Try our Advanced Search for more refined results
Cannabis
-
August 01, 2024
Pot Co. Says City Ignored Order To Review App In $14M Suit
A California cannabis business is suing the city of Chula Vista for nearly $14 million, saying it failed to properly review and score its application for a cannabis license despite orders to do so from a state appeals court.
-
July 31, 2024
Ayahuasca Church Can't Get $2.1M For Atty Fees
Attorneys for a Phoenix-based church won't get their fees increased or have any part of their pay covered by the government, an Arizona federal judge has ruled, saying the church is not the winning party in its suit against several federal agencies because the court "never placed its stamp of approval" on a deal that allows the church to use ayahuasca.
-
July 31, 2024
NewAge Execs Deny Inflating Military Contract Prospects
Executives and board members of the defunct beverage company NewAge Inc. hit back at investors' allegations that they lied about having a deal to sell their products in military commissaries, saying the investors had failed to show that material misstatements were made.
-
July 31, 2024
Wash. Cannabis Co. Sues Payroll Firm Over Back Taxes
A Puget Sound-area dispensary is suing Greenleaf HR LLC, a payroll provider specializing in the cannabis industry, and another firm, claiming they failed to pay the IRS on its behalf resulting in a nearly $172,500 tax bill, according to a lawsuit removed to Washington federal court.
-
July 31, 2024
Philip Morris Nicotine Pouches Are Deceptive, Lawsuit Claims
Philip Morris violated advertising and trade practices laws by selling "highly addictive" nicotine products designed and packaged to resemble breath mints and deceptively telegraphed that the tobacco-free pouches were healthier than cigarettes, according to a proposed class action in Connecticut federal court.
-
July 31, 2024
Experienced IP Atty Joins Lewis Brisbois From Fowler White
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP has announced the hire of a former Fowler White Burnett PA intellectual property attorney with over 20 years of experience as a partner in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
-
July 30, 2024
Tribe Says Sovereignty 'Sea Change' At Stake In Tobacco Row
A California tribe has opposed the U.S. government's bid to toss its suit fighting placement on a "non-compliant list" under a law that targets tobacco trafficking, telling a federal judge that forcing it to stop sales would cause a "sea change" in tribal sovereignty.
-
July 30, 2024
Legalization Foes Mount New Challenge To NY Pot Program
A group of anti-cannabis activists renewed their challenge to New York's proposal to use public funds to help marijuana retailers launch their businesses, alleging in a new state court lawsuit that the policy violates federal law.
-
July 30, 2024
Psychedelics And The Law: A Midyear Review
A groundbreaking effort to secure federal approval for a psychedelic medication hit an unexpected snag. Religious groups asserting the right to access controlled substances had mixed success in federal court. Physicians seeking to administer psilocybin to terminally ill patients will finally have their day in court. Here are the major developments in psychedelics law from the first half of 2024.
-
July 30, 2024
Pot Cos. Can't Push RICO Claims Against Calif. City
A California federal judge has thrown out racketeering claims by six cannabis companies that accuse the city of Cudahy of illegally assessing fees, saying that because Congress listed cultivation and sale of cannabis under the definition of racketeering, they can't recover damages.
-
July 30, 2024
Atty Smuggled Marijuana-Soaked Papers To Inmate, Feds Say
A Massachusetts solo practitioner has been charged with using her status as an attorney to try to smuggle papers soaked in synthetic cannabis to an inmate at a Rhode Island detention center, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
-
July 29, 2024
'Simpsons' Creator Owes Pay, Ignored Harassment, Suit Says
"The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and his wife, Agustina Picasso, didn't do anything to stop the sexual harassment their former house manager told them she faced, while also cheating her out of wages, the worker said.
-
July 29, 2024
SEC Says Penny Stock CEO Lied About COVID-19 Deal
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday sued former penny stock company CEO Juan Campo for securities fraud, alleging he lied to investors about acquiring a Colombian cannabis company and about the company's development of a temperature screening device during the COVID-19 pandemic, among other things.
-
July 29, 2024
10th Circ. Won't Undo $6.4M Award In Cannabis Biz Fight
A Tenth Circuit panel has rejected a cannabis entrepreneur's attempt to undo a $6.4 million judgment in a dispute with an ex-business partner, but it ordered a district court to revisit an enforcement order that could require the entrepreneur to violate federal drug law to pay the damages.
-
July 29, 2024
Legalization Org Taps Cannabis Atty As New Treasurer
The pro-legalization advocacy organization Marijuana Policy Project announced Monday that a preeminent member of the cannabis bar had been tapped as the group's newest treasurer.
-
July 29, 2024
Mich. Man Fights LA Bid To Toss Pot License Lottery Suit
A Michigan man who owns several cannabis retailers is pushing back on a bid by Los Angeles to throw out his suit challenging its social equity license lottery.
-
July 26, 2024
Alaska Passengers' Safety Reg Stance Baffles Wash. Judge
A Washington state judge on Friday called out Alaska Airlines passengers' "absurd" suggestion that there was a hole in federal aviation standards that could allow states to set their own rules for when pilots can allow people into the cockpit.
-
July 26, 2024
Erroneous Background Check Cost Man HSN Job, Suit Says
A company that sells background checks to employers was hit with a federal lawsuit accusing it of incorrectly telling the Home Shopping Network that an applicant had a felony charge for distributing narcotics equivalent to cocaine, methamphetamine or fentanyl, when he was actually charged with selling marijuana.
-
July 26, 2024
Broncos Throw Flag On Ex-Player's THC Discrimination Bid
The NFL and the Denver Broncos are looking to sidestep a former team member's disability discrimination lawsuit claiming the league and team unfairly fined him $532,500 for using THC to treat an injury, arguing that the collective bargaining agreement they signed preempts state law.
-
July 26, 2024
Hemp Exporter's Lost-Product Claims Fail At 4th Circ.
A hemp exporter lost a bid for payment for lost products at the Fourth Circuit on Friday when the court ruled that the Montreal Convention precludes claims that a transportation company was liable for the destruction of more than a ton of product by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
-
July 26, 2024
Cannabis Litigation To Watch: Delta-8 And Residency Rules
In the first half of 2024, a series of lawsuits taking aim at state hemp restrictions and another set of suits challenging purported residency criteria in state cannabis licensure programs were briefed in multiple appellate courts across the country.
-
July 25, 2024
Edible Cannabis Co. Can't Revive RFID Tag Case
A Colorado state judge has said he won't let a company that makes edible cannabis continue to challenge the state's mandated use of radio frequency identification tracking tags, concluding that a senior enforcement official's statement at a rulemaking hearing was not a final action the company could appeal.
-
July 25, 2024
Iowa Hemp THC Law Remains In Force As Injunction Bids Fail
Iowa's hemp law that imposed new restrictions on hemp-derived THC consumables can continue uninterrupted, after a federal judge on Thursday rejected two bids by the hemp industry seeking to block the statute on claims that it was unconstitutionally vague.
-
July 25, 2024
Pot Rescheduling Could 'Compromise' Transit Drug Testing
Federal traffic investigators are urging the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to tread carefully should it move forward with rescheduling marijuana, saying any policy change must allow for drug testing of airline pilots, truck drivers and other "safety-sensitive" transportation jobs.
-
July 25, 2024
Tobacco Products Co. Hits Wash. Pot Business With TM Suit
Wholesaler BBK Tobacco & Foods LLP has hit a Washington state cannabis company with a complaint in Arizona federal court that alleges it is infringing the "Juicy" trademark BBK uses for a variety of smoking and smoking-related products.
Expert Analysis
-
How Cannabis Rescheduling May Affect Current Operators
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's proposal to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III provides relief in the form of federal policy from the stigma and burdens of Schedule I, but commercial cannabis operations will remain unchanged until the federal-state cannabis policy gap is remedied by Congress, say Meital Manzuri and Alexis Lazzeri at Manzuri Law.
-
Series
Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer
The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.
-
Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule
Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.
-
After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1
The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
-
Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers
BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.
-
Series
Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.
-
How Associates Can Build A Professional Image
As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.
-
Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age
As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.
-
Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing
When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
-
Series
Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer
There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.
-
Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians
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
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
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.
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
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.