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.

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.

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. 

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.

Steve Schain Related Seminars and Products

Senior Counsel

Smart Counsel

Winner of National Law Journal’s “2019 Finance, Banking, & Capital Markets Trailblazer” award, Steve Schain runs 100% woman owned, national cannabis law firm Smart-Counsel, LLC's PA and NJ practices and Chair its Financial Services Group. Admitted to practice in PA and New Jersey, Steve represents entities, governments and individuals in litigation, regulation and compliance, license applications, entity formation, and drafting legislation. Steve is also an Adjunct Faculty Member of, and teaches “Cannabis Law” at, Stockton University, one of only 5 universities offering a minor in Cannabis Studies. A nationally recognized Cannabis, banking law and consumer finance litigation expert, Steve serves as a court appointed judge pro tempore and arbitrator, is a The Legal Intelligencer, New Jersey Law Journal, and Cannabis Business Executive columnist, and frequent presenter for the National Cannabis Industry Association, International Cannabis Bar Association, Pennsylvania Credit Union Association, Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Group, Marijuana Business Daily, Pennsylvania Bar Institute and National Bar Institute.

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 focuses on local and state applications, land use, regulatory compliance, and business law.  Jessica 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, Encinitas, Lemon Grove, 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 is a former Chair of the International Cannabis Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee and its Continuing Legal Education Committee, and a former member of its Board of Directors.  Jessica has spoken at conferences and taught continuing legal education classes for organizations and law schools including the California Lawyers Association, Practising 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).

Timothy L. Alger Related Seminars and Products

Owner

Alger Resolutions

Timothy L. Alger is a civil litigator, mediator, and owner of Alger Law APC and Alger ADR Services.  Tim makes himself available nationwide to mediate and arbitrate disputes among businesses and individuals.  His expertise in the cannabis industry and 33 years in commercial litigation makes him a valuable resource for resolution of disagreements without the high cost of litigation in court.

Formerly the head of litigation, employment law and trademarks at Google and an equity partner at three major international law firms, Tim has represented leading internet, media, entertainment and advertising companies in regulatory disputes and litigation over trademarks, copyrights, unfair competition, contracts, free speech, defamation, and privacy.

Tim has represented legal cannabis businesses in civil litigation and regulatory disputes with governmental entities.  Recent representations in this industry include civil litigation over trademarks, contracts, relocation of a cannabis dispensary, excessive fines on cannabis cultivators, civil rights violations by law enforcement agencies, and ownership and management disputes in cannabis business partnerships and companies.

In other industries, Tim has represented a variety of companies and individuals in disputes over corporate acquisitions, business relationships, and financial issues.  His work ranges from complex, multi-defendant class actions to disputes over subpoenas and public access to government proceedings and records.  Tim’s business litigation work included post-trial and appellate representation of an international office supply company, in which Tim obtained the reversal for his client of a $32 million jury verdict for fraud and breach of an advertising contract.  Tim’s work also included representation in the trial and appellate courts of a billboard company that successfully challenged the City of Los Angeles’ inconsistent regulation of outdoor signs.

Tim has been an outspoken advocate for First Amendment and other civil rights for nearly five decades, both as an attorney and journalist.  He was lead counsel in two watershed Ninth Circuit cases interpreting Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act, which provides protection to internet companies that host content created by others.  Tim also successfully represented clients in the Ninth Circuit in free speech cases of first impression involving the posting of controversial content on YouTube and on online roommate and dating services.  As outside counsel and during his tenure as Deputy General Counsel at Google, Tim led Google's defense against lawsuits over copyrighted material posted online without owner consent, and the use of trademarks without owner consent in internet search advertising by competitors.  Tim’s team obtained complete victories in two patent jury trials in the Eastern District of Texas.  Tim and Google also took leading roles during Tim's tenure in controversies over news aggregation, online piracy, privacy rights, software patents, and open source licensing. 

Other recent victories include the dismissal of a federal lawsuit challenging a social network’s decision to remove material violating the network’s policies, which was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit, and the California Court of Appeal’s holding that electronic communications cannot be disclosed by a service provider without the user’s express consent.

Tim has offices in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and San Francisco, but appears regularly in courts throughout California and has a national practice in the federal trial and appellate courts. He holds mediations and arbitrations in-person at any of his offices or via video conferencing, and will travel when requested.

Tim is a frequent speaker on cannabis law, online intermediary liability, publicity and privacy rights, and defamation.  His pro bono work has included representation of a state prisoner beaten by guards, a blind college student excluded from classes because of her disability, college newspapers, a mother and daughter subjected to excessive commercial fines for a medical marijuana garden, and public school students and parents seeking special education services.

Before attending law school, Mr. Alger was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. 

Jen Randolph Reise, JD Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

North Star Cannabis Law

Jen Randolph Reise is a leading Minnesota cannabis industry lawyer. A transactional business attorney by training, she is Head of Business and Cannabis Law at North Star Law Group PLLC in St. Paul, Minnesota [www.northstarlaw.com], where she advises business owners on formation, equity arrangements, regulatory compliance, and other corporate issues. Jen has been profiled in the Star Tribune, Minneapolis St.-Paul Business Journal, and Racket.MN (which dubbed her the “weed lady lawyer”), and frequently speaks on podcasts, CLEs, and panels on cannabis law and policy. 

A securities attorney by training, she is passionate about helping founders manage risk proactively and maintain control while raising the capital they need. 

After graduating law school summa cum laude in 2007, she was in private practice at the Minneapolis office of Taft, Stettinus & Hollister (formerly Briggs and Morgan), and spent four years in-house as SEC and compliance counsel at a public company. She then served as a Visiting Professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law for three years, where she taught doctrinal business law courses with an emphasis on transactional law and business skills.  

Jen is also an entrepreneur. She founded a tech-ed startup called JD Navigator (JDNavigator.com) to help lawyers, law students, and prospective law students chart their course: that is, to get the information they need to make the career decisions that are right for them. More recently, she launched Sandwich Smarter (sandwichsmarter.com), which empowers Americans caught in the "caregiving sandwich" (raising their teenagers and caring for aging parents) with DIY legal forms, resources and community. 

She is building on that experience with semi-DIY approaches at North Star Law Group, creating resources and forms for entrepreneurs and small businesses, especially in the cannabis industry, to allow entrepreneurs to keep building quickly and at a lower cost than working 1:1 with a business lawyer.

Tyler Klimas Related Seminars and Products

Principal | Founder

Leaf Street Strategies, LLC

Tyler Klimas is the founder of Leaf Street Strategies and the former chief cannabis regulator for Nevada’s medical and adult-use cannabis marketplace. He was the first executive director appointed to Nevada’s cannabis regulatory agency and oversaw the state’s meteoric rise to become a billion-dollar retail industry. Klimas also helped found the highly successful Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA), a non-profit association made up of chief cannabis regulators from across the United States and Canada. He led the association as its president, significantly expanding the association’s footprint and engagement efforts with U.S. federal agencies and members of Congress in Washington, D.C. Klimas also spent time as a federal lobbyist on Capitol Hill, where he led successful coalition-building and advocacy efforts on behalf of public and private sector entities. Klimas started his career in political campaigns and has served in a number of high-level roles for elected officials.

Jason Moscovici Related Seminars and Products

Founder | President

Provisions Legal Services Inc.

Jason Moscovici is a lawyer, biochemist, and founder of Provisions Legal Services, a Canadian law firm specialized in regulated industries. His practice focuses on intellectual property and regulatory compliance in fields such as cannabis, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, cosmetics, personal care products, nicotine delivery and natural health products.

Jason’s focus on the valorization and enforcement of IP, as well as the numerous compliance issues that orbit regulated businesses, have allowed him to become one of the most trusted legal advisors to the emerging international cannabis industry. His perspectives on innovation, and the commercial hurdles related specifically to the area of controlled substances old and new, are routinely solicited by industry groups and other stakeholders in this space. He sits on several committees and working groups dedicated to identifying and establishing international legal practices in these areas.

Karl Ruegemer Related Seminars and Products

Corporate Counsel

Smoakland

Corporate Counsel
Smoakland
May 2024 - Present
San Francisco Bay Area

Priya Sopori Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Greenberg Glusker LLP

Priya Sopori’s legal savvy and deep courtroom experience—both as an award-winning veteran federal prosecutor and in substantial private practice—enable her to provide clients with the skilled representation and counsel they need during high-stakes trial and crisis situations.

As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California, she indicted some 45 cases, tried numerous multi-week jury trials, and successfully prosecuted federal sex crimes against women and children, white-collar fraud, and cybercrimes, obtaining convictions.

In private practice, Priya has extensive business litigation and trial experience involving intellectual property, copyright and trade-secret protection, licensing agreements for music and internet/television rights, international film financing and distribution, employer discrimination and sexual harassment, securities litigation, entertainment litigation, wrongful death, and white-collar crime.

In addition to her trial expertise, Priya regularly works with clients who represent investment funds, REITs, hospitality, hedge funds, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. She often acts as outside general counsel to clients by providing guidance on employment, responses to subpoenas, contractual, real estate, and intellectual property matters as well as assisting with SEC compliance concerns, including agency and/or government investigations.

Priya has won numerous defense verdicts, including a multimillion-dollar employment discrimination suit against a major insurer, and in suits against a successful developer, a noted Hollywood studio, and other high-profile clients. She has successfully litigated the seizure of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash by the government and successfully negotiated settlements in favor of her clients. She has also successfully negotiated favorable settlements in several trademark, employment, and financial litigation matters, thereby protecting her clients from lengthy, expensive lawsuits.  She has also won countless motions for summary judgment against the government, and corporate and individual plaintiffs and defendants. Read more about her representative matters.

Priya frequently writes and comments on high-profile civil and criminal matters and has been featured in several media outlets, including Los Angeles Business Journal, Law360, Associated Press, NBC Los Angeles, and Daily Journal.

Lara DeCaro Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Leland, Parachini, Steinberg, Matzger and Melnick

I am a business attorney and mediator admitted to practice in three states. I am also a co-founder, former Executive Officer and Board Member, and the current President of the Advisory Board of the International Cannabis Bar Association and a co-founder and the current Chair of the BASF Cannabis Law Section, founder of the BASF (LRIS) pro bono panel for social equity applicants, frequent speaker, podcast guest, and teacher at City College San Francisco. In 2022 I provided testimony on cannabis policy reform, upon invitation, to elected members of the Irish Parliament and their invitees at Leinster House in Dublin, Ireland. I also have significant experience in the areas of cannabis, intellectual property, commercial transactions/M&A, real estate, hospitality, and entertainment law, and have consistenly been named to Chambers and Partners top cannabis attorneys for several years.  

Kristina Dahmann Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Ice Miller LLP

Kristina Dahmann is a partner in Ice Miller’s Litigation and Cannabis Industry Group. Kristina has broad litigation experience encompassing traditional business and banking disputes, trade secret protection, labor and employment defense, and white-collar criminal defense. Kristina has specific experience with comprehensive compliance reviews, training programs, and federal and state administrative and regulatory processes with respect to federal and state-regulated industries and regularly provides counseling to help clients navigate these industries.

Erik Gundersen Related Seminars and Products

Founder & Principal

ERG Strategies, LLC

Erik is the Founder or ERG Strategies, LLC, a specialized boutique consultancy committed to empowering state and tribal governments with valuable insights into the complexities of cannabis legalization. Erik’s mission is to foster the development of equitable, viable, and safe cannabis and hemp markets on a global scale.

Prior to establishing ERG Strategies, Erik served as the Executive Director of Maine’s Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP). In this role, he spearheaded the creation and administration of the state agency responsible for overseeing Maine’s medical and adult-use cannabis programs. Under Erik’s leadership, Maine’s adult-use cannabis program successfully launched in the fall of 2020.

Before assuming his role at Maine’s OCP, Erik served as a Senior Policy Advisor to two Speakers of the Maine House. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role as the chief liaison to the Legislature’s Cannabis Legalization Implementation Committee, which
was instrumental in shaping the regulatory framework for Maine’s adult-use cannabis
industry.”

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.

Amanda Ostrowitz, Esq. Related Seminars and Products

CEO

Slap Consulting

As the founder of CannaRegs and a leading subject matter expert in cannabis law and local government regulation, Slap Consulting assists cannabis operators (existing and prospective) with cannabis site selection, real estate strategy, license opportunity identification, and new market expansion.

Kaimbri White Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

Overman Legal Group, PLLC

Kaimbri White received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She is currently a member of the Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity and her practice focuses solely on cannabis law. While she was in law school, she served as a judicial extern for the honorable Robert E. Bacharach in the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, in addition to serving as Assistant Executive Editor of the American Indian Law Review. Kaimbri’s work on tribal cannabis in Oklahoma was published by the American Indian Law Review in 2018.

Kaimbri has spent the last three years researching and writing about cannabis regulations nationwide. Her heightened focus on the Oklahoma market makes her an excellent resource for cannabis and hemp businesses seeking regulatory compliance. Kaimbri received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 2013. She would love to help answer your questions regarding breaking into either of these rapidly growing sectors here in the great state of Oklahoma.

Sanford Wolgel, PhD Related Seminars and Products

Expert Witness

IMS Legal Strategies

Dr. Sanford Wolgel is an experienced, successful Expert Witness on Regulatory Affairs in the Food, Dietary Supplement and Ingredient industries, as well as in the emerging Cannabis, Marijuana and Hemp markets.  His expertise includes FDA, USDA and USPTO matters.

Dr. Wolgel has provided depositions, expert opinions and refutations of opposing opinions.  He has worked with Am Law 100, mid-size and boutique law firms.  He has represented Defendants and Plaintiffs in US District Court, JAMS Arbitration and USPTO Office Actions.

During Dr. Wolgel's previous 35+ years’ experience in industry, academia and consulting, he acquired competencies in multiple technical, product and intellectual property (IP) categories.

Dr. Wolgel offers a unique combination of regulatory insights, practical knowledge and litigation success.

Neil Willner Related Seminars and Products

Co-Chair Cannabis Practice Group

Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC

Neil M. Willner is Co-chair of the firm’s Cannabis Group. He focuses his practice on the cannabis industry and provides counsel to hemp and marijuana companies across all parts of the supply chain on regulatory and compliance issues. Neil also handles regulatory compliance, investigatory due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation matters for firm clients. He advises buyers and sellers on regulatory considerations in mergers and acquisitions in many East Coast states.

Neil also participates on cannabis-related trade association committees including the New York State Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Section where he serves on the Executive Committee and chairs the Regulatory sub-committee, the International Cannabis Bar Association, and the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH). As Regulatory Counsel to ATACH, Neil helps create policy at the state and federal levels. He is working closely with the recently launched ATACH Cannabis Beverage Council to ensure beverages are permissible form factors in upcoming medical and recreational marijuana programs.

Neil is a prolific writer, co-authoring a chapter in the 2020 edition of Thomson Reuters Health Law Handbook, as well as a chapter in the American Health Law Association’s Health Care and the Business of Cannabis Questions and Answers book.

Neil also serves as a trusted expert to media outlets and has been quoted in articles published by the New York Times, the Village Voice, Forbes, and Lawyer.com.

Gina Austin Related Seminars and Products

Managing Attorney

Austin Legal Group

Gina Austin is the founder and managing attorney of Austin Legal Group, and leads our Cannabis, Securities, and Corporate and Land Use Departments. Gina brings a wealth of practical knowledge and insights to her practice as a result of her over 25 years of experience and familiarity with a broad range of legal practice areas.

Gina’s experience in land use entitlement has provided a foundation for great success obtaining permits from local municipalities. For example, Gina regularly assists clients through third-party project oppositions and appeals, environmental challenges, public hearing preparations, delays in local jurisdiction responses and processing, assistance in guiding technical experts through required transportation analysis, noise impact analysis, biological resource reports, and more. Gina’s deep understanding of both cannabis law and corporate transactions uniquely positions her to guide clients through this complex regulatory framework.

As a seasoned corporate and securities attorney, Gina has guided companies through complex transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, tender offers, debt financing, management services agreements, licensing agreements, and entering the public markets. Her expertise encompasses both transactional and regulatory aspects of securities law, making her a trusted advisor to clients navigating complex financial landscapes.

Since focusing on the cannabis industry in 2013, Gina has worked with over 150 cannabis companies in all areas of the supply chain. Gina has been a featured speaker in dozens of cannabis conferences, providing insight on a wide variety of topics such as land use, zoning, regulatory compliance, corporate structure, mergers and acquisitions, and environmental issues. Austin Legal Group represents cannabis companies in dozens of jurisdictions throughout California as well as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, New York and Nevada. Cannabis companies operate in a unique legal landscape, navigating federal restrictions alongside state-specific regulations, which demands specialized expertise. Gina is also the founder of ALG Strategies, a cannabis consulting firm that assists prospective and existing cannabis license holders through the complex application, licensing, and permitting process both at state and local levels.

Currently, Gina represents public and private companies both inside and outside of the cannabis industry in a variety of corporate transactions including strategic planning, public offerings, private equity, M&A, and other general corporate matters. Gina also continues to represent non-cannabis land use clients to help them maximize their real estate investment.

Michael F. Hennessey Related Seminars and Products

Vice President & National Cannabis Practice Leader

IMA Financial Group, Inc.

Michael F. Hennessey is Vice President & National Cannabis Practice Leader at IMA Financial Group, Inc. Based in California, Mr. Hennessey leads business development and client service efforts across the United States.

Previously, Mr. Hennessey was Assistant Vice President of Client Services for The ABD Team serving the Cannabis space in addition to technology, real estate, and life sciences sectors.

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.