International Drug Policy: The UN and the Birth of Maverick Nations

Kai-Friedrich Niermann Related Seminars and Products

Lawyer

KFN+

Kai is characterized by his outstanding expertise and diverse practice in the cannabis industry. With a broad range of expertise in cannabis and business law, he provides comprehensive legal support to companies and individuals.

From contract drafting and company formation to day-to-day legal support, he assists cannabis companies with customized solutions in all legal matters, including white collar criminal law where necessary.

Kai is also the author of the blog canna-biz.legal, where he positions himself as an expert in the thriving cannabis business. Canna-biz.legal not only provides insights into the legal status of cannabis in Germany and Europe today, but also current developments and offers resources for businesses and interested parties.

His work spans all aspects of the cannabis industry, from advising companies on cultivation licenses and production regulations to assisting with regulatory issues in product development. His deep understanding of the complex legal framework in this sector makes him a sought-after contact.

Kai and his law firm KFN+ advise large CBD and medical cannabis companies, as well as companies and associations interested in the emerging recreational cannabis market. He is also advisor to the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA), which has submitted a joint application to the EU Commission for authorization as a novel food for various CBD products.

With an international perspective, Kai operates not only nationally, but also across borders. His network in the industry enables him to support companies in their global activities and adapt to the challenges of an ever-changing legal landscape.

Kai regularly speaks at international cannabis conferences on topics related to the German and European legal framework for cannabis, and publishes articles at Krautinvest, BusinessCann and in law journals.

Born in Löhne/Westf. in 1972, studied law at the Universities of Marburg, Adelaide (Australia), Cologne, legal assistant at the press center of the German Bundestag (2000-2002), worked for the Berlin District Court, for the Director of Public Prosecution in Berlin, for the Berlin Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Hong Kong Consulate General.

Areas of Law:

• Legal Cannabis Consulting
• Regulatory approvals for medical cannabis and CBD
• Business law (company, commercial and contract law) 
• Law of torts
• Criminal business law

Juan Luis Serrano Leets Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Sánchez DeVanny Eseverri, S.C.

Juan Luis leads the Intellectual Property and Data Privacy practice groups at Sanchez Devanny and is the co-head of their Life Sciences Industry Group.  He has broad experience in high level management of complex legal and policy issues in Mexico and Latin America.

Juan Luis is Councilor to the Mexican Health Foundation (FUNSALUD), a member of the board of the Association of Pharmaceutical Industry Physicians and Professionals (AMEIFAC) and of the Commission of Legal Affairs of the National Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (CANIFARMA).

He is also a professor of Sanitary Law in the Escuela Libre de Derecho and the Universidad Panamericana. 

Before joining Sánchez Devanny, Juan Luis was Legal Director of the Mexican Affiliate of a Multinational Pharmaceutical Company, with responsibilities over Mexico and Latin America, and worked in law firms specializing in intellectual property.

John Walsh Related Seminars and Products

Director for Drug Policy

Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)

Mr. Walsh has written extensively on the need to reassess drug policy goals, strategies, and indicators, focused on limits and harms of supply-control efforts under a prohibitionist framework. Connecting domestic U.S. reforms to the international drug policy debate, Walsh has worked extensively on the implication of cannabis legalization for the prohibtiionist UN drug contorl treaties, co-authoring the report “Balancing Treaty Stability and Change: Inter se modification of the UN drug control conventions to facilitate cannabis regulation." His work has contributed to the expansion of the international drug policy reform debate, and been instrumental in convening reform advocates and practitioners from across the hemisphere to discuss design and evaluation of legal, regulated cannabis.

A frequent commentator on drug policy developments in the U.S. and Latin America, Mr. Walsh has been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, National Public Radio, and numerous television and international news outlets. In addition to his congressional testimony, publications, press appearances, Mr. Walsh has organized and spoken at numerous U.S. and international conferences. Prior to joining WOLA, he served as director of research at Drug Strategies and worked at the Center of Concern on the “Rethinking Bretton Woods Project,” an effort to forge consensus on ideas for reform of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and international trade arrangements.

He received a B.A. in Theology from Georgetown University (1986) and an M.A. in Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins University (1997).

Jack Lloyd Related Seminars and Products

Principal Attorney

Lloyd Law Professional Corporation

Jack Lloyd, Barrister & Solicitor is a cannabis and psychedelics lawyer based in Toronto. He articled with Lewin & Sagara LLP, a cannabis and psychedelics law firm in Toronto. After finishing articling he began working with Tousaw Law Corporation where he worked until the firm closed in 2018 at which time he began Lloyd Law Professional Corporation where he is now the principal lawyer. 

Tousaw Law Corporation was Canada’s foremost cannabis litigation boutique and was the firm responsible for R v Smith 2015 SCC 34 which was the per curiam decision from the Supreme Court of Canada which legalized cannabis edibles (and other extracts and derivative medicines) for medical cannabis patients in Canada. His practice consists primarily of criminal, regulatory, and constitutional litigation relating to cannabis and psychedelics regulation as well as regulatory consultancy work relating to the cannabis and psychedelics industry. He has appeared at all levels of court in Ontario and British Columbia, as well as the Supreme Court of Canada, always in relation to cannabis and psychedelics. Prior to becoming a lawyer, he was the editor at Green Candy Press, the world’s largest publisher of books about the cannabis plant and psychedelic mushrooms. He continues to edit select titles for Green Candy Press, including an update to Greg Green’s seminal book on cannabis genetics, The Cannabis Breeder’s Bible, as well as several cannabis cookbooks, including The Ganja Kitchen Revolution and Marijuana Chef Cookbook as well as The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible and The Psilocybin Chef Cookbook. He is the President of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in Canada (NORML Canada) where he advocates for sensible regulations concerning cannabis in Canada.

Daniel Podestá Farina Related Seminars and Products

Uruguay Lawyer

Estudio Podestá

Daniel is a lawyer with more than eighteen years of experience. Actually, he is partner at Estudio Podestá, law firm founded in 1978.

Since 2013, he has specialized in regulatory framework of hemp and cannabis industries in Uruguay, advising companies -from startups to large publicly listed companies- throughout the process of obtaining licenses and authorizations before public authorities and counselling them in corporate matters and M&A.

Daniel has assisted companies that have marked the most important milestones in the cannabis sector in Uruguay:

 -First company to obtain license for cultivation and commercialization of recreational cannabis granted by the State.

-First company to register before the National Seed Institute of a hemp variety developed locally.

-First company to industrialize and commercialize an edible -yerba mate- with the addition of cannabis.

-First company to industrialize and commercialize a pharmaceutical cannabis-based product. 

- First company to obtain authorization for an animal feed product with the addition of cannabis.

-First company to export hemp flowers and open the exports markets for Uruguay.

-First National Agrarian Association of hemp producers.

On October 2018 Daniel was appointed as General Secretary of the Chamber of Medicinal Cannabis Companies for the period 2018-2021.

Due to his extensive knowledge of regulatory framework of the industry has exposed as speaker and panelist at conferences in Canada, Spain and the United States.

He has actively collaborated with the Uruguayan government in drafting local regulations being source of consultation for governments of the southern hemisphere.

He is the author of publications in various specialized industry media.