Cannabis

  • September 24, 2024

    Calif. Gov.'s Emergency Hemp Intoxicant Ban Wins Approval

    California retailers are no longer allowed to sell hemp products containing tetrahydrocannabinol after the Golden State's Office of Administrative Law on Monday approved Gov. Gavin Newsom's emergency ban, a move a leading hemp trade group has vowed to challenge.

  • September 24, 2024

    Neb. Advocates Bash Effort To Upend Medical Cannabis Vote

    Marijuana advocates are urging a Nebraska state judge to toss a lawsuit aiming to block state residents from voting on measures that could legalize medical cannabis and establish a state regulatory system, calling the suit a baseless attack on the "integrity, credibility, and accuracy of Nebraska's election officials."

  • September 24, 2024

    Mich. Justices Wonder If Pot Smell's Strength Justifies Search

    Michigan's Supreme Court asked Tuesday whether a whiff of marijuana can justify searching a vehicle now that the drug is legal in the state, with one justice claiming his nose can distinguish between stale smells and more recent use, which could indicate impaired driving or illicit public consumption.

  • September 24, 2024

    Think Tank Can't Get Prince Harry's Visa Records, Judge Says

    A D.C. federal judge has shot down conservative think tank's attempt to pry loose Prince Harry's visa records, saying the U.S. Department of Homeland Security rightfully withheld them to protect the Duke of Sussex's privacy.

  • September 24, 2024

    Medical Marijuana Co. Investors Seek Default In $200K Suit

    A pair of would-be investors have asked a Georgia federal court to enter a default judgment against purported medical marijuana company Mississippi Green Oil LLC and one of its members, saying they failed to respond to a complaint seeking the long overdue repayment of their $200,000 investment.

  • September 24, 2024

    8th Circ. Won't Revive Pot Shop's Discrimination Suit

    The Eighth Circuit won't reinstate discrimination and interference claims by a would-be cannabis distributor against a firm contracted to evaluate applicants for Arkansas' dispensary licenses, saying the complaint lacks specificity to support its claims.

  • September 24, 2024

    8th Circ. Mulls Arkansas' Authority To Regulate Hemp

    An Eighth Circuit panel on Monday pushed attorneys for the state of Arkansas and a group of hemp companies to define precisely how much power states have to restrict the production and sale of intoxicating products derived from federally legal hemp.

  • September 23, 2024

    FilmOn Founder's $900M Battery Trial Loss Slashed To $90M

    A plaintiff who won a $900 million sexual battery verdict against her former employer, FilmOn founder and Coca-Cola bottling fortune heir Alki David, has agreed to accept a reduced $90 million verdict rather than face a new damages trial recently ordered by a California state court, according to her counsel.

  • September 23, 2024

    Suit Says LAPD Stormed Medical Office Looking For Pot

    The Los Angeles Police Department "maliciously" raided an X-ray and imaging clinic in North Hollywood, erroneously thinking it was an illicit marijuana grow site, destroying an MRI machine in the process, according to a lawsuit filed in California federal court.

  • September 23, 2024

    SEC Scores $12M Judgment In Unregistered Dealer Case

    A Minnesota federal judge has ordered financial firm Carebourn Capital LP, its founder and an affiliated company to pay more than $12 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest over U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission claims they made millions selling securities as unregistered dealers.

  • September 23, 2024

    Kratom Co. Gets Claims Trimmed In Addiction False Ad Row

    A California federal judge has tossed four out of six claims from a proposed class action alleging Ashlynn Marketing Group Inc. hid from buyers the addictive qualities of its kratom products, leaving only fraud and Consumer Legal Remedies Act claims.

  • September 20, 2024

    Hyundai Unit Unlawfully Fired Cannabis Patient, Suit Says

    A subsidiary of Hyundai was hit with a discrimination lawsuit by a former employee in Connecticut who claims her usage of marijuana to manage her post-traumatic stress disorder was the reason for her termination.

  • September 20, 2024

    Cannabis Group Defends Social Equity Programs At 9th Circ.

    A coalition of cannabis business advocates pushing for a legal interstate weed market told the Ninth Circuit on Friday that the dormant commerce clause of the Constitution applies to marijuana, but that state social equity programs geared towards restorative justice are still legitimate.

  • September 20, 2024

    New York Cannabis Regulator's Chief Equity Officer To Resign

    The chief equity officer of New York's Office of Cannabis Management has announced his imminent resignation from the agency, marking the latest high-profile departure to rock the Empire State's marijuana regulator.

  • September 20, 2024

    Chevron's Demise May Not Bring Deluge Courts Had Feared

    Though the death of Chevron deference has opened a door to attacking administrative decisions, the expected uptick in litigation probably won't threaten to clog federal courts, numerous administrative law experts told Law360.

  • September 20, 2024

    Marketing Firm Says NC Pot Shop Dropped Ownership Deal

    A North Carolina marketing firm is suing a cannabis shop in state court, alleging the shop's owner breached a contract that would've seen the marketing firm get 49% ownership of the shop for helping to boost its sales.

  • September 19, 2024

    Ill. High Court Says Pot Smell Not Grounds For Vehicle Search

    Illinois's highest court on Thursday ruled that the smell of burned marijuana does not constitute grounds for a warrantless vehicle search, given that the state legalized recreational marijuana prior to the traffic stop.

  • September 19, 2024

    Shot Put Pro Alleges Cannabis Ended His Athletic Career

    A champion collegiate athlete who's won numerous medals in the shot put has filed suit against half a dozen hemp retailers in New Jersey state court, claiming their products caused him to develop a cannabis-induced psychosis that spurred a suicide attempt and ended his professional athletic career.

  • September 19, 2024

    Calif. Vape Co. Says Mich. Store Is Selling Counterfeit G Pens

    California-based GS Holistic LLC is suing a Michigan smoke shop in federal court, alleging that it is selling counterfeit versions of its G Pen e-cigarettes without authorization at a fraction of the price, infringing its trademarks and harming its reputation.

  • September 18, 2024

    Rescheduling Pot Would Not Hasten Research, Report Says

    A recently enacted law will continue to make it difficult for medical researchers to conduct studies on marijuana, even if federal restrictions are loosened on the drug, according to a new report published Monday by the Congressional Research Service.

  • September 18, 2024

    Altria's Vape As Popular As Kale Juice, Elf Bar Tells Calif. Court

    Blocking the Chinese companies behind Elf Bar from importing their flavored vapes won't increase the market share of Altria Group subsidiary NJOY's nicotine e-cigarettes, the foreign companies argued, saying it's just as unlikely as consumers going from grape juice to kale juice.

  • September 18, 2024

    Senate Panel Backs Bill Easing Pot Rules For Federal Hires

    A Democrat-backed bill that would curb federal agencies' ability to use past medical or recreational cannabis use as a factor in hiring and security clearance decisions was advanced out of a Senate committee Wednesday, paving the way for a vote before the whole chamber.

  • September 18, 2024

    Mass. Appeals Court Backs Pot Shop's Arbitration Agreement

    A Massachusetts medical marijuana dispensary can enforce an arbitration clause in its employment agreement even when it did not specify the rights a worker was waiving, an intermediate state appellate court has said.

  • September 18, 2024

    Federal Judge Won't Abstain From Pot Payment Co. Dispute

    A Nevada federal judge has declined to abstain from a dispute between a pair of investment firms over the collapse of their joint venture, saying while one company is a subsidiary of a cannabis payment processing company, the dispute can be resolved without dipping into the murky waters of cannabis's federal illegality.

  • September 17, 2024

    Walmart Workers Sue Over Health Plan Tobacco Surcharges

    Retail giant Walmart Inc. is violating federal benefits law by making workers who use tobacco pay more for health insurance, according to a proposed class action filed in Wisconsin federal court.

Expert Analysis

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

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    Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

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    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • How Cannabis Rescheduling May Alter Paraphernalia Imports

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    The Biden administration's recent proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana use raises questions about how U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement policies may shift when it comes to enforcing a separate federal ban on marijuana accessory imports, says R. Kevin Williams at Clark Hill.

  • What The NYSE Proposed Delisting Rule Could Mean For Cos.

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    The New York Stock Exchange's recently proposed rule would provide the exchange with discretionary authority to commence delisting proceedings for a company substantially shifting its primary business focus, raising concerns for NYSE-listed companies over the exact definition of the exchange's proposed "substantially different" standard, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • 2 Regulatory Approaches To Psychedelic Clinical Trials

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    Comparing the U.S. and Canada's regulatory frameworks for clinical trials of psychedelic drugs can be useful for designing trial protocols that meet both countries' requirements, which can in turn help diversify patient populations, bolster data robustness and expedite market access, say Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell and Sabrina Ramkellawan at AxialBridge.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

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    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

  • To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef

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    To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?

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    Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.

  • Investors Can Aid In The Acceptance Of Psychedelic Medicine

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    Psychedelic medicine is ready to have its breakthrough moment, and although it still faces political, legal and communications challenges, private equity investors can play a significant role in changing the public perception on psychedelics from taboo to acceptance, say Kimberly Chew at Husch Blackwell, Charlie Panfil at the Daschle Group and Ethan Lutz at FTI Consulting.

  • Perspectives

    Trauma-Informed Legal Approaches For Pro Bono Attorneys

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    As National Trauma Awareness Month ends, pro bono attorneys should nevertheless continue to acknowledge the mental and physical effects of trauma, allowing them to better represent clients, and protect themselves from compassion fatigue and burnout, say Katherine Cronin at Stinson and Katharine Manning at Blackbird.

  • Series

    Playing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My deep and passionate involvement in playing, writing and producing music equipped me with skills — like creativity, improvisation and problem-solving — that contribute to the success of my legal career, says attorney Kenneth Greene.

  • Proposed Cannabis Reschedule Sidesteps State Law Effects

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's recent proposal to move cannabis to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act provides certain benefits, but its failure to address how the rescheduling would interact with existing state cannabis laws disappointed industry participants hoping for clarity on this crucial question, says Ian Stewart at Wilson Elser.

  • How Attys Can Avoid Pitfalls When Withdrawing From A Case

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    The Trump campaign's recent scuffle over its bid to replace its counsel in a pregnancy retaliation suit offers a chance to remind attorneys that many troubles inherent in withdrawing from a case can be mitigated or entirely avoided by communicating with clients openly and frequently, says Christopher Konneker at Orsinger Nelson.

  • Using A Children's Book Approach In Firm Marketing Content

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    From “The Giving Tree” to “Where the Wild Things Are,” most children’s books are easy to remember because they use simple words and numbers to tell stories with a human impact — a formula law firms should emulate in their marketing content to stay front of mind for potential clients, says Seema Desai Maglio at The Found Word.

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