside of her law practice, Jessica is an advocate for cannabis and broader drug policy reform.  She is an advisory board member for A New PATH, an organization dedicated to promoting therapeutic rather than punitive drug policies.  Jessica served as a consultant for the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California about how Proposition 64 affects criminal justice reform and individual rights.   

Jessica grew up in San Diego and graduated summa cum laude from Scripps College before attending the University of San Diego School of Law on a Dean’s Honor Scholarship.  She has spoken at conferences and taught continuing legal education classes for organizations and law schools including the National Cannabis Industry Association Business Summit & Expo, California Lawyers Associatoin, Practicing Law Institute, International Cannabis Bar Association, San Diego County Bar Association, and University of San Diego School of Law.  Her publications include “Attorney Ethics and Cannabis: Conflicts of Laws, Conflicts of Interest, and Attorney-Client Privilege for Cannabis Practitioners” (CLA Real Property Journal Vol. 38, No. 4 2020).

David Ruskin Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

David is a partner with the Chicago-based law firm, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.  Following 25 years of litigating business and tax disputes, in 2016 David turned his full energy to focus on providing legal counsel to the cannabis industry, representing entrepreneurs, investors and business owners, both plant touching and ancillary trades.

David Ruskin leads the firm's Cannabis practice. He advises both public and privately companies on a wide range of corporate issues including mergers, acquisitions, and financing and tax transactions. David counsels entrepreneurs, investors, and business owners to help achieve their goals in the Cannabis industry. He represents companies facing business and tax litigation and provides outside general counsel services.

Having worked with cannabis companies for nearly a decade, David’s cannabis practice touches every part of the industry. He represents national and expanding brands, licensed retailers, cultivators and processors, and delivery services. David also advises non-plant touching and start-up companies as they look to grow in the evolving industry, and he helps both investors and companies seeking capital create the appropriate agreement to accomplish their goals.

David helps clients navigate unsettled and differing statutes, regulations, and industry-specific legal developments. He enjoys guiding clients through the state licensing process and counseling on issues that arise from early-stage application steps through the company’s lifespan. David has assisted license holders from over 15 legalized states in expanding their operations into new jurisdictions, empowering them to enter new markets with compliance and confidence.

With extensive litigation experience, David represents clients in an array of issues litigated in the cannabis industry and beyond. He often represents clients in partnership, ownership, and contract disputes and defends clients involved in whistleblower (qui tam), False Claims Act claims, and multistate tax issues. David represents clients before state courts, administrative tax tribunals, appellate, and federal courts.

Prior to joining the firm, David was a partner in the Litigation Group and led the Cannabis practice at HMB Legal Counsel, a well-established, corporate-focused law firm based in Chicago, Illinois.

David was recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in 2024 for Cannabis Law and Closely and Privately Held Business Law by Leading Lawyers magazine.

Fatima Afia Related Seminars and Products

Associate

Rudick Law Group, PLLC

Fatima Afia is a cannabis attorney and civil litigator at Rudick Law Group, PLLC, with a background in commercial and business litigation, land use and landmarks law matters, and disability insurance law. As a litigator, Fatima was an instrumental member of the litigation team behind Washington v. Barr, a pro-bono lawsuit brought against the federal government that sought to declare the federal law criminalizing cannabis unconstitutional. As part of her work in Washington v. Barr, Fatima led the effort in securing overwhelming amicus support before the U.S. Supreme Court from seven members of Congress, 19 disparate and highly regarded organizations, and two eminent cannabis researchers and scientists. In connection with her disability insurance work, she has helped secure and maintain disability benefits for clients from some of the largest disability insurance companies in the United States, playing a vital role in the firm's successful administrative appeal against Unum Insurance Company which resulted in an award of approximately $1 million in retroactive benefits for the client. 

As a cannabis attorney, Fatima assists cannabis clients navigate the legal cannabis and hemp industry in the areas of corporate law and regulatory compliance, business transactions, litigation, and state licensing applications in various jurisdictions including New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Fatima is also a social equity advocate, providing instrumental testimony to the Cannabis Control Commission in Massachusetts in 2019 which resulted in an expedited license application-review process for women-and-minority-owned businesses that were unfairly excluded from the regulatory definition of a social equity applicant. Fatima is also an article contributor for Marijuana Venture, has regularly organized and chaired CLE panels and events for the International Cannabis Bar Association (“INCBA”), and is the Co-Chair of INCBA’s CLE Committee. She was the Moot Court Winner at the Medical Cannabis Conference held at Columbia University in 2019, and in 2021 was named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Fatima attended Brooklyn Law School where she graduated in the top 20% percent of her graduating class. 

Kyle Finnegan Related Seminars and Products

Associate

Ice Miller LLP

Kyle Finnegan is an attorney in Ice Miller's Litigation and White Collar Defense & Investigations practice groups. His experience includes litigation and internal investigations on high-stakes matters in a variety of industries: private equity, financial services, health care, utilities, academic institutions, and publicly traded companies. 

He has handled litigation over acquisition disputes, commercial contracts, wrongful termination, legal malpractice, and civil fraud litigation in state and federal courts. He has significant experience developing litigation strategies, assessing risk exposure, briefing and arguing motions, taking depositions, overseeing large-scale eDiscovery projects and managing local counsel in international and out-of-state commercial fraud matters.

He regularly counsels clients through responses to civil subpoenas, civil investigative demands (CID), and grand jury subpoenas, as well as inquires by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

His practice also includes internal investigations into whistleblower complaints and allegations of bid-rigging schemes, breaches of fiduciary duties, and other unlawful conduct.

Kyle’s pro bono practice illustrates the fierce advocacy he brings on behalf of his clients. He served as lead counsel in three actions for violations of Chicago’s housing discrimination ordinance filed with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR). In October 2018, the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights recognized Kyle with their "Young Lawyer of the Year" award for this work. More recently, he successfully obtained asylum for a political refugee in a contested hearing.  

Kyle formerly served as a clerk for the Honorable Elaine E. Bucklo of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

He earned his juris doctor from Northwestern University, where he served on the Disability Law Society Board and worked on a multi-year evidence code reform project commissioned by the United Republic of Tanzania. Before law school, Kyle worked with blind and visually-impaired job candidates to develop employment programs for people with disabilities through the use of federal procurement contracts.

Jason Horst Related Seminars and Products

Managing Partner

Horst Legal Counsel, PC

Jason Horst is the Managing Partner of Horst Legal Counsel and the President of the INCBA Board of Directors. Jason represents businesses, public entities, professional and nonprofit organizations, and individuals in complex civil litigation and appellate cases involving a wide variety of cannabis, real estate, contract, insurance coverage, and technology disputes. He has a proven record of success representing both plaintiffs and defendants at trial, on appeal, and in alternative dispute resolution proceedings. He prides himself in the ability to deliver creative, efficient solutions to thorny legal problems. Before opening Horst Legal Counsel, Jason worked with some of the top international and regional law firms serving clients in California. His clients receive the deep knowledge and ability of large firm counsel, combined with the affordability of a boutique law firm. He has also been an active member of the National Cannabis Industry Association, where he has served as a member of the Policy Committee and Chair of the Risk Management and Insurance Committee, as well as the California Cannabis Industry Association’s Risk Management Committee. Jason has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in business litigation since 2023 by Super Lawyers® Magazine and been named as one of MG Magazine’s 30 Powerful Cannabis Attorneys You Should Know.

Marialle A. Bell Related Seminars and Products

Attorney at Law

The Law Office of Marialle A. Bell, LLC

Marialle A. Bell is the founding attorney of The Law Office of Marialle A. Bell, LLC. Her practice focuses on small business general counsel, small business litigation, and cannabis law & policy.

Ms. Bell obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law. On the West Coast, Ms. Bell worked several years as in-house litigation counsel for two Fortune 500 insurance companies. However, Ms. Bell began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Orlando, Florida. As a criminal defense attorney, Ms. Bell represented hundreds of people accused of cannabis-related offenses and she witnessed the serious impacts of those convictions.

Now, Ms. Bell uses her legal training and experience to educate and empower entrepreneurs to develop small cannabis businesses in legal markets. Ms. Bell is an adjunct instructor at Saint Louis University teaching "Cannabis Law & Entrepreneurship." She currently serves as the Chair of the International Cannabis Bar Association’s Ethics Committee and she is the Chair of the Bar Association of Metropolitan Saint Louis’ Cannabis Law Committee. 

Ms. Bell is licensed to practice law in Missouri, California, Washington State and Florida.

Shay Aaron Gilmore Related Seminars and Products

Attorney at Law

The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore

Shay Aaron Gilmore advises and counsels exclusively cannabis and hemp operators and investors through the corporate, commercial, and regulatory complexities of California’s legal markets, focusing on private mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity financings, distribution and supply agreements, licensing and product development, and regulatory compliance matters. California’s largest legal news periodical, The Los Angeles/San Francisco Daily Journal, has recognized Shay as one of the Top 20 Cannabis Lawyers in California. Super Lawyers® Magazine has named Shay as a Northern California Super Lawyer in Cannabis Law for several years, and, in 2024, as one of the Top 100 Northern California Super Lawyers across all practice areas. Shay serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco Cannabis Law Section and as the current Chair of the California Lawyers Association Cannabis Practitioners Group. In 2023, the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco appointed Shay to a seat on the San Francisco Cannabis Oversight Committee, to advise the San Francisco Mayor and Board of Supervisors regarding cannabis laws and regulations. Shay provides pro bono legal services to verified equity applicants under the Cannabis Equity Program administered by the San Francisco Office of Cannabis. Shay holds a B.A. in Economics from Rice University and a J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law.

Mitzi Vaughn Related Seminars and Products

Shareholder

Karr Tuttle Campbell

Mitzi Vaughn is a shareholder at Karr Tuttle Campbell in Seattle, Washington. She is an internationally recognized attorney who has spent more than a decade representing cannabis and hemp clients in complex corporate transactions and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, national and international expansion, and governance. Mitzi was a founding board member of the International Cannabis Bar Association and currently sits on its advisory board.

Mitzi has spoken in Zurich, in the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas), and before the Hawai'i Legislature; she consulted with the Jamaican Cannabis Licensing Authority prior to their medical rollout. She has negotiated and drafted Washington State cannabis laws, regulations, and policies, has served as General Counsel to The Cannabis Alliance (WA) for nearly a decade. Mitzi is also a Board Member for the Drug Reform Coordination Network, an international drug policy organization which has consultative status at the United Nations. 

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.

Shabnam Malek Related Seminars and Products

Chief Legal Officer

Nuka Enterprises, LLC

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.

Marie Sanchez Related Seminars and Products

Lawyer & Founder

Nooa Avocats

Marie Sanchez is a lawyer at the Bars of Paris and Quebec. After beginning her career in Singapore with a large pharmaceutical group, she worked for nearly 10 years in renowned international law firms before founding NOOA Avocats.

A specialist in regulatory and contractual aspects related to life sciences, she has also developed expertise in the field of therapeutic cannabis and well-being hemp. She regularly intervenes in the context of training courses as well as in conferences, in France and abroad.

She holds a Master II Professional in Health Industry Law from the University of Montpellier I as well as an ESSEC-Mannheim Executive MBA.

Richard Y. Cheng, Esq., CHC Related Seminars and Products

Member

Ritter Spencer Cheng PLLC

My practice is focused on corporate transactions, healthcare regulations, administrative appeals, and healthcare compliance matters. I represent post-acute care providers (e.g. skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, hospices, home health agencies, rehabilitation providers), physician groups, management service organizations (MSOs), dental service organizations (DSOs), community hospitals, retail medicine providers (e.g. free standing ERs), ancillary providers (e.g. pharmacies, labs, DME), digital health companies, behavioral health, chiropractors, and veterinary practices, private equity groups and investors in the healthcare industry. 

Due to my healthcare practice, I regularly serve as special counsel in conjunction with white collar criminal defense teams in federal cases or investigations involving healthcare fraud and abuse. In these roles, I assist criminal defense attorneys on health care regulatory violations (e.g. Anti-kickback, OIG exclusion issues, etc.), operations, assessment of plea bargains and the sentencing process.

In addition to my healthcare practice, I developed a cannabis regulatory and corporate practice starting in late 2013. I formerly served as outside general counsel for the Texas Cannabis Industry Association, served on the National Cannabis Industry Association’s FDA coalition, which helped co-author a FDA primer in preparation for the 2019 FDA public hearing on CBD products, and currently serve as an advisory board member to a hemp bio-pharmaceutical development company. I represent and regularly advise a broad base of cannabis related clients, including, physicians, private equity groups investing in the cannabis industry, cultivators, processors, wholesalers, retailers, distribution centers, reverse distributors, and ancillary providers (e.g. testing labs, biomass brokerage firms, MLM companies etc.) in regulatory and corporate matters.

Joslin E. Monahan Related Seminars and Products

Member Attorney

Miller Johnson

Joslin Monahan is a trial and appellate litigation attorney experienced in municipal, real estate, business, receiverships, adversarial bankruptcy, and land use and zoning litigation. Ms. Monahan has a robust, full-service cannabis law practice serving individuals and companies that grow, produce, distribute and sell a wide variety of goods and amenities.
Cannabis Law

Ms. Monahan is a recognized authority in emerging cannabis law matters, including entity formation, applicant requirements and background checks, and licensing with Michigan’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency as well as municipal licenses, permits and ordinances. She counsels business interests in the cannabis industry, which encompasses marijuana, industrial hemp and CBD. Ms. Monahan has helped with financing structures, real property use, insurance coverage, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance.

Beginning in 2012, Ms. Monahan served as Cooperating Attorney with the ACLU of Michigan in the critical decision making process supporting the decriminalization of the possession and use of marijuana in Grand Rapids. Ms. Monahan continues to be a vocal advocate for social justice issues, with particular emphasis on ensuring participants within the cannabis space create opportunities for persons of color wherever possible. The Michigan Supreme Court denied further review of the signature case in 2015, affirming the Michigan Court of Appeals 2013 dismissal of the prosecutor’s lawsuit. This case helped pave the way for the eventual vote legalizing cannabis for recreational use in a statewide ballot in 2018.

Ms. Monahan is a member of the International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) and the State Bar of Michigan’s Marijuana Law Section.

Articles and Presentations

Ms. Monahan is a frequent speaker on various cannabis and litigation related topics, including presentations on licensing, professional ethics, hemp regulations, and FDA compliance.

Professional Affiliations, Activities, and Honors

Ms. Monahan is Chair of the Western Branch of the ACLU of Michigan (6/2015 – Present) as well as a member of the Western Branch of the ACLU of Michigan (6/2014 – Present). She is also a member of the Lawyers Committee for the Western Branch of the ACLU of Michigan (10/2013 – Present).

Education

Ms. Monahan was awarded her law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey Law School in 2007. While in law school, Ms. Monahan was a member of the Journal of Health Care Law and Policy and a member of Phi Delta Phi. Ms. Monahan also received her Masters of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Montana in 2003, where she was the recipient of the University of Montana Philosophy Department full scholarship teaching assistantship. She obtained her B.A., summa cum laude, from Hope College in 2000 where she was awarded the Hope College Presidential Scholarship and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Ms. Monahan is admitted to practice in the State of Michigan, the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the State of Montana, the United States District Court for the District of Montana, United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Montana, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

James Gourley Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Carstens & Cahoon LLP

James R. Gourley practices primarily in the following areas:

Commercial Litigation, including Intellectual Property Litigation
Intellectual Property Prosecution
Entertainment Law
 

Mr. Gourley has prosecuted and obtained patents for clients in a wide range of technology fields, including:

Oil and gas production
Mobile electronics accessories
Computer software
Food chemistry
Product packaging
Medical devices
Pet care
Nuclear energy
Pumps and compressors
 

He has also applied for and obtained federally registered trademarks for clients in many different industries.  Mr. Gourley understands that intellectual property rights are among a company’s most valuable assets, and he has been successful in helping companies build strong intellectual property portfolios.  He has also negotiated a variety of intellectual property licensing, development, and employment agreements, and provided intellectual property due diligence advice with respect to corporate merger and acquisition transactions.

Mr. Gourley has represented individual artists and filmmakers as parties to copyright infringement lawsuits in federal court.  He has also represented start-up internet companies with a wide variety of copyright, trademark, and patent issues.  He has also helped clients enforce and defend patent, trademark, and other commercial rights in court, including recently serving as lead defense counsel in the first ever patent infringement lawsuit in the field of cannabis formulation.

Mr. Gourley earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Southern Methodist University in 2005.  Prior to law school, he graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering.  His undergraduate education exposed him to a wide range of technical courses, including high level organic and physical chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mechanics, electronics, and computer science, which gives him the unique ability to help companies protect technology in many different fields.

Mr. Gourley is a registered patent attorney before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  He currently serves on the Board of the Dallas Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section.  He is also a member of the State Bar of Texas, and he is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas.

Neil M. Kaufman, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Managing Partner

Kaufman McGowan PLLC

One of the leading corporate cannabis lawyers in the USA, having participated in over $2 Billion of cannabis industry financing, M&A and other transactions.

Neil M. Kaufman is the managing member of Kaufman McGowan PLLC, Long Island’s Corporate & Securities Law Firm ™ and Corporate & Securities Counsel to the Cannabis Industry™. He is one of the leading corporate cannabis lawyers in New York and the USA and a fixture of the New York and Long Island corporate and securities legal community.

Mr. Kaufman represents emerging growth, middle market and public companies and investment firms in their corporate, securities, financing, borrowing, merger & acquisition and other legal matters. Mr. Kaufman is particularly well known for advising clients with respect to SEC regulation, public offerings, private placements and mergers & acquisitions, as well as all types of commercial contracts. He is a frequent speaker on corporate, securities and cannabis law topics, and is an approved Vistage speaker on mergers & acquisitions.

Zachary Kobrin Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Saul Ewing LLP

A regulatory and transactional lawyer by background, Zack Kobrin is a nationally recognized leader in cannabis law. Having previously served as the Vice President and General Counsel for one of the largest cannabis companies in the U.S. and as the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for a publicly traded, multi-state cannabis company, Zack’s practice focuses on cannabis, marijuana, and hemp law. In his prior capacity, Zack was responsible for all corporate and regulatory legal matters, including transactional, banking, and insurance matters; as well as ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local government regulations. Zack was also a key member of the team that helped take his former company public on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Zack’s practice involves advising clients on the evolving, complex legal and business issues impacting companies with interests in this heavily regulated industry, including all manner of corporate, real estate, and regulatory legal issues. He speaks frequently at business, legal, and industry events and advises a number of entities on areas such as business development and formation, as well as legal and regulatory and compliance issues in the emerging growth cannabis, marijuana, and hemp industries throughout the United States and international markets. Zack also advises clients on developing federal and state public policy matters and banking and insurance issues impacting clients in the cannabis, marijuana, and hemp industries.

In addition to his work in the cannabis industry, Zack’s practice focuses on antitrust, where he advises clients on the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) review and filing process required to obtain federal antitrust approval for certain mergers and acquisitions. Zack works with clients on HSR reportability and transaction structure issues to ensure compliance with federal antitrust regulatory requirements.

Meital Manzuri Related Seminars and Products

Managing Partner

Manzuri Law

A leading cannabis attorney and advocate for nearly 15 years, Meital is the Managing Partner for Manzuri Law, leading a diverse team of attorneys and licensing specialists in cannabis and hemp law.  Meital serves as the secretary of the executive committee of INCBA and also the chair of the leading issues committee where they identify cutting edge legal issues for the hemp and cannabis industry and for INCBA members and lawyers serving those industries.

Meital has served as General Counsel for various trade associations responsible for influencing cannabis laws and policies in Los Angeles.  Her other duties include: Vice-Chair of communications for the LA County Bar Association, Cannabis Section, member of the social equity committee to interpret and provide clarity to the industry on LA’s ever evolving cannabis laws and active participation on the pro bono panel for Los Angeles for SEIA.

Meital serves as general counsel for hundreds of cannabis & hemp businesses throughout the country advising on regulatory, corporate and transactional matters and general business law. She has authored hundreds of partnership deals, procured licenses for 200+ different businesses, defended thousands of people accused with cannabis crimes, and her tenure includes some of the most seminal cases in federal and state court.

Meital is the mother of three young children, serves on the board of AYSO and coaches soccer for fun.

Shawn Collins Related Seminars and Products

Principal & Founder

The Homegrown Consulting Group, LLC.

Shawn Collins is one of the country’s foremost experts in cannabis policy.  He is sought after to opine and consult on not just policy creation and development, but program implementation as well.  He is widely recognized for his creative mind as well as his thoughtful and successful leadership of both startup and bureaucratic organizations.  In addition to cannabis, he has a well-documented expertise in health care and complex financial matters as well.

Shawn was unanimously appointed as the inaugural Executive Director of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission in 2017.  In that role, he helped establish Massachusetts as a model for the implementation of safe, effective, and equitable cannabis policy, while simultaneously building out and overseeing the operations of the East Coast’s first adult-use marijuana regulatory agency.

Under Shawn’s leadership, Massachusetts’ adult-use Marijuana Retailers successfully opened in 2018 with a fully regulated supply chain unparalleled by their peers, complete with quality control testing and seed-to-sale tracking. Since then, the legal marketplace has grown at a rapid pace and generated more than $5 billion in revenue across more than 300 retail stores, including $1.56 billion in 2023 alone. He also oversaw the successful migration and integration of the Medical Use of Marijuana Program from the stewardship of the Department of Public Health to the Cannabis Control Commission in 2018. The program has since more than doubled in size and continues to support nearly 100,000 patients due to thoughtful programmatic and regulatory enhancements.

Shawn is an original founder of the Cannabis Regulators Association and also helped formalize networks that provide policymakers with unbiased information from the front lines of cannabis legalization, even as federal prohibition persists.  At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Collins was recognized by Boston Magazine as one of Boston’s 100 most influential people for his work to shape the emerging cannabis industry in Massachusetts.

Before joining the Commission, Shawn served as Assistant Treasurer and Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs to Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg and Chief of Staff and General Counsel to former Sen. Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge).  He currently lives in Webster, Massachusetts with his growing family. Shawn is a graduate of Suffolk University and Suffolk University Law School, and is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts.

Shawn has since founded THC Group in order to leverage his experience on behalf of clients, and to do so with a personalized approach.

Dina Rollman Related Seminars and Products

Co-Founder

KND Group

Dina is a leader in the regulated cannabis industry. She is passionate about helping businesses, especially startups, thrive. She has diverse skills gained through her myriad leadership roles in the regulated cannabis industry, including as a government affairs executive, attorney, chief compliance officer, regulatory advisor and liaison, trade association board member, and co-founder/president of a cannabis networking organization. She is committed to helping clients navigate the ever-evolving challenges of operating in highly regulated industries.  

Dina most recently served as Senior Vice President at Green Thumb Industries. She guided it in governmental and regulatory affairs matters at all levels of government, provided counsel on regulatory matters, and established and oversaw Green Thumb’s social equity program.  

Dina began her involvement in the cannabis industry in 2014 by helping Green Thumb apply for and win Illinois cultivation and dispensary licenses. She then served as external and then in-house regulatory compliance and litigation counsel. In 2018 she provided legal and regulatory support in connection with Green Thumb going public on the Canadian Securities Exchange. In 2019 she created and then led its government affairs department. Dina also created and oversaw Green Thumb’s social equity program and created its social equity License Education Application Program (LEAP), which helped applicants navigate the adult use cannabis business application process in Illinois. Through these roles and her informal roles, Dina helped Green Thumb go from an idea on paper in 2014 to a publicly traded company in 2018 and to being an industry leader today.  

Dina is an experienced attorney who, before joining Green Thumb and specializing in cannabis law, was a partner at a business litigation law firm, where she spent a decade representing plaintiffs and defendants in business disputes throughout the country. 

 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES 

• Co-created and co-taught a Cannabis Law & Policy course as an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law 

• Co-founded and served as President of Illinois Women in Cannabis, a not-for-profit focused on serving, supporting and advancing women in the Illinois cannabis industry 

• Served on multiple cannabis trade association boards 

• Lecture widely on cannabis topics, addressing national trade conferences and national legal conferences. 

 EDUCATION 

• Northwestern University School of Law – Juris Doctor 

• Oberlin College – Bachelor of Arts  

 SELECT INDUSTRY RECOGNITION 

 • The American Lawyer: named a Midwest Trailblazer for 2021 

• Chicago Sun-Times: named one of the 10 most influential people in cannabis for 2018 

• South by Southwest (SXSW): featured speaker in 2024 and 2021 

• Crain’s Chicago Business: identified as cannabis industry leader in 2014, 2019 and 2020 

Serena Wu Related Seminars and Products

Founding Partner

Radicle Law LLP

Serena’s radicle is to be of service for the greater good. She believes that everyone has the power to change the world, starting with ourselves and rippling out in what we choose to create. From addressing social justice issues for the Asian American community in high school through advocating on behalf of indigent clients on consumer protection and tax cases in law school, she continues to use law as a tool for social impact in her current practice. Serena is a Harvard Law School graduate and received her Bachelor of Arts from UC Berkeley.

Serena’s practice includes helping trailblazing clients start companies, fundraise, structure corporate governance, draft employment and business agreements, counsel on securities issues related to NFTs and DAOs, navigate complex regulatory issues related to cannabis, emerging plant medicines and privacy and security, and resolve disputes. 

Serena
In addition, Serena understands the need to discern potential pitfalls and risks for clients based on her litigation and regulatory experiences, such as complex, multi-million dollar commercial and securities litigation cases, bankruptcy litigation involving over $1 billion dollars in debt, high stakes regulatory investigations, and a myriad of pro bono matters spanning from bail reform in New York to employment litigation for restaurant workers.

She is committed to support, empower and assist those who seek to transform the status quo and serve their communities. She knows the importance of getting into the trenches with her clients to help them manifest their visions or advocate for their rights.

Outside of her work, Serena works with Reason for Hope, a non-profit focused on changing the approach to mental health care through psychedelic-assisted therapy legislation in New York. Prior to co-founding Radicle Law LLP, Serena was a New York litigation associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and was a co-founding partner at Plant Medicine Law Group LLP.
Serena enjoys traveling, hiking, learning new languages, and practicing meditation.

Laurie Parfitt Related Seminars and Products

CEO | Principal

LKP Impact Consulting, LLC

Laurie Parfitt is an accomplished executive, leader, and coach with more than 2 decades of experience driving innovation and execution across various functional areas of start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, including Kraft Foods, Beam Suntory, Topco Associates, Mizkan America, 4Front/Mission Dispensaries, and LKP Impact Consulting. Through her company, LKP Impact Consulting, Parfitt works with cannabis and other disruptive, highly regulated categories as a Fractional CMO on brand strategy/design, consumer insights, public relations, content development and commercial go-to-market strategy. Her expertise and achievements have made her a renowned speaker at prestigious industry events such as the CBT Cannabis Conference, Benzinga, CannaReg Summit, Illinois Women in Cannabis, Tony P Cannabis Events, Headset Data Nights, Cannabis Drinks Expo, MJ Unpacked, MJ Bizcon, Lackawanna College, and The Hatchery. As Vice President of Marketing & Customer Engagement at 4Front/Mission Dispensaries, Laurie played a crucial role by leading marketing efforts and engaging with customers, and she also held senior positions in marketing, sales strategy, operations, and finance at Topco Associates, Walgreens, Beam Suntory, and Kraft Foods. Laurie's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University. Laurie serves on the advisory boards of EndoDNA, The Cannabis Hall of Fame, Cannabis Business Times-Cannabis Conference as well as The CannaReg Summit and has been a mentor, coach, and teacher for The Hatchery, Illinois Women in Cannabis, CIMA (Chicago Interactive Marketing Association), and Lackawanna College. Laurie's outstanding vision, execution skills, and results-driven approach make her a sought-after leader who can inspire and take any business to the next level.

John Schroyer Related Seminars and Products

Senior Reporter

Green Market Report

A versatile journalist with a background in Colorado politics. Since 2014 I've been writing about cannabis business news. I've covered everything from natural disasters to local parades to the state budget, and there's nothing I love more than a good story. Except perhaps the mountains.

Eric P. Berlin Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Dentons

Eric Berlin leads the US and global Cannabis teams at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm. Widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on cannabis and hemp law, Eric dedicates 100 percent of his work to clients involved in, or impacted by, the legal cannabis or hemp industries. He has worked on some of the industry’s biggest deals and counsels several of the top companies in the cannabis ecosystem. Eric’s own involvement in this area goes back more than a decade, when he worked pro bono with legislators and other interested parties to help draft and pass legislation creating medical cannabis programs in Illinois and Ohio.

Eric has represented large, publicly traded companies that sell products or services to the cannabis industry, companies involved in financing the industry, vaporizer manufacturers, testing labs, cultivators and processors, and dispensary operators.

Additionally, Eric has also represented non-cannabis industry clients in high-profile health care and antitrust litigations. Some of his successes include a trial in a $2.3 billion Sherman Act and Robinson-Patman Act case; a False Claims Act case against major pharmacies; a bundling antitrust case against a large medical distributor; an international arbitration between agricultural companies; and appeals in the US Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh, Ninth and Tenth Circuits.

His groundbreaking efforts for businesses and industry organizations have been well recognized. Eric is ranked in Tier 1 for Cannabis Law by Chambers USA, earned “MVP of the Year in Cannabis Law” by Law360 in 2020-2023, and was named a “Leading Lawyer in Cannabis” by The Legal 500 US in 2021-2024.

Sherri Altshuler Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Aird & Berlis LLP

Sherri earns the trust of her clients by adeptly managing complex and time-sensitive corporate finance transactions and by providing relevant, business-focused solutions to corporate/commercial and capital markets issues. Her depth of perspective and understanding of corporate and securities law matters comes from her ongoing representation of clients ranging from small and medium enterprises to established multi-billion dollar corporations. Sherri effectively prioritizes issues on complex and time-sensitive transactions, and works diligently to ensure that outcomes align with her clients’ overall business goals.

Sherri is co-Practice Group Leader of the firm's Capital Markets Group, co-Chair of the Cannabis Group and Life Sciences Group and a member of the Corporate/Commercial, Mining, Capital Pool Company and Startups Groups. Her practice is focused on mergers, acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, public and private financings and ongoing corporate and commercial matters. She has developed specialized expertise in capital markets transactions in the REIT, cannabis, technology, psychedelics and mining sectors, including with respect to board governance, securities and financing matters.

Sherri regularly advises corporations on public offerings, private placement financings, flow-through financings, reverse takeovers, stock exchange listings, continuous disclosure, corporate governance and the formation and completion of qualifying transactions for companies established under the TSX Venture Exchange Capital Pool Company Program.

Sherri is a member of the TSX Venture Exchange Ontario Advisory Committee and a former member of the Ontario Securities Commission Small and Medium Enterprises Committee. Sherri previously completed a six-month term of secondment with the Corporate Finance Branch of the Ontario Securities Commission where she was responsible for reviewing and clearing prospectuses and considering applications for relief from the requirements of the Securities Act (Ontario). Sherri also instructs Corporate Finance at Windsor Law School and is a frequent public speaker. Additionally, Sherri is called upon by the media to comment on the legal, regulatory and investment issues surrounding psychedelics in Canada.

Sherri is recognized by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a leading lawyer in the area of Corporate Finance & Securities, after previously being named one of Lexpert magazine’s Rising Stars: Canada’s Leading Lawyers under 40. Sherri is also recognized as a leading lawyer in Cannabis Law by Chambers Canada and The Best Lawyers in Canada.

Ruth A. Rauls, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Saul Ewing LLP

Ruth Rauls represents management in employment disputes before federal and state courts, as well as federal and state agencies. Her extensive litigation experience includes cases at the trial and appellate levels in New Jersey and New York, as well as in private mediations and arbitrations. She litigates claims arising under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, and various other statutory and common law causes of action.

Ruth draws on her litigation experience to help large and small companies alike identify potential legal issues and to provide support for internal decision making that affects their business operations. This includes advice on preventative practices to minimize workplace disputes, including accommodation and harassment issues. 

Employers also look to her for advice on personnel actions, including drafting employment agreements and conducting internal investigations on various workplace matters.

Ruth is well versed in regulatory compliance and internal and external investigations under federal, state and local laws, including sexual harassment, whistleblower and retaliation issues. Depending on the needs of the client, Ruth can conduct an internal investigation or work side by side with the client to provide guidance along the way. 

Ruth also works with clients to develop workplace policies, practices and procedures, including medical cannabis and drug testing policies, employee handbooks and policy manuals. Ruth advises clients on compliance with the continuing changes and updates to state law, including specifically the state law and state court decisions addressing cannabis use by employees in both medical and adult use states.

Katy Young Related Seminars and Products

Managing Partner

Ad Astra Law Group, LLP

Lauren Rudick Related Seminars and Products

Managing Principal

Rudick Law Group, PLLC

Lauren previously co-founded of Hiller, PC's cannabis law practice. What started as a
passion project in patient rights during a brief residency in California, Lauren has become
one of the Nation’s preeminent cannabis attorneys. Her practice is centered upon the
representation of start-up organizations and investors. With her diverse background in
corporate law, litigation, and land-use and zoning, she provides clients with the most up-
to-date information necessary to operate and invest in successful cannabis and ancillary
businesses. Lauren has run successful applications in competitive medical cannabis states
and adult-use markets alike, and represents a broad spectrum of cannabis and hemp
clients, including plant-touching breeders, cultivators, processors, and product
manufacturers; investors, including family offices and angels; and multiple ancillary
businesses, including networking associations, packaging businesses, ingredient
manufacturers, medical professionals, and industry consultants. Lauren is also a member
of the legal team that brought an action against former Attorney General Sessions and the
federal government seeking, among other things, a declaration that the mis-classification
of cannabis as a Schedule I drug is unconstitutional, on, among other things, due process,
equal protection, free speech, and commerce clause grounds.

Lauren is an Expert Contributor to Marijuana Venture Magazine, a frequent
speaker at national and local cannabis events, including, among others, MJ Biz Con, the
Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition, NCIA, Emerald Cup, and the Women
Grow Leadership Summit and provides pro bono legal and advocacy services to the
Cannabis Cultural Association, among others. Lauren also serves on the Executive
Committee of the Board of Directors for the International Cannabis Bar Association, as
the organization’s Treasurer. Lauren enjoys an extensive network of cannabis
professionals nationwide, enabling her to provide full legal and business services to her
clients.

Pamela Nicole Epstein Related Seminars and Products

Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer

Terpene Belt, Inc.

Pamela is an accomplished legal professional with a wealth of experience.  Pamela currently holds the esteemed position of Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer at Terpene Belt, Inc.  In this pivotal role, she spearheads a dynamic team responsible for a diverse range of functions, including legal oversight, domestic and international governmental affairs, compliance, licensing, corporate stewardship, and corporate governance. Her unwavering dedication is focused on driving solutions that align with the company's strategic priorities while safeguarding Terpene Belt, its customers, and the broader cannabis and hemp industries.

Before joining Terpene Belt in 2022, Pamela served as the General Counsel and Chief Licensing & Regulatory Officer at Eden Enterprises, Inc a legacy cannabis operator. Her trailblazing journey in the cannabis industry began in 2016 when she founded Green Wise Companies, solidifying her position as a thought leader in the field. Pamela provided a comprehensive range of legal, consulting, and government affairs services to various segments of the cannabis supply chain in California and Arizona. She further cemented her reputation as a trusted resource on cannabis matters, lending her expertise to regulatory agencies and municipalities. Notably, she served as the Special City Attorney for cannabis matters to the City of Hollister, guiding them through their inaugural Medical Cannabis Ordinance and application process in 2018.

Prior to her groundbreaking work in the cannabis sector, Pamela seamlessly combined her passion for environmental sustainability with her legal acumen. She honed her skills as the Managing Attorney and Legal Program Coordinator for the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club's Environmental Law & Policy Clinic and later with the prestigious law firm of Adams Broadwell Joseph & Cardozo in South San Francisco.

Pamela's diverse background, encompassing legal expertise, land use knowledge, and environmental advocacy, uniquely positions her to lead and advise her clients and the broader cannabis and hemp communities. She is recognized as an expert in her field and a fearless advocate for the normalization and advancement of cannabinoids. Pamela is a sought-after speaker at cannabis industry conferences nationwide, where she delivers engaging and insightful commentary on an array of topics affecting the cannabis and hemp sectors, offering valuable guidance to traditional market participants venturing into this space.

Pamela served two terms as the President of the Board of Directors for the California Cannabis Industry Association (CCIA), the state's largest cannabis trade association, where she was a driving force in shaping the industry's future. Pamela also actively leads the charge to establish standards for Determining Intoxication of Cannabinoids within ASTM's D37 Committee for Cannabis and Hemp.  She also serves on the Food Drug Law Institute (“FDLI”) Cannabinoid Committee. 

Andrea Steel Related Seminars and Products

Principal

The Banks Law Firm, P.A.

Andrea Steel is a principal with The Banks Law Firm, where she leads the Firm’s Cannabis practice in addition to bringing extensive experience in affordable housing and community economic development law. With over 20 years of experience in law and criminal justice, Andrea brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of success to her diverse clientele.

Andrea is a pioneer in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry, with deep rooted knowledge and experience, having been pivotal in securing a number of significant results impacting the industry at both state and federal levels. Andrea advises cannabis business clients, from startups to established enterprises across the supply chain, both plant-touching and ancillary, from cultivators to retailers, as well as manufacturers, distributors, testing labs, landlords, property owners, lenders and more. Her practice encompasses legalities and strategic advising for businesses with respect to all forms of cannabis, inclusive of hemp, cannabinoids (biosynthetic, semi-synthetic, synthetic, hemp-derived and other chemical forms, including delta-8 THC and other novel substances), medical marijuana, and adult-use marijuana, serving clients across the country with a focus on Texas. She advises on regulatory compliance, cannabis business licensing, risk analysis and mitigation strategizing, product labeling/marketing, entity formation, entity structuring and governance, contract negotiations, and real estate issues.

Andrea has also provided subject matter expertise to several other attorneys and law firms in various business transactions as well as litigation matters, assisting other lawyers in navigating the complexities with their clients. She has helped shape laws and policy in both Texas and federally, providing useful insight and specific language with respect to formulating statutes and regulations, an area Andrea truly enjoys.

In the affordable housing area, Andrea represents both for-profit and non-profit developers across the country, including public and private entities, as well as public housing authorities and tax increment reinvestment zones. Her work is concentrated on the legal representation of developers of affordable housing utilizing both 9% and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, tax exempt bond financing, CDBG and HOME Program funding and other federal, state and local subsidy and economic development programs, as well as stimulus grants created in response to disaster recovery and economic downturn rescue programs such as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), COVID-19 Economic Relief Bill (CARES Act), Housing and Economic Recovery Act, and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including the Tax Credit Assistance Program, Tax Credit Exchange Program (Section 1602 Program), Neighborhood Stabilization Program, Community Development Block Grants Disaster Recovery funding, and Economic Development Administration grants.

Andrea serves as a Board Member of the International Cannabis Bar Association and serves as Vice President of Operations as well as co-chair of its Legislative Advisement Committee. Andrea has also served as a Vice Chair of the American Bar Association’s Cannabis Law and Policy Committee since 2021. She is a sought-after speaker at industry events, providing insight into recently approved and proposed laws, rules and regulations and other cannabis business matters. At her prior firm, she successfully launched, led and grew their cannabis business practice group.

Nabil Rodriguez Related Seminars and Products

Associate

Holland & Hart LLP

Nabil is a first-generation, Puerto Rican business attorney with a specialty in highly regulated industries including cannabis, FDA labeling compliance, and healthcare.

Nabil helps clients from formation to exit and every step in between. He has assisted clients with commercial transactions, purchase and sale agreements, and company restructuring matters. On a regulatory front, he works with all cannabis licenses, including hemp cultivators and product manufacturers, in addition to hospitals and pharmacies in navigating state, local, and federal regulations.

Nabil leverages his connections with stakeholders in various states and industries to assist clients in identifying and capitalizing on critical business opportunities.

Before joining Holland & Hart, Nabil practiced as an associate at Greenspoon Marder LLP. He founded the first student National Cannabis Bar Association.

Jana Weltzin, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

JDW, LLC

Jana D. Weltzin is the owner of JDW Counsel – a boutique law firm based in Anchorage, Alaska, that represents over 250 small to mid-size companies in Alaska and Arizona. Jana has been immersed with corporate law, start-ups, money raises, employment law matters, regulation and compliance, and land use permitting since early 2013. Jana is licensed in Arizona and Alaska and obtained her J.D. from Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, with a specialization in Federal Indian Law. Jana’s practice focuses on marijuana law and policy, liquor licensing, land use, and transactional work. She is the expert in the Alaska marijuana licensed industry and co-chairs the State of Alaska Governor’s Advisory Task Force on marijuana policy. She is also a founding board member of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association. Jana also serves as a board member for the International Cannabis Bar Association. Between Alaska and Arizona, Jana represents over 150 direct touch marijuana companies. Jana was recognized as a 2017 Marijuana Venture Rising Stars of Cannabis, 40 under 40, and has contributed to multiple publications. Jana has been quoted in numerous media outlets, including Rolling Stones, Leaders in Law, Alaska Public Media, MSN, ABC News, Marijuana Business Daily, and others. Jana continues to expand the firm through strategic alliances and political relationships.

Carmen J. Williams Related Seminars and Products

Associate

Troutman Pepper LLP

Carmen provides legal representation for both domestic and international public and private companies, covering all aspects of corporate transactions across diverse industries, such as sports and entertainment, financial services and payments, technology, insurance, and engineering.

In her mergers and acquisitions practice, Carmen represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies, as well as strategic purchasers and sellers, in public and private mergers and acquisitions, and investment transactions. This includes corporate carve-outs, cross-border transactions, restructurings, and reorganizations.

Additionally, Carmen counsels both public and private companies with respect to a variety of general corporate matters, including corporate governance, annual meetings, fiduciary duties, and organizational matters.

Carmen frequently writes on cannabis jurisprudence and the regulatory framework surrounding cannabis.

She actively recruits for the firm on-campus, and has served as a summer advisor for the firm’s summer program. Carmen is also a member of the firm’s Black Affinity Group.

Brian Ruden Related Seminars and Products

Owner

Star Buds

Brian Ruden is an attorney and one of the pioneers of the legal marijuana industry in Colorado. He earned a J.D. from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, and began his cannabis career in 2010 with the acquisition of Tree of Wellness, a medical marijuana center in Colorado Springs with an associated cultivation operation in Denver.

In 2013, Mr. Ruden founded Starbuds, which has become one of the largest marijuana dispensary brands in the Colorado marketplace. The Starbuds brand now encompasses eight retail marijuana dispensaries, with three additional locations under construction, a cultivation operation, and a manufacturing facility that produces a comprehensive range of marijuana concentrates for wholesale distribution statewide.

Mr. Ruden’s legal training has given him a competitive advantage in navigating the complex layers of administrative regulation which govern the marijuana industry. He has successfully managed compliance across roughly a dozen separate marijuana regulatory jurisdictions, each with its own unique requirements for operations, safety, and security.

The seed-to-dispensing marijuana experience and legal background gives Mr. Ruden unique understanding and qualification in the marijuana industry. Due to this, he has become a sought-after consultant and is personally involved in teams pursuing marijuana opportunities in other states. Mr. Ruden also has ownership in licensed marijuana businesses in Hawaii and Washington D.C. and now Louisiana with The Apothecary Shoppe.

Amber Littlejohn, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Of Counsel

Ice Miller LLP

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.

Kellie Rivera Related Seminars and Products

Sr. Counsel & VP Corporate Affairs

The Cannabist Company f/k/a Columbia Care

Kellie Rivera serves as Senior Counsel and Vice President of Corporate Affairs at The Cannabist Company Holdings, Inc. f/k/a Columbia Care, one of the largest and most experienced cultivators, manufacturers, and providers of cannabis products and related services, with vertically-integrated, licensed operations in 14 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

In her role at The Cannabist Company, Kellie leads the company’s legal, compliance, and regulatory affairs efforts in existing and emerging eastern U.S. markets. She also focuses on regulatory policy, market design, improvements to medical cannabis programs, and the crafting of successful and equitable adult-use markets. She regularly engages with government agencies, policymakers, and industry associations at the federal, state, and local levels. Additionally, Kellie manages relationships with cannabis regulators to serve as a subject-matter expert on comparative and emerging cannabis markets.

Kellie currently serves as Vice-Chair of the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association and is an active member of both INCBA's In-House Committee and the New York State Bar Association Cannabis Law Section.

Kellie is personally passionate about the therapeutic potential of medical cannabis due to her own experience as a chronic pain patient following a spinal injury during childhood. 

David Feldman Related Seminars and Products

Managing Partner

Feldman Legal Advisors PLLC

David Feldman concentrates his law practice on corporate and securities law and mergers and acquisitions, as well as general representation of public and private companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and private equity and venture capital firms. David has represented a wide range of clients in the legal cannabis and psychedelics industries since 2013. He provides guidance on private placements, public offerings, loan structuring and fund formation for cannabis companies, as well as corporate structuring advice and applications for grow, processing and dispensary licenses. He also advises on risk assessment issues for large, multinational businesses seeking to enter the cannabis industry. The global guide Chambers & Partners ranked Mr. Feldman as a leading US attorney in cannabis law and one of only seven US lawyers in “band 1” for corporate and transactional work in the industry. In addition, the National Law Journal named him a “Cannabis Law Trailblazer” and Business Insider named him as a top lawyer in the cannabis industry. He has also been listed several times in the Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers published by Cannabis Law Digest. David is the former team lead of an AmLaw 100 firm’s 60-attorney Cannabis Industry Group. He frequently speaks at industry conferences and is quoted by numerous publications about legal developments and business news in this rapidly expanding market.

David also advises emerging growth companies in a range of industries with regard to alternatives to traditional financing through initial public offerings, and is considered an authority on public offerings through SEC Regulation A+. He published a book on that subject, called Regulation A+ and Other Alternatives to a Traditional IPO (John Wiley & Sons), in 2018. David has also published The Entrepreneur’s Growth Startup Handbook: 7 Secrets to Venture Funding and Growth Success (2013) and the award-winning Reverse Mergers and Other Alternatives to a Traditional IPO (First Edition 2006, Second Edition 2009). A Wharton School and University of Pennsylvania Law School graduate and former Chair of Wharton’s worldwide alumni, David is not just a lawyer – he’s a community builder. He’s run, built, bought, invested in, and sold businesses. He feels his clients’ pain but provides the objective outsider’s point of view that founders need.

Samantha Gleit Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Feuerstein Kulick LLP

Samantha Gleit is a partner at Feuerstein Kulick and leads the firm’s debt finance practice. Samantha has structured many of the largest debt facilities in the cannabis industry to date, and well as negotiating corporate restructurings for single-state and multi-state operators. This year Samantha was selected by Crain's New York Business for their list of "Notable Women in Law"; and in 2021 she was selected by Law360 as a "Rising Star" honoring attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments transcend their age. Samantha is also an adjunct professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she co-teaches a course in cannabis law.

Throughout her career, Samantha has advised institutional and alternative investors on distressed debt and high risk lending.  She is known for implementing tailored, regulatory-compliant, loan and workout structures designed to maximize protection in the evolving  cannabis legal landscape. Samantha also has extensive experience advising companies (ranging from startups to large public companies) on debt structure, risk management, workouts, acquisition financing, capitalization and compliance. Beyond traditional legal  advice, Samantha also assists startups and growing companies identify liquidity sources, develop growth strategies and negotiate efficient financing solutions. 

Recent representations include GlassHouse; Jushi; Holistic; Loudpack; lenders to Curaleaf, Terrascend, and Cresco; cannabis-focused REITs, a private lender in a $250 million senior secured credit facility with the factoring arm of a wholesale B2B marketplace;  Navy Capital in leading in a private placement of convertible debt with 4Front; and FocusGrowth Capital Partners on debt and equity financings with various multi-state and single state operators. 

Samantha is regularly interviewed and published in leading debt media outlets. In addition to being selected as a top cannabis lawyer under 40 in 2021 by Law360, Samantha was selected as a Rising Star in the 2015 – 2021 editions of New York Metro Super Lawyers®  and featured in The New York Times Magazine Super Lawyers® Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area. Samantha is regularly interviewed by legal publications on debt and equity financing in the cannabis industry. She has also co-authored an article featured  on the cover of the ABI Journal discussing suggested reforms to the federal bankruptcy process.  In 2013, Samantha was awarded the International Bar Association’s Insolvency Scholarship for her award winning article on distressed law firms. Prior to joining  Feuerstein Kulick, Samantha worked at King & Spalding LLP in New York, in the corporate finance and investments group.

David White Related Seminars and Products

Director of Conflict Management Program | Professor of Legal Practice

Seton Hall Law School

I am a practitioner-scholar whose pedagogical interest is the application of Crisis Negotiation techniques to the boardroom and the courtroom. I train future attorneys and members of the public to be effective negotiators when failure is not an option. 

For over 18 years I have maintained strong ties to the federal and local law enforcement communities (FBI, NYPD). I am an alumnus of the FBI/NYO Citizens Academy and a member of the Metro New York InfraGard Alliance and NYPD SHIELD counter-terrorism initiative. 

I am one of a discrete number of civilians to complete the FBI Basic Crisis Negotiation Course (FBI/NK) and have trained with the NYPD's Hostage Negotiation Team and the NYPD Crisis Intervention Team. I have also participated in FBI Interview/Interrogation and Active Shooter Survival training. 

In partnership with the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit (Quantico, VA), I designed and instructed the first full-length Crisis Negotiation course to be offered at an ABA-accredited law school (Seton Hall School of Law, 2015). 

My areas of instructional expertise include:
• Crisis Negotiation (Hostage/Barricade);
• Active Shooter Survival;
• Police Ethics;
• Interviewing;
• Constitutional Law;
• Commercial Negotiation; and
• Mediation. 

I am licensed to practice in New York, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia and am admitted to practice before the following federal courts:
• United States Supreme Court; 
• United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (NY, CT, VT); 
• United States District Court for the Southern District of New York; 
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York; and 
• United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

My areas of practice-based professional expertise include:
• Complex Commercial Litigation; 
• Employment Discrimination; and 
• Securities Law

Toni Forge, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Founder | Attorney

4LeafConsulting

For over 20 years,Toni Forge has worked as a litigator, managing attorney, state mediator and associate general counsel. A graduate of Hastings College of the Law and the University of San Francisco, Toni has used her solid legal foundation to provide solutions to business both large and small.

As a litigator for State Farm Insurance Company, Toni has worked with hundreds of clients in conducting mediations and depositions. Through her work with several Fortune 500 companies, she has developed a unique collection of skill and expertise in contract management and compliance, finance, negotiation, and mediation.

Toni brings knowledge of the legal and business environment that will empower new CannaBusinesses along their path to compliance and success.

A member of LA Cannabis Task Force, Women Entrepreneurs in Cannabis and Kalogia,  Toni has done radio shows and compliance tutorials regarding the regulatory environment in California.  She has also participated in the LA Cannabis Task Force Social Equity project.  Toni will be featured in an upcoming documentary regarding cannabis compliance in California.  Toni has served as a faculty member for the Cannabis Compliance Bootcamp in Los Angeles and has done a host of cannabis compliance seminars.

Carolyn Pellegrini Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Saul Ewing LLP

Carolyn Pellegrini assists employers with labor and employment disputes and other sensitive matters affecting their professional relationships with their employees. Colleges and universities in particular rely on Carolyn for representation in litigation and advice on day-to-day operations involving HR issues and their compliance with federal and state laws. Carolyn brings a holistic understanding of how the many stakeholders within institutions of higher education -- including administrative, academic and athletic departments, student affairs and public safety -- can affect HR departments. 

She handles tenure and collective bargaining agreement disputes and claims involving allegations of harassment and discrimination based on race, age, disability and other protected classes. To help minimize the risk of such disputes, Carolyn also drafts faculty and staff handbooks, as well as policies and procedures, and provides training on how to follow them.

Carolyn's experience with discrimination matters for educational institutions includes compliance reviews, investigation of complaints, issuance of investigation reports, and responses to information requests from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Carolyn extends this same skill set to assist businesses across numerous industries with labor and employment matters. Carolyn represents clients in federal and state employment litigation and arbitration, including matters involving Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act. She also handles investigations of employee misconduct, and the implementation of HR policies and procedures.  

Paul A. Isaac, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

Paul A. Isaac

A highly accomplished attorney with a demonstrated track record of success in financial regulation, consumer protection, cannabis, and occupational oversight. I bring nearly a decade of experience in government leadership roles, including serving as the Deputy Secretary at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation as well as previously serving as Acting Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer appointed by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Throughout my career, I have excelled in developing and implementing policies, managing complex cases and investigations, and fostering collaboration with industry and government stakeholders. As a strategic thinker and problem solver, I am skilled at navigating regulatory challenges and shaping legislative initiatives. I strive to maintain a deep understanding of current market trends, which I leverage to drive positive change. I welcome the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and innovators. If you are interested in discussing regulatory trends, sharing insights, or exploring potential strategic partnerships, please feel free to reach out.

Tom Haren Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Frantz Ward LLP

Tom represents growing businesses at each stage of their development, and is regularly asked to serve as outside general counsel for his clients. In that role, Tom advises his clients with respect to innumerable legal issues, including regulatory compliance, corporate governance, contract negotiations, risk management, litigation and other day-to-day business issues. He often works with his clients to overcome short-term regulatory and financial uncertainty to achieve long-term success in developing markets.

As a result, Tom is one of the most sought after attorneys serving the Ohio and national cannabis industry, in which he represents licensed operators in medical and adult use markets, ancillary service providers, and companies operating in the hemp industry. He supports clients with everything from license acquisition, zoning and municipal law, to product labeling and packaging and regulatory compliance. Tom has also led some of the largest M&A deals in the Ohio cannabis market, representing both the selling license holders and acquiring entities.

His record of achievement as an expert in one of the most rapidly growing segments in the country has earned him considerable recognition, including the Crain's Cleveland Business' 2021 list of Forty Under 40. He has been named to Chambers USA: A Guide to Leading Lawyers in Business in the area of Cannabis Law, is one of the Top 7 Cannabis Attorneys in the U.S. (The Vape Report) and is on The Best Lawyers in America list in the area of Cannabis Law. He has also been named to the Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars list. As a result of his national reputation, Tom is an avid contributor to various local and national media outlets and often is asked to share his expertise by speaking at industry conferences and events.

Tom is also a former nominee for the State Senate. He knows how important it is to build consensus at the local and State level to further clients' interests. Tom has served on the firm’s Management Committee since January 2024.

Jonathan Robbins Related Seminars and Products

Chair, Cannabis Practice Group

Akerman LLP

Jonathan Robbins serves as chair of Akerman’s Cannabis Practice, counseling clients on the evolving, complex legal and business issues impacting companies with interests in the regulated substances industries. Ranked by Chambers USA as a top lawyer in Cannabis Law and recognized in 2018 by the National Law Journal as one of the country’s “Cannabis Law Trailblazers,” he has been published and quoted in national media outlets such as U.S. News & World Report, The American Lawyer, Politico, Washington Post, Bloomberg News, and Law360. He is a founding board member of the National Cannabis Bar Association and is also an active member of the National Cannabis Industry Association.

Jonathan brings deep experience representing public and private companies and individuals in complex regulatory and litigation matters in the regulated substances sectors. His experience encompasses investigations and administrative and enforcement proceedings brought by federal, state, and self-regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Florida Attorney General’s Office, Florida Department of Financial Services, and Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

In addition to his growing cannabis practice, Jonathan also represents public and private companies and individuals in complex regulatory and litigation matters in the financial services and regulated substances sectors. His experience encompasses investigations and administrative and enforcement proceedings brought by federal, state, and self-regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Florida Attorney General’s Office, Florida Department of Financial Services, and Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. He is a go-to resource for broker-dealers and registered persons in securities-related cases filed in both federal and state courts, as well as in FINRA arbitration proceedings addressing both customer and sector disputes.

Jonathan has represented numerous broker-dealers and clearing firms ranging in size from smaller, regional broker-dealer and investment advisory firms to major national wirehouses. He serves as an arbitrator in securities arbitrations between both customers and members and associated persons and members. He frequently represents clients adverse to the SEC while working with the enforcement agency as counsel for receivers appointed by U.S. District Courts.

Gillian Schauer, PhD, MPH Related Seminars and Products

Executive Director

Cannabis Regulators Association

Gillian Schauer, PhD, MPH was elected CANNRA’s first Executive Director in 2021, and served as a Senior Advisor to CANNRA before the association’s founding. 

Gillian Schauer, PhD, MPH was elected CANNRA’s first Executive Director in 2021, and served as a Senior Advisor to CANNRA before the association’s founding. Dr. Schauer has worked in public health and policy for nearly two decades, and has a decade of experience working with federal and state agencies on cannabis policy, data monitoring, and research translation. Through her federal work, she founded and led the Multi-State Collaborative for Cannabis and Public Health from 2014-2021 to foster learnings and cultivate best practices for public health across states with legal cannabis. Prior to working on cannabis policy, Dr. Schauer worked on tobacco control policy. She was the Senior Editor on the 2020 Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking Cessation.Dr. Schauer is an affiliate researcher at the University of Washington and has more than 70 peer-reviewed research publications on cannabis and other substances. She has a PhD from Emory University, a Master of Public Health from University of Washington, and a Bachelors of Science from Northwestern University.

Rebecca Stamey-White Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Hinman & Carmichael LLP

Rebecca Stamey-White is a partner representing the alcoholic beverage, hospitality, and cannabis industries and their investors and service providers. Rebecca helps her clients secure and maintain their required alcohol and cannabis licenses by providing licensing, production, distribution, sales, and marketing counsel, and defending clients before regulatory bodies when their licenses are at risk. She frequently works with clients at the intersection between the alcohol, cannabis and/or hemp industries and provides special regulatory counsel to other law firms. 

Prior to Hinman & Carmichael, Rebecca was an associate in the San Francisco litigation group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she worked on litigation involving dormant commerce clause challenges to state alcohol laws and provided alcohol regulatory advice to wine and technology companies. Rebecca received her BA in History & International Studies from Northwestern University and her JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

In addition to her law practice, Rebecca is an adjunct professor at law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, teaching Cannabis Law, Business, and Policy at the San Francisco Immersion Program. She is also a frequent speaker at industry conferences, law and business schools, and continuing legal education programs on the latest legal issues in the alcoholic beverage and cannabis industries. 

David Suetholz Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski and Wall, PLLC

David Suetholz is a founding member of HSGLaW.  He concentrates his practice on labor and employment law, appellate practice and civil litigation. He has broad experience in representing working people and their unions in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri. He previously served as the general counsel of the Kentucky Labor Cabinet and was partially responsible for record-breaking wage recoveries for Kentucky workers. Additional legal accomplishments include victories at both the Kentucky Supreme Court in Workforce Development Cabinet v. Gaines (2008) and the U.S. Supreme Court in Thompson v. North American Stainless LP (2011), which changed the law for the entire country to more broadly protect people from retaliation under Title VII. Mr. Suetholz is a graduate of Villanova University, where he studied history and theology. He credits his theology background for his decision to attend Notre Dame Law School, where he earned his J.D., and ultimately become a Union-side labor attorney. After law school, he spent nine months at the Instituto de Idiomas in Cochabamba, Bolivia, to learn Spanish and assist immigrant workers. He served as the General Counsel of the Kentucky Labor Cabinet for nearly three years before returning to private practice in 2012. He is licensed to practice law in Kentucky and Indiana.

Paul-Michael Keichel Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

Cullinan & Associates

Paul-Michael (“PM”) has been admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, with right of appearance, since 2013, when he accepted the brief of the now-famous ‘Dagga Couple’ to assist them in decriminalising cannabis use, possession and trade in the country. Apart from this landmark human rights work, he continued to practice as a general and commercial litigator for a large law firm in Johannesburg, often appearing in Court himself, until his departure to pursue other opportunities and lifestyles in October of 2021. In his former role, he contributed to many matters that resulted in reported judgments in favour of his clients.

With its genesis in a cannabis assignment, written to complete his law degree in 2009, his dedicated cannabis and entheogen practice and advocacy afforded him the honour of appearing in the Constitutional Court in 2018 and noting its famous “privacy judgment” (which marked the effective start of meaningful drug reform in the country). P-M has since advised numerous local and international clients on wherever in the cannabis value chain that they may wish to establish themselves, made written and oral submissions to Parliament on more humane drug laws, assisted government, otherwise engaged with regulators, lectured and interviewed on the topic, been invited to steering committees, handled other cannabis-related litigation, and even presented on drug policy at the United Nations in Vienna.

Now practicing and consulting to Cullinan and Associates remotely from Kwa-Zulu Natal, he is leading a High Court (ultimately Constitutional Court) challenge to decriminalise the multiple legitimate uses of psilocybin, and is trying his hand generally at progressing Earth jurisprudence, while learning the ropes of being an environmental lawyer, in addition to his general human rights work – which he considers as entirely complimentary, given that humanity and nature are (inseparably) one and the same.

Akshita Singh Related Seminars and Products

Associate

Greenspoon Marder LLP

Akshita Singh is an associate in the Cannabis Law practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP, providing legal counsel and support to clients on cannabis industry-related matters, including regulatory issues and compliance concerning state and federal laws. Ms. Singh also focuses her practice on state applications for medical and recreational cannabis for dispensaries, processing, and cultivation licenses. Ms. Singh’s practice is not limited to the cannabis industry, however. In addition, she has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), having been involved in numerous high-profile transactions. Her M&A experience spans across various industries, providing her with a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in such transactions. She is adept at guiding clients through the entire M&A process, from due diligence to negotiation, structuring, and closing of the deal. As well as her M&A experience, Ms. Singh also has a strong background in public company securities. She has represented both issuers and underwriters in initial public offerings (IPOs), secondary offerings, and private placements. Her expertise in securities law also extends to regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and disclosure obligations. She is well-versed in the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulatory bodies, ensuring that her clients are always in compliance.

Casey Grabenstein Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Saul Ewing LLP

Casey Grabenstein handles complex commercial litigation for clients nationwide across an array of industries. His litigation experience includes class actions involving securities, consumer fraud, and ERISA, including defeating class certification in multiple cases for a leading insurance company. Casey is also a member of the firm's Cannabis Law Practice and has successfully handled multiple high-profile cannabis lawsuits.

Casey also devotes a substantial portion of his practice to the litigation funding industry. He serves as both due diligence counsel and as primary counsel for funded cases. Casey is also a regular writer and speaker on litigation funding topics.

In addition to his litigation experience, Casey acts as general outside counsel for companies, particularly in the food, beverage, and cannabis industries. His work in this area includes providing legal advice on contractual and business matters, assisting with licensing, and developing compliance programs. 

Casey has an extensive pro bono practice that includes getting a death sentence vacated for a Texas man on death row for eight years and obtaining asylum for a Tanzanian woman following an immigration trial. He also has handled numerous Section 1983 cases involving prisoners and arrestees.

Mitchel Kay Related Seminars and Products

General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

PTS Corp.

Kelly D. Fair Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Dentons

Kelly Fair is a partner in Dentons' Cannabis and Health Care practices and focuses on regulatory compliance, corporate transactions, corporate governance, and public policy, primarily in the cannabis and hemp industries.

With 18 years of in-house and major law firm experience advising high-growth, disruptor industry companies and boards, Kelly has an understanding and appreciation of the broad range of legal, regulatory, operational and financial considerations involved when working with clients in the cannabis and hemp markets.

Prior to rejoining Dentons, Kelly served as Canopy Growth Corporation's first-ever US General Counsel and Vice President of US and European affairs. There, she managed all of the company’s US and European legal and policy affairs, global mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and continuous disclosure. While navigating the limitations of US federal and securities laws related to cannabis and hemp-derived products, Kelly helped bring Canopy’s hemp-derived CBD products to market to the US market, including launching Canopy’s Martha Stewart brand. Kelly also developed innovative deal structures that grew the company’s US footprint and built a first-class US business, which led to creation of Canopy's newly formed US-domiciled holding company, Canopy USA, LLC. Within Dentons, Kelly serves as Canopy USA, LLC’s external US General Counsel, providing all legal services to the holding company and its $600M operating assets under management.

Taylor Stevens Related Seminars and Products

Vice President, Labor and Employment

PharmaCann Inc.

General Counsel whose practice tends to focus on general business and legal matters from labor and employment matters including wage and hour claims, wrongful termination suits, and union LPA and CBA contract negotiations, to general contract negotiation and drafting, as well as Intellectual Property filing and protection, real estate lease and/or purchase negotiations, and AIA construction agreements. My practice is a hybrid of both transactional and litigation practice that has developed due to my unique skill set and ability to adapt to the needs of my clients, from Fortune 500 companies to privately held start-ups. I have advised and assisted my clients on structuring airport concession agreements, real estate leases, telecommunications leases, access agreements, and installation agreements involving telecommunications equipment and providers. I have also advised my clients on a variety of intellectual property issues ranging from technology licensing to copyright and trademark infringement to the protection of proprietary technology. My hybrid practice provides me with a unique perspective and a comprehensive approach to practicing law that benefits my clients. I understand the business objectives of my clients and how they intersect with the legal realities of today. I am not afraid to get creative in an effort to help my clients achieve their business goals within the confines of the law.

Matthew Brockmeier Related Seminars and Products

Founder

Garden Variety

Matthew is based in Denver, Colorado and has a front row seat to the unfolding of Colorado’s new Natural Medicine Health Act. 

In Matthew’s own words, “my practice is centered on drugs; the law, business, policy, and (sometimes even) politics of psychedelics, cannabis, and other controlled substances.  I earned a J.D. with a Certificate in Health Law from DePaul University College of Law and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from The Ohio State University, where I graduated cum laude from the Honors College.  Licensed to practice law in Colorado and Illinois."

Kimberly Ohanuka, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Associate Attorney

Littler Mendelson P.C.

Kimberly C. Ohanuka counsels and represents employers in various labor and employment matters. Kim's background includes successfully defending clients in federal and state courts against discrimination, harassment, retaliation, Americans with Disabilities Act ?(ADA), and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claims. She has extensive experience representing employers before administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She has experience conducting internal workplace investigations regarding discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and ethical and policy violations. Finally, she has experience in defending and counseling clients on wage and hour collective actions and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance.

Before joining Littler, Kimberly honed her skills at a national law firm, where she tackled a broad spectrum of employment, commercial litigation, and regulatory matters. Prior to joining private practice, Kim clerked for the Hon. Charles H. Dorsey III, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge, and the Hon. Gina L. Simms, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Aleah M. Schutze Related Seminars and Products

Of Counsel

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Aleah Schutze knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in health care and obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Health in addition to her Juris Doctorate degree. After practicing for several years in California, Aleah continued to build her health care acumen as the Associate General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel for Res-Care, Inc. (now BrightSpring Health Services), the largest diversified health and human services provider in the U.S. Res-Care, Inc. provides services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and also provides behavioral health, home health and hospice, and rehabilitation services across the country to over 55,000 individuals.  In that role, she gained experience working with state Medicaid agencies nationwide.  As a result, Aleah developed a more in-depth understanding of the issues health care entities face from a business, as well as a legal standpoint.

When Aleah joined Steptoe and Johnson, she began focusing more of her practice on the cannabis industry, with a particular focus on helping health care providers navigate the conflicting state and federal laws.  Clients appreciate Aleah’s practical, business-like approach as she works with them to evaluate risks, advises them on regulatory requirements, and recommends courses of action.

Bryna Dahlin Related Seminars and Products

Chair, Cannabis Industry Group

Benesch

Bryna Dahlin is a partner and chair of the Cannabis Industry Group at Benesch, where she works on the cutting edge of an emerging industry known for its regulatory complexity and challenging legal and business landscape. For nearly a decade, she has advised companies in all sectors of the cannabis space including growers, manufacturers, distributors, dispensaries, investors and ancillary businesses. She also advises non-cannabis companies that are impacted by cannabis laws. Her clients are nationwide and range from new entrants in the space to publicly-traded companies operating across dozens of states.

Bryna enjoys helping clients achieve their business objectives and prides herself on gaining a keen understanding of their operations. She offers real-world guidance that is clear, practical, and always focused on achieving client objectives. She understands the challenges in the cannabis industry and loves nothing more than seeing her clients grow and meet their business goals.

Bryna advises clients across the country on issues of regulatory compliance, risk avoidance, company formation and structuring, licensing, corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, advertising and product packaging, brand strategy and intellectual property protection. She also performs legal due diligence for investors in the cannabis space, and guides hemp, health and beauty brand clients in navigating Cannabidiol (CBD) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laws.

Bryna is also a skilled trial lawyer who uses her skills to help clients avoid and mitigate risk, and she does not hesitate to litigate when the circumstances call for it. Beyond cannabis, she has represented prominent food, pharmaceutical, entertainment, advertising, technology and consumer product companies in an array of high-profile cases.

Bryna’s career trajectory reflects her commitment to pursuing her professional aspirations regardless of the obstacles. When the cannabis industry was in its infancy, she left her position with a global law firm and co-founded the first cannabis law firm in Illinois before later bringing this practice to Benesch. Bryna serves as pro bono counsel to the Chicago chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). She is a founding member of the Illinois Cannabis Bar Association, and member of the International Cannabis Bar, National Cannabis Industry Associations, and Illinois Women in Cannabis.

Bryna has lectured across the country on the ever-evolving landscape in cannabis law and served as an adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, where she taught Illinois’ first law course on cannabis. She is nationally ranked by Chambers & Associates for cannabis law, is a Global Top 200 cannabis lawyer, and her cannabis practice group is recognized by the prestigious Legal 500. Past honors have included Crain’s Notable Women in Law, Super Lawyers, and the National Law Journal’s 40 under 40 in Chicago.

Sari W Montgomery Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Robinson, Stewart, Montgomery & Doppke LLC

Sari W. Montgomery has devoted her career to the law of lawyering, legal ethics and professional responsibility for more than nearly 30 years.

After more than a decade as Litigation and Senior Litigation Counsel at the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois (ARDC), where she conducted hundreds of investigations and prosecuted dozens of cases before the ARDC Hearing Board, Sari decided to apply her extensive knowledge of the ARDC and legal ethics to helping lawyers who may be facing disciplinary proceedings or who need guidance on ethics matters. Since 2010, she has successfully represented lawyers at every stage of the disciplinary process from investigation and hearing, to appeals before the ARDC Review Board and the Illinois Supreme Court. Sari also represents judges in disciplinary proceedings, and bar applicants in navigating Character and Fitness proceedings.

In addition to defending lawyers, judges, and bar applicants in disciplinary and bar admissions proceedings, Sari provides preventative consulting services and legal advice to lawyers regarding all manner of ethical and practice management issues. She has issued opinion letters on behalf of lawyers, law firms, government agencies, and law-related businesses to assist in clarifying their ethical obligations and to ensure their business models and procedures are consistent with the Rules of Professional Conduct. Sari also serves as an expert witness in legal malpractice and fee matters.

Sari is a leader in local, state and national bar associations and frequently presents at national, state, and local CLE programs. She is the Treasurer of the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers, serves on the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Professional Regulation and on the Illinois State Bar Association Committee on Professional Conduct, as well as on the Board of Managers of the Chicago Bar Association. Sari is also an Adjunct Professor of Legal Ethics at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and is a faculty member of the Practising Law Institute (PLI) and the National Academy of Continuing Legal Education (NACLE).

Sari has published numerous articles on a wide range of ethics and professional responsibility issues and has been appointed as a Subject Matter Expert/Drafting Committee Member for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE). Sari is a graduate of the University of Chicago and Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.

Mr. Ohad Kiperstok Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Angel, Kiperstok y Asociados

He is a lawyer and founding partner of the firm, a Litigator focused on commercial, banking, civil and criminal litigation in the Accusatory Criminal System.

He is a specialist in commercial law, corporate law, protection and structuring of family assets, Private Interest Foundations, Public Limited Companies.

Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Law and Political Sciences. ISAE University.
-Active member of the National Bar Association.

J. Bradley Spirrison Related Seminars and Products

CEO

Grown In Enterprises, LLC

Grown In is your home for cannabis industry insights, events and education – providing valuable content, strategic networking and online training for cannabis businesses.

Grown In’s industry commentary and intentional relationship-building makes sure you’re presented with the names, companies, regulators, and investors you need to know. Our online courses train cannabis workers and keep leaf-touching cannabis companies in regulatory compliance.

Thomas Y. Mandler Related Seminars and Products

Partner | Co-Chair, Traditional Labor Law Practice

Akerman LLP

Tom Mandler represents employers on a nationwide basis in the full spectrum of issues dealing with their employees, whether or not they are employed at-will, pursuant to an employment agreement, or represented by a union. A substantial portion of his practice is devoted to advising employers on how to maintain union-free status, including conducting supervisory training, union vulnerability audits, election campaigns, and defending unfair labor practice charges. 

For employers whose employees are represented by a union, Tom has negotiated more than 300 collective bargaining agreements nationwide, some of which have involved Federal Mediators, strikes, picketing and injunctions. He has also handled countless grievance and arbitration proceedings, as well as having represented employers in court and before all federal and many state and local governmental agencies enforcing labor, equal employment opportunity, wage and hour, affirmative action, and occupational safety and health laws.

Tom attempts to prevent or minimize costly legal problems by devoting a substantial part of his practice to supervisory training, client counseling, and workplace claims prevention. He also serves as outside general counsel for several clients, in matters involving business disputes, and drafting contracts such as distribution and supply agreements.

Mary L. Tabin Related Seminars and Products

Member

Miller Johnson

Mary L. Tabin is a Member at Miller Johnson and has been practicing law since 1998. She is vice-chair of Miller Johnson’s Family Owned Business and Closely Held Companies practice, and is a member of the Wage and Hour Practice Group, FMLA / ADA Solutions Practice Group, and on the firm’s Health Care Reform Team.
Employment Law

Ms. Tabin represents owners, executives and human resource professionals for privately held and family owned businesses of all sizes.  She is also counsel to employers and managers of major providers in the health care industry. She provides day-to-day HR guidance in areas such as employee relations, retention, employee handbooks/policies and employment contracts including non-compete agreements and restrictive covenants. Ms. Tabin has vast experience in counseling on issues related to discrimination, harassment and retaliation. She also works with clients regarding compliance with laws governing wage and hour (FLSA), leaves of absence (FMLA), disability accommodation (ADA), and health and safety (OSHA/MIOSHA). Because she provides training in all of these areas, she is highly sought after as a speaker and for interviews.

Ms. Tabin routinely assists companies identify and resolve workplace issues that pose a threat to business operations. A large portion of Ms. Tabin’s practice includes conducting workplace investigations regarding employee misconduct, regulatory and compliance concerns, and discrimination, harassment and retaliation allegations. Ms. Tabin understands the importance of completing investigations in a prompt yet thorough and discreet manner. A key outcome of successful investigations is the creation and implementation of appropriate corrective actions that can help maximize employee relations and minimize future liability. To this end, Ms. Tabin partners with her clients, their boards and audit committees to recommend and implement any necessary disciplinary actions, evaluate policy changes, provide training to supervisors and managers, and institute programmatic operational and compliance changes to improve the organization’s business operations and protect against legal challenges.

Thomas (Tommy) Tobin Related Seminars and Products

Counsel

Perkins Coie LLP

Thomas Tobin’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and class action matters involving statutory, constitutional, and regulatory issues in a range of industries, including food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, and cannabis. In the food and beverage sector, Tommy has experience defending false advertising claims and consumer protection claims for well-known international corporations. He regularly writes articles on food law and policy issues and is chair of the American Bar Association’s Food, Cosmetics and Nutraceuticals Committee. Tommy recently edited the American Bar Association’s Food Law: A Practical Guide, a resource book for practitioners to assist them in meeting the unique needs of food and beverage clients across various domains of legal practice.

Tommy’s litigation background includes drafting complaints, dispositive motions, and other filings in high-stakes litigation as well as participating in depositions and case strategy. He also has experience assisting with internal investigations.

Maintaining an active pro bono practice, Tommy has represented clients in administrative appeals for public benefits, including food stamps, disability benefits, and veteran benefits. For three years, he taught a food law and policy module at the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. With Perkins Coie Partner David Biderman, Tommy now teaches the seminar “Food Litigation: Consumer Protection, Regulation, and Class Actions” at UCLA Law.

Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Tommy served as a law clerk to the Hon. Max O. Cogburn, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. In 2012, Tommy was awarded the George Mitchell Scholarship for travel to the island of Ireland. He holds degrees from Stanford University, Harvard Law School, and the Harvard Kennedy School. While earning his J.D., he served as president of the Harvard Food Law Society, was an online editor for the Harvard Law & Policy Review, and worked as a teaching fellow in the Harvard Economics Department.

Kristin Siegel Related Seminars and Products

Deputy General Counsel

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority

Atlanta native. Tulane Law School ’16. Since 2020, Kristin Siegel has served the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, the State agency tasked with licensing and regulating cannabis. Prior to representing the State, she worked at Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, first fostering access to justice for indigent survivors of domestic abuse in civil litigation, and later developing an eviction defense docket during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mila Kellen Arnette Marshall, PhD Related Seminars and Products

Staff Editor - Cannabis Corner

Chicago News Weekly

Dr. Mila Marshall is an environmental professional and journalist with a passion for advancing sustainability in all sectors. Her passion is directed towards urban food systems in segregated cities and works to identify and communicate the importance of healthy air, land and water for people and agricultural commodities. She pivoted towards cannabis as the industry emerged in 2019, is the Education Committee Chair of the National Cannabis Industry Association, creator of the BIPOC Banking & Cannabis Summit and current editor of Cannabis Corner for Chicago News Weekly. She assisted in the writing of HB1438 making Illinois legislation the greenest in the nation and finds herself focused on communicating the impacts of climate change on the hemp and marijuana supply chain. 

Shia Kapos Related Seminars and Products

Political Reporter

Politico

Shia Kapos is a politics reporter at POLITICO and author of the Illinois Playbook, a go-to newsletter for influencers in Illinois government and politics.

Her tenure at POLITICO has dovetailed with the debate about legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois and the broader efforts to regulate it since it became law. A national story written by Shia and her cannabis reporter colleagues was nominated by POLITICO for a Pulitzer.

Prior to joining POLITICO, she wrote the popular Taking Names column for the Chicago Sun-Times (and before that Crain’s Business). She’s also had stints at Dealreporter and the Salt Lake Tribune in Utah, where the regulation debate was focused on booze.

Charlie Bachtell Related Seminars and Products

Founder and CEO

Cresco Labs

Charlie Bachtell has served as Cresco Labs’ Chief Executive Officer since February 2015. His vision is to create an organizational culture where employees feel empowered, valued and appreciated and serve as owners, stewards and leaders of the cannabis industry—a leadership style with core values established early on that has guided Cresco Labs as an efficient growth company and are shaping cannabis into a robust and responsible industry.

Prior to co-founding Cresco Labs, Mr. Bachtell worked for a decade at Guaranteed Rate as its Executive Vice President and General Counsel. In this role, he guided the company as the mortgage industry transitioned from unregulated to hyperregulated, with a state-by-state regulatory framework. Through this unique experience, Mr. Bachtell is one of the leading authorities on corporate governance and complex regulatory compliance in the cannabis industry.

Currently, Mr. Bachtell is the Chairman of the National Cannabis Roundtable. He is a founding member of the Illinois Cannabis Bar Association, as well as cannabis industry trade associations in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio. He is a board member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, National Cannabis Bar Association and National Cannabis Industry Association. In addition, Mr. Bachtell is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law, teaching a course on legal and regulatory issues in the cannabis industry.

He is the recipient of the Captains of the Industry Award from the American Trade Association for Cannabis Hemp. Through his leadership of Cresco Labs, the company has been recognized as a Best-Led American Company by Inc. magazine. Cresco Labs was also named one of the fastest growing businesses in Chicago by Crain’s and ranked the fastest growing U.S. cannabis company on Financial Times’ fourth annual list of The America’s Fastest Growing Companies.

Mr. Bachtell holds a B.S. from the University of Arizona and a J.D. from DePaul University’s College of Law.

Jeremy Unruh, Esq., M.B.A. Related Seminars and Products

Senior VP - Public and Regulatory Affairs

PharmaCann Inc.

Jeremy Unruh serves as the PharmaCann senior vice president of public and regulatory affairs.  

Jeremy is responsible for the company’s strategic external matters, including legislative policy and public affairs; media relationships; organized labor; and coordination with state and local regulators.  He works closely with PharmaCann’s finance team to facilitate investor and banking relationships.  He manages lobbying efforts in eight statehouses and Washington, D.C., and is at the tip of the spear as PharmaCann works to optimize its operations across the company’s eight-state footprint. 

Jeremy was PharmaCann’s first employee, initially serving a general counsel and chief compliance officer, and later focusing on the company’s external affairs: 

• Manages interaction between the company and state regulatory agencies relating to the licensed cultivation and distribution of regulated cannabis products.  
• Developed the initial legal and regulatory compliance systems for PharmaCann’s operational facilities.  
• Helped prepare winning competitive state cannabis license applications in New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and Virginia.  Awarded the most licenses won in Illinois by any single group.  Earned the top score (and the first license) in the New York State medical cannabis application process. 
• Developed and operationalized nearly 500,000 square feet of state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation and production space, along with nearly a score of highly-regulated dispensary facilities. 
• While serving as chief compliance officer, personally managed some of the first state- sanctioned marijuana facility compliance inspections ever conducted east of the Rockies. 
• Managed and negotiated company union relationships in multiple states, including New York, Illinois, and New Jersey. Responsible for negotiating labor peace agreements, bargaining unit recognition, and collective bargaining agreements. 
• Led litigation efforts, including administrative challenges, constitutional claims, real estate claims, and open records matters. In two instances, achieving the awards of a ~$20 million Ohio cultivation license and a ~$8 million Ohio processing license to the company.  In another, managed New York State licensing litigation to a successful settlement with state cannabis regulators.  
• Leads media efforts, operating as a primary spokesman for the company in all markets and at the national level.  Helped lead industry’s adult-use campaign efforts in New York and Illinois, among other markets, by overseeing public affairs activity and developing industry policy positions. 
• Worked with the company's New Markets team to identify and create strategy for the penetration of new or emerging markets, including Illinois, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, Georgia, Missouri, West Virginia, and others. 

Beginning his career as a prosecutor, Jeremy was trained in trial advocacy by the United States Department of Justice at the National College of District Attorneys in Columbia, S.C.  Before his appointment as the first-chair prosecutor in the courtroom of the Chief Judge of the Criminal Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Jeremy successfully investigated and tried drug cases, homicides, financial, and sexual abuse crimes. 

Jeremy went into private practice for a national law firm that would reach the American Lawyer Top 100 during his tenure.  Jeremy’s practice focused on commercial litigation, internal compliance investigations in the financial services and healthcare sectors, and product liability defense.  He was the lead trial attorney on the national product liability trial team for a Fortune 100 industrial company for many years.  He joined the firm’s Chicago office in 2006, where he helped grow the Chicago law firm from a handful of lawyers to an office of more than 100 lawyers when he left to join the cannabis industry in 2015.   

Jeremy has a B.S. from Kansas State University.  He earned a Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law where he was an inaugural recipient of the Environmental Law certificate.  While serving as an assistant state’s attorney in Chicago, Jeremy attended DePaul University Kellstadt School of Business Management at night and earned his M.B.A.  Jeremy lives in Winnetka, Illinois with his wife and three children.

Matt Darin Related Seminars and Products

CEO

Curaleaf, Inc.

Matt Darin is CEO of Curaleaf. As the former Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Grassroots Cannabis, Matt grew Grassroots to become the largest privately-held multi-state operator in the United States with 1,200 employees and more than 70 licenses to grow, process, and dispense cannabis in 12 states. Grassroots was acquired by Curaleaf in July 2020; Matt then served as President of Curaleaf’s Central Region with leadership responsibility for the company’s strategy and execution in 8 states.

Prior to his 7 years in the cannabis industry, Matt was a Founder and Principal with Frontline Real Estate Partners. Frontline celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2010 and is one of the most active commercial real estate companies in the Midwest.

Matt graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science with honors in Accounting and Bachelor of Science with honors in Business Administration – Management Information Systems.

Mr. Michael Joseph Heaton, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

Of Counsel

Ice Miller LLP

Joe Heaton is an experienced government affairs, policy and communications professional with nearly 20 years of experience working in the food and beverage, cannabis, tech and life sciences industries.

Skilled in state, federal and global policymaking, grassroots organizing, coalition building and international relations, Joe previously served as executive director of government affairs of a technology, analytics and data science company where he led efforts on cannabis seed-to-sale tracking, business licensing and patient registries in the U.S. He also worked on analytics and real world evidence studies in states that have legalized cannabis.  

Joe also spent six years with a national trade association representing companies producing and importing beer sold in the U.S. During that time, Joe spearheaded a successful campaign to modernize the federal excise tax on beverage alcohol. As a result, Joe was named Brewbound Magazine's person of the year in 2020. He also worked on import/export issues and tariff/trade issues associated with aluminum and glass packaging as well as other beer-related inputs. Additionally, Joe spent a decade serving in the U.S. House of Representatives as Deputy Chief of staff to Congressman John Runyan of New Jersey as well as Senior Advisor and Counsel to Congressman Michael Turner of Ohio.

Joe earned his juris doctor in 2004 from Penn State University, Dickinson School of Law. During law school, he served as managing editor of the Journal of American Arbitration and led Penn State's American Trial Lawyers Association Moot Court Team. He also served for three years on the Student Bar Association. 

Joe obtained his Bachelor of Arts in diplomacy and foreign affairs from Miami University in 2001. At Miami, Joe served as vice president for member education of his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi. Additionally, he was awarded the W.A. Driscoll Scholarship, the Earl L. Reeder Scholarship and was a Miami University Scholar Leader. He was a founding member of Miami University's Greek-led Habitat for Humanity chapter and served on the board for Miami's Dance Marathon.

A native of Centerville, Ohio, Joe currently lives in Washington, D.C., with his husband.  Joe is a former rugby player with the Washington Renegades Rugby Football Club. He currently sings with the Choral Arts Society of Washington where he has performed with Audra McDonald on the Kennedy Center Honors, Andrea Bocceli and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Robert Martin Tobiassen, J.D., LLM Taxation Related Seminars and Products

Principal

Tobiassen Consulting + Solutions LLC

Robert M. Tobiassen is the President of the National Association of Beverage Importers, Inc. (NABI), Washington, DC, since October 2018. Prior to that appointment, he was the Principal at Tobiassen Consulting Plus Solutions LLC, after a 34-year Federal service career with regulatory, taxation and administrative and judicial enforcement experience with the domestic and global alcohol industry and served in the career Senior Executive Service (SES) as the inaugural Chief Counsel, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Department of the Treasury in 2003. As TTB Chief Counsel, Mr. Tobiassen liaisoned with CBP, USTR, and the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, as well as Capitol Hill. He served on USTR delegations to negotiations with the European Commission in Brussels and the WTO in Geneva.

Mr. Tobiassen holds a B.A. in Political Science with distinction from the University of California, Berkeley, a J.D. from the Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Oregon where he served on law review, and a LL.M. in Taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC. Among other awards, Mr. Tobiassen received the 2003 Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious SES Executives and the 2012 Distinguished Service Award from the Secretary of the Treasury.