Cannabis

July 05, 2024
The Sharpest Dissents From The Supreme Court Term

The U.S. Supreme Court's session ended with a series of blockbuster cases that granted the president broad immunity, changed federal gun policy and kneecapped administrative agencies. And many of the biggest decisions fell along partisan lines.
July 05, 2024
5 Moments That Shaped The Supreme Court's Jan. 6 Decision

When the high court limited the scope of a federal obstruction statute used to charge hundreds of rioters who stormed the Capitol, the justices did not vote along ideological lines. In a year marked by 6-3 splits, what accounts for the departure? Here are some moments from oral arguments that may have swayed the justices.
July 05, 2024
The Funniest Moments Of The Supreme Court's Term

In a U.S. Supreme Court term teeming with serious showdowns, the august air at oral arguments filled with laughter after an attorney mentioned her plastic surgeon and a justice seemed to diss his colleagues, to cite just two of the term's mirthful moments. Here, we look at the funniest moments of the term.
July 05, 2024
The Firms That Won Big At The Supreme Court

This U.S. Supreme Court term featured high-stakes oral arguments on issues including gerrymandering, abortion and federal agency authority, and a hot bench ever more willing to engage in a lengthy back-and-forth with advocates. Here's a look at the law firms that argued the most cases and how they fared.
July 05, 2024
Cannabis Co. Trulieve Settles Suit Against Ex-CFO

A federal judge has agreed to toss with prejudice a lawsuit Trulieve, Florida's largest medical marijuana company, filed against one of its former executives accusing him of misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars of company money, after both sides reached some kind of deal.
July 05, 2024
Scotts Miracle-Gro Investor Sues Board Over Inventory 'Flood'

Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. executives "repeatedly and consistently obfuscated the truth" about excess inventory as the company pushed the extra products on its distributors, according to a new investor suit.
July 05, 2024
DOJ Says Ayahuasca Church Doesn't Deserve $2.2M Fees

The U.S. government is urging an Arizona federal judge to deny a Phoenix church's request for $2.2 million in fees and costs following a settlement allowing it to use ayahuasca in its religious practices, saying no fees are warranted for an unnecessary suit that would've reached the same resolution through normal processes.
July 03, 2024
NYC Seeks Court Order Barring Flavored Vape Sales

New York City wants a state court to temporarily block nearly a dozen vape wholesalers from selling their flavored products in the five boroughs, and has accused the companies in a preliminary injunction request of "flooding the city" with illicit products that are harming young people.
July 03, 2024
Canadian IPO Market Remained Largely 'Deserted' In First Half

Only 12 companies completed initial public offerings on Canadian exchanges in the first half of 2024 — half of which were actual operating businesses — continuing a multiyear decline in new listings for Canada, new data shows.
July 03, 2024
Cannabis Cos. To Take Constitutional Challenge To 1st Circ.

A group of cannabis businesses challenging the federal prohibition on marijuana gave notice of appeal Wednesday to the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
July 03, 2024
Juul License Voids Vape Royalties For Altria, Reynolds Argues

R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. said it shouldn't have to pay royalties to the parent company of Philip Morris for a pod-style vape it was found to have infringed in a $95 million patent verdict nearly two years ago, pointing to a recent licensing deal it signed with Juul.
July 03, 2024
Mich. Justices Skip Dinsmore Ex-Client's Malpractice Appeal

Michigan's top court won't review a ruling dismissing a cannabis company's lawsuit against Dinsmore & Shohl LLP that alleged the firm reneged on an agreement to help the company apply for a dispensary license hours before the paperwork was due.
July 03, 2024
After Chevron Deference: What Lawyers Need To Know

This term, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference, a precedent established 40 years ago that said when judges could defer to federal agencies' interpretations of law in rulemaking. Here, catch up with Law360's coverage of what is likely to happen next.
July 02, 2024
Mike Huckabee Says Meta Hosted Fake CBD Gummy Ads

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee says Meta Platforms Inc. has been allowing and hosting advertisements that falsely portray him promoting CBD gummies, leading to people falsely associating him with the CBD industry and marijuana use, according to a suit filed Monday in Delaware federal court.
July 02, 2024
FilmOn Founder Must Pay $900M In Sexual Battery Verdict

Alki David, founder of FilmOn and heir to a Coca-Cola bottling fortune already facing more than $80 million in judgments related to sexual battery or sexual assault lawsuits, was ordered by a Los Angeles jury to pay a staggering $900 million to a former employee who accused him of raping her, according to documents posted in the case Tuesday.
July 02, 2024
Cannabis Equity Licensee Says Rapper Burned Him In Deal

The holder of a Massachusetts social equity cannabis license says several entities affiliated with a marijuana brand created by hip hop artist Berner are trying to stiff him out of $2 million they agreed to pay for a stake in his Worcester dispensary, while still trying to assert control over it.
July 02, 2024
Justices Order Post-Rahimi Review For Felon Gun Ban

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered lower courts to review a series of cases that challenged as unconstitutional federal gun restrictions, including those for felons and drug users, in light of its ruling this term that allowed bans for domestic abusers.
July 02, 2024
High Court Agrees To Review FDA's Flavored E-Cig Denial

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's petition to review a Fifth Circuit decision overturning its denial of a flavored e-cigarette marketing application.
July 01, 2024
Court Tosses Constitutional Challenge To Pot Prohibition

A Massachusetts federal judge on Monday granted the U.S. Department of Justice's bid to dismiss a constitutional challenge to federal marijuana prohibition, delivering a blow to an effort brought by a group of cannabis companies represented by litigator David Boies.
July 01, 2024
Starbucks Targets 'Starbuds' Marijuana Truck In IP Suit

Starbucks has filed a trademark suit against the operator of a repurposed New York City food truck that sells marijuana under the brand Starbuds Flowers and uses an altered image of the coffee giant's iconic siren logo smoking a joint.
July 01, 2024
SD Ban On Modified Hemp Products Allowed To Take Effect

A new South Dakota state law prohibiting the processing of hemp derivatives into intoxicating products was allowed to go into effect Monday after a federal judge declined to grant an injunction halting its enforcement while a constitutional challenge played out.
July 01, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

Two multimillion-dollar settlement approvals, a $25 million fee-shifting demand, and a biotech merger spoiled by murder: This was just the beginning of the drama last week in the nation's preeminent court of equity. Shareholders in satellite companies filed new cases, a cannabis company headed toward trial, and there were new developments in old disputes involving Tesla and Truth Social.
July 01, 2024
Judge Won't Block Iowa Hemp Law Regulating THC Limits

An Iowa law that imposes new restrictions on products with hemp-derived THC went into effect Monday after a federal judge, who previously expressed "serious concerns" about the statute's constitutionality, declined to grant a temporary restraining order halting its enforcement.
June 28, 2024
Chevron's End Is Just The Start For Energized Agency Foes

By knocking down a powerful precedent that has towered over administrative law for 40 years, the U.S. Supreme Court's right wing Friday gave a crowning achievement to anti-agency attorneys. But for those attorneys, the achievement is merely a means to an end, and experts expect a litigation blitzkrieg to materialize quickly in the aftermath.
June 28, 2024
R.I. Pot Residency Rule Unconstitutional, Fla. Resident Claims

Rhode Island is hogging all the "enormous economic opportunities" associated with retail cannabis for state residents, according to a federal lawsuit filed by a Florida entrepreneur who claims the Ocean State's residency requirement is unconstitutional.

Expert Analysis

Law Firm Strategies For Successfully Navigating 2024 Trends

Though law firms face the dual challenge of external and internal pressures as they enter 2024, firms willing to pivot will be able to stand out by adapting to stakeholder needs and reimagining their infrastructure, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Consultants.
The Most-Read Legal Industry Law360 Guest Articles Of 2023

A range of legal industry topics drew readers' attention in Law360's Expert Analysis section this year, from associate retention strategies to ethical billing practices.
Attorneys' Busiest Times Can Be Business Opportunities

Attorneys who resolve to grow their revenue and client base in 2024 should be careful not to abandon their goals when they get too busy with client work, because these periods of zero bandwidth can actually be a catalyst for future growth, says Amy Drysdale at Alchemy Consulting.
In The World Of Legal Ethics, 10 Trends To Note From 2023

Lucian Pera at Adams and Reese and Trisha Rich at Holland & Knight identify the top legal ethics trends from 2023 — including issues related to hot documents, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — that lawyers should be aware of to put their best foot forward.
The Key Laws Retailers Should Pay Attention To In 2024

2024 promises to be another transformative year for retailers as they navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, particularly surrounding data privacy and sustainability laws, meaning companies should make it a practice to keep track of new legislation and invest in compliance efforts early on, say attorneys at Benesch.
How Attorneys Can Be More Efficient This Holiday Season

Attorneys should consider a few key tips to speed up their work during the holidays so they can join the festivities — from streamlining the document review process to creating similar folder structures, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
Series

Children's Book Writing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Becoming a children's book author has opened doors to incredible new experiences of which I barely dared to dream, but the process has also changed my life by serving as a reminder that strong writing, networking and public speaking skills are hugely beneficial to a legal career, says Shaunna Bailey at Sheppard Mullin.
How Clients May Use AI To Monitor Attorneys

Excerpt from Practical Guidance

Artificial intelligence tools will increasingly enable clients to monitor and evaluate their counsel’s activities, so attorneys must clearly define the terms of engagement and likewise take advantage of the efficiencies offered by AI, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
Series

ESG Around The World: Singapore

Singapore is keen to establish itself as a leading international financial center and a key player in the sustainable finance ecosystem, and key initiatives led by its government and other regulatory bodies have helped the Asian nation progress from its initially guarded attitude toward ESG investment and reporting, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
Series

The Pop Culture Docket: Judge D'Emic On Moby Grape

The 1968 Moby Grape song "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" tells the tale of a fictional defendant treated with scorn by the judge, illustrating how much the legal system has evolved in the past 50 years, largely due to problem-solving courts and the principles of procedural justice, says Kings County Supreme Court Administrative Judge Matthew D'Emic.
Series

Performing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

The discipline of performing live music has directly and positively influenced my effectiveness as a litigator — serving as a reminder that practice, intuition and team building are all important elements of a successful law practice, says Jeff Wakolbinger at Bryan Cave.
Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.
Opinion

Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.
How Cannabis Cos. Are Adapting In Shifting Bankruptcy Arena

Recent bankruptcy cases show that federal courts have begun to demonstrate more openness to downstream businesses in the cannabis industry, and that even though receivership can be a viable option for those denied access to the bankruptcy system, it is not without its own risks and complexities, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
Series

Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.