Licensing and Regulatory Compliance

Medical marijuana and cannabis derivative products present industry members with huge compliance challenges. The current federal criminalization of cannabis as a Schedule I narcotic, and evolving U.S. Department of Justice enforcement policies, create significant legal uncertainty over conflicts between federal and state treatment of marijuana. Additionally, for industry members that seek to establish a national or regional footprint, legal guidance is critical because the laws and regulations of each state differ regarding the commercialization of marijuana. GrayRobinson’s Cannabis Industry Law Team advises and counsels growers, processors, distributors, and retail dispensaries on how to obtain and maintain applicable licensure requirements, meet ongoing compliance responsibilities, and achieve business objectives. Our team combines experienced attorneys, compliance professionals, and licensing specialists to provide a uniquely broad range of support services to the medical marijuana and cannabis industry.

GrayRobinson’s administrative and regulatory attorneys possess industry-specific knowledge about the emerging cannabis industry. We also track legal developments, political initiatives and market trends to provide insight on new regulatory issues. Additionally, our extensive experience advising companies regarding the laws that govern the heavily-regulated alcohol beverage industry — an area of law that state legislators and regulators typically rely on when crafting cannabis regulatory frameworks — empowers us to offer a unique perspective to counsel clients on the nuanced legal and policy considerations that companies face in heavily-regulated consumer product industries.

For interested parties with no prior experience in the industry—as is often the case with private investment funds or financial institutions for whom selling marijuana is not a primary endeavor—cannabis regulations can be especially difficult to comprehend and follow. We counsel clients on trade practice and compliance issues at the federal, state, and local levels to enable entrepreneurs to make strategic decisions on developing both short- and long-term business goals.

We advise both industry members as well as ancillary service providers who offer necessary infrastructure and collateral support to cannabis industry members, to ensure that both traditional and novel business models are structured in a compliant manner. By thoroughly understanding our clients’ business models in the context of the complex legal framework and regulatory requirements, we offer guidance to mitigate regulatory risks and enhance protection of extremely valuable licenses from administrative enforcement action. Our legal professionals can offer representation and guidance for both start-up and established cannabis companies to successfully implement and achieve business objectives in the emerging and fast-evolving cannabis industry.