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Cannabis
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May 03, 2024
'Bud And Breakfast' Cannabis Scammer Gets 2 Years In Prison
An Alaska man who pled guilty to conspiracy stemming from a scam bilking investors out of $722,000 to fund a failed "Bud and Breakfast" tourist lodge and on-site marijuana grow was sentenced to two years in prison in Alaska federal court on Friday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
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May 03, 2024
4th Circ. Preview: Hemp, Wells And A Withdrawal
The Fourth Circuit's second session of 2024 will have the court pondering the tension between Virginia's recent hemp restrictions and federal regulations, and how the Truth in Lending Act impacts a case accusing PNC Bank of an unauthorized account withdrawal.
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May 03, 2024
No Retrial Coming After $20M Cannabis Investor Verdict
A Los Angeles judge has denied a bid by CADM Inc. for a retrial following a $20 million verdict against it and its affiliates on claims that they defrauded investors with a real estate scheme, finding that the motion was not served to the proper attorneys on time, and even if it had been, the judgment would stand.
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May 02, 2024
Financier Says Colo. Cannabis Growers Made Off With Plants
A private equity firm is looking to claw back some $117,000 in emergency funding it gave to struggling cannabis entrepreneurs in Denver, saying the growers breached the debt agreement by selling off plants and equipment without sharing the revenue with the financier.
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May 02, 2024
State Legislators Urge Feds To Change Cannabis' Status
A coalition of state lawmakers on Thursday urged the heads of the U.S. Department of Justice and its drug enforcement agency to prioritize changing cannabis' status as a highly restricted drug.
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May 02, 2024
NJ Group's Challenge To Town's Pot Law Partially Revived
A New Jersey appeals panel has revived state law claims brought by a group challenging the Borough of Highland Park's cannabis licensing laws, while finding that the federal Controlled Substances Act does not preempt either the town's law or state cannabis law.
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May 01, 2024
3 Takeaways From The DOJ's Cannabis Recommendation
The marijuana advocacy and business world responded with guarded optimism after the U.S. Department of Justice's announcement this week that it recommended relaxing restrictions on marijuana for the first time in more than 50 years.
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May 01, 2024
Pa. Justices Asked To Determine If Workers' Comp Covers CBD
An attorney representing himself — and, in a way, suing himself — will get an opportunity to convince the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that CBD oil and other nonprescription medicine should be covered by workers' compensation, according to a Tuesday order from the justices.
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May 01, 2024
Senate Dems Reintroduce Bill To Tax And Regulate Cannabis
Senate Democrats on Wednesday reintroduced a cannabis legalization bill that would remove the drug entirely from the ambit of the Controlled Substances Act and impose a tax-and-regulate scheme akin to what is currently in place for alcohol and tobacco.
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May 01, 2024
Vape Wholesaler Can't Escape Suit Over Exploding Battery
A Washington federal judge has refused to let e-cigarette wholesaler Vapor Beast LLC out of a suit by a man alleging he was injured by an exploding lithium-ion battery, saying there isn't enough evidence for the court to determine whether his claims were filed on time.
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April 30, 2024
Blank Rome Opens Boston Office With New 25-Atty Team
Blank Rome LLP said Wednesday that it has opened a Boston office with 25 corporate and finance attorneys from Burns & Levinson LLP, including 13 partners.
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April 30, 2024
BCBS Says Federal Drug Law Preempts NM Medical Weed Row
A group of insurers, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, urged a New Mexico federal judge to reject a proposed class action seeking to compel them to cover their policyholders' medical marijuana costs, arguing that state law doesn't require it and federal law forbids it.
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April 30, 2024
NJ AG Asks Court To Nix UAW's Suit Over Smoking In Casinos
The New Jersey attorney general has requested that a state court dismiss a United Auto Workers complaint claiming a law excluding casino workers from a smoking ban at certain indoor workspaces violates the state constitution, saying the dispute should be left to the Legislature.
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April 30, 2024
Clark Hill Combines With Colo. Food And Beverage Firm
Clark Hill PLC has expanded its national food, beverage and hospitality practice through a combination with Boulder, Colorado-based LaszloLaw, a corporate and commercial transactional and litigation firm focused on those industries.
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April 30, 2024
Feds Endorse Easing Marijuana Status In Big Policy Shift
Federal drug enforcers will recommend loosening restrictions on cannabis for the first time since the drug was made federally illegal decades ago, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
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April 30, 2024
Atty, Pot Entrepreneurs Get Conspiracy Claims Thrown Out
A California state appeals court has thrown out claims against a group of attorneys and cannabis entrepreneurs that they were part of a "straw man practice" conspiracy to monopolize the San Diego cannabis market, finding the complaint failed to allege they did anything illegal.
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April 29, 2024
Tilray-Owned Beer Co. Hit With 'Big Juicy' TM Suit
Brewing company No-Li Brewhouse LLC has sued a competitor owned by cannabis giant Tilray Brands LLC in Washington federal court, accusing the rival of infringing its "Big Juicy" trademark for beers.
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April 29, 2024
Defendant Seeks Tribe's Confidential Data In Smoke Shop Suit
An entrepreneur being sued by the Cayuga Nation is arguing in New York federal court that he should be allowed to view "highly confidential" spreadsheets purportedly detailing revenue losses the tribe suffered due to an unlicensed smoke shop on tribal land, asserting he has no business ties to the store.
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April 29, 2024
HHS Delays Menthol Cigarette Ban Indefinitely
U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said Friday that a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes has been put on hold for now, citing the need to process considerable feedback from civil rights groups and the criminal justice movement.
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April 29, 2024
Calif. Cannabis Labor Law Violates US Constitution, Co. Says
A California cannabis law's provisions mandating labor peace agreements between dispensaries and unions violate the U.S. Constitution, a cannabis retailer has alleged, saying the statute unlawfully gives the labor organization more leverage when negotiating what requirements are in the accords.
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April 29, 2024
Justices To Weigh RICO Injury Scope In CBD Case
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case brought by a trio of CBD companies asking the justices to establish whether a plaintiff can bring a personal injury claim under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
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April 26, 2024
Law360 Reveals Titans Of The Plaintiffs Bar
In the past year, plaintiffs have won settlements and judgments for millions and billions of dollars from companies such as Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Facebook and Fox News, with many high-profile cases finally wrapping up after years of fighting. Such cases — involving over-the-top compensation packages, chemical contamination, gender discrimination and data mining — were led by attorneys whose accomplishments earned them recognition as Law360's Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar for 2024.
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April 27, 2024
'Woodstock' Weed TM Case Settles Before Jury Selection
The promoter of the 1969 Woodstock music fair agreed Friday to drop infringement claims against a rival purveyor of "Woodstock" trademarks in the evolving marijuana market, in a last-minute Manhattan federal court deal that avoids a jury trial.
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April 26, 2024
Cannabis Retailer MedMen Files For Bankruptcy In Canada
American cannabis retailer MedMen Enterprises Inc. said Friday that it had filed for bankruptcy in Canada, citing CA$561.5 million ($410.4 million) of liabilities months after the company's stock plunged and executives departed despite having sold off assets to raise money.
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April 26, 2024
Alaska Airlines Rogue Pilot Suit Not Grounded Yet
A Washington state court judge ruled Friday that Alaska Airlines passengers' state negligence claims were entirely preempted by federal regulations, but gave them a chance to revise their suit to claim the airline violated federal safety rules by allowing an off-duty pilot into the cockpit who allegedly tried to sabotage the flight.
Expert Analysis
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What Big Tobacco's Cannabis Investments Mean For Market
The tobacco industry appears to be shoring up investments in the cannabis market, most recently with Philip Morris’ purchase of an Israeli cannabis tech company, pointing to a bright future for vaped and noncombustible products, and signaling that marijuana rescheduling may be on the horizon, say Slates Veazey and Whitt Steineker at Bradley Arant.
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To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation
Firms seeking to appeal to sophisticated clients and top-level partners should promote mentorship, ensure that attorneys from diverse backgrounds feel valued, and clarify policies about at-home work, says Patrick Moya at Quaero Group.
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Perspectives
More States Should Join Effort To Close Legal Services Gap
Colorado is the most recent state to allow other types of legal providers, not just attorneys, to offer specific services in certain circumstances — and more states should rethink the century-old assumptions that shape our current regulatory rules, say Natalie Anne Knowlton and Janet Drobinske at the University of Denver.
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Identifying Trends And Tips In Litigation Financing Disclosure
Growing interest and controversy in litigation financing raise several salient concerns, but exploring recent compelled disclosure trends from courts around the country can help practitioners further their clients' interests, say Sean Callagy and Samuel Sokolsky at Arnold & Porter.
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What's Next For Adult-Use Marijuana In Ohio
After Ohio voters defeated a proposal that would have made it harder to pass any citizen-initiated constitutional amendment, a state ballot measure to legalize adult-use marijuana has fairly good chances of passing — but advocates still face a long road ahead, say Perry Salzhauer and David Waxman at McGlinchey Stafford.
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2023 Farm Bill Could Follow Md., Minn. Or NY's Lead On Hemp
As potential changes to federal hemp policy are hammered out in the 2023 Farm Bill, lawmakers may look to recent regulations promulgated in Maryland, Minnesota and New York, which provide several possible regulatory frameworks for hemp and synthetic cannabinoids, say Seth Gitner and Jonathan Havens at Saul Ewing.
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What's Notable In Connecticut's New Cannabis Laws
The Connecticut Legislature recently passed four bills containing cannabis provisions — ranging from applicable tax credits to labor agreement requirements — that may prove to be a mixed bag for state operators, say Sarah Westby and Deanna McWeeney at Shipman & Goodwin.
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Series
The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Elrod On 'Jury Duty'
Though the mockumentary series “Jury Duty” features purposely outrageous characters, it offers a solemn lesson about the simple but brilliant design of the right to trial by jury, with an unwitting protagonist who even John Adams may have welcomed as an impartial foreperson, says Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.
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4 Business-Building Strategies For Introvert Attorneys
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Introverted lawyers can build client bases to rival their extroverted peers’ by adapting time-tested strategies for business development that can work for any personality — such as claiming a niche, networking for maximum impact, drawing on existing contacts and more, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
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What Calif. Pot Permit Ruling Means For Enviro Compliance
While a California appeals court's recent decision in Lucas v. City of Pomona affirms the city's use of a statutory exemption for its commercial cannabis overlay permit program, the ruling does not mean that all applicants seeking similar approvals are exempted from state environmental compliance obligations, say Whitney Hodges and Barbara Machado at Sheppard Mullin.
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Opinion
3 Ways Justices' Disclosure Defenses Miss The Ethical Point
The rule-bound interpretation of financial disclosures preferred by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — demonstrated in their respective statements defending their failure to disclose gifts from billionaires — show that they do not understand the ethical aspects of the public's concern, says Jim Moliterno at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.
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Rare Reg A+ Fines Reflect New Era Of SEC Enforcement
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent announcement of civil penalties against 10 microcap companies for violations of Regulation A+ shows that as the SEC continues to expand its enforcement efforts, its focus remains on protecting investors of all sizes — including those investing in the historically less-scrutinized Reg A+ issuers, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.
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Cannabis Plain Packaging Rules: Examples And Opportunities
States that have legalized adult-use cannabis in recent years have adopted stringent requirements for product packaging and labeling in an effort to protect minors, and these rules may provide a vehicle for compromise between proponents and opponents of legalization, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Caregiver Flexibility Is Crucial For Atty Engagement, Retention
As the battle for top talent continues post-pandemic, many firms are attempting to attract employees with progressive hybrid working environments — and supporting caregivers before, during and after an extended leave is a critically important way to retain top talent, says Manar Morales at The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.
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Cannabis Consumption Lounges Face Unique Liability Risks
As state laws regulating cannabis consumption lounges proliferate, operators must follow certain best practices to effectively address issues like air quality concerns and California Proposition 65 warnings, says Lauren Mendelsohn at the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa.