Cannabis

  • April 11, 2024

    Shops Fight Altria Unit's Bid To Block Flavored Vape Sales

    A group of smoke shops urged a California federal judge to reject a bid by vape manufacturer NJOY, a subsidiary of tobacco giant Altria Group, Inc., seeking to block the retailers from selling Elf Bar branded flavored vapes, arguing that consumers won't flock to NJOY's tobacco flavored products even if Elf Bar is off the market.

  • April 11, 2024

    FDA Commissioner Says Congress Must Act On Hemp, CBD

    The commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that the agency did not consider hemp-derived CBD safe enough to be sold lawfully as a dietary supplement, and urged Congress to create a new pathway to regulate the substance.

  • April 11, 2024

    Medical Cannabis Ads Are Lawful In Miss., 5th Circ. Told

    A Mississippi medical marijuana dispensary is urging the Fifth Circuit to find that state regulations restricting cannabis advertising violate the First Amendment right to free speech, and that the state cannot hide behind the drug's federal illegality.

  • April 10, 2024

    Dormant Commerce Applies To Cannabis, 2nd Circ. Told

    A California lawyer whose companies have filed multiple lawsuits challenging state and local cannabis licensure programs has urged the Second Circuit to find that the dormant commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution applies to federally illegal marijuana.

  • April 10, 2024

    Ex-CBD Exec Says He Was Duped Into Investment

    The former chief operating officer of health goods supplier and CBD seller Premier Beauty and Health LLC told jurors Wednesday that he was misled by the company's executives — who were also his family members — into investing in a company that was less profitable and stable than he had been told.

  • April 10, 2024

    Hemp Cos. Win $134K In Investment Spat

    A Colorado federal court has entered final judgment in favor of a hemp processing company sued in an investment dispute, awarding it more than $130,000, following on a judge's findings of fact and conclusions of law last month.

  • April 10, 2024

    'Woodstock' Rivals Set To Test Weed-Adjacent Marks At Trial

    The promoter of the famed 1969 Woodstock music fair sparred Wednesday in Manhattan federal court with an alleged usurper of its prospective right to Woodstock trademarks in the evolving marijuana market, with a jury set to hear the strangely postured dispute.

  • April 10, 2024

    Pot Cos. Say California City Reneged On Fee Waiver Promise

    Six cannabis companies are suing the city of Cudahy in California federal court, saying the city breached its contracts by refusing to waive fees accrued during national emergencies and city-caused delays, costing the companies more than $26 million in damages.

  • April 10, 2024

    Electrical Workers Union Sues LIRR Over Cannabis Firing

    The union that represents Long Island Rail Road workers is suing the commuter railroad for firing an employee who had been with it for 25 years after he allegedly tested positive for marijuana when returning to work after being treated for cancer.

  • April 09, 2024

    9th Circ. Open To Reviving Calif. Cannabis Abatement Fight

    A Ninth Circuit panel on Tuesday appeared open to reviving a proposed class action alleging that Humboldt County's abatement fines for unlicensed cannabis growing structures is an unconstitutional "dragnet scheme," with two judges suggesting the magistrate judge inappropriately resolved material factual disputes against the property owners at the pleading stage.

  • April 09, 2024

    Pot Distributor Can't Restrain Hemp Co. Amid Contract Dispute

    A cannabis distribution company and a family farm lost an early bid to stop online retailer Mood Product Group LLC from allegedly using their trade secrets to solicit suppliers, with a North Carolina Business Court judge finding the pair are unlikely to succeed on their claims.

  • April 09, 2024

    Maryland Legislature Sends Kratom Bill To Governor

    Maryland will become the 13th state to pass a Kratom consumer protection act into law, if Gov. Wes Moore signs the bill that the state Legislature sent to his desk.

  • April 09, 2024

    Tribal Co. Says Calif. DA Shouldn't Escape Greenhouse Fight

    A Native American-owned corporation is asking a California federal court not to throw out its suit aiming to block the San Bernardino District Attorney's Office from destroying its greenhouses, saying federal abstention isn't proper because the state proceeding the DA references is against a different party.

  • April 08, 2024

    Software Licensees Say Investor Suit Doesn't Plead Fraud

    Decentral Life Inc. and a group of its licensees, including a cannabis social media site, are urging a Colorado federal court to throw out an investor's suit alleging that they tricked him into investing more than $1.7 million, saying his claims are too vague and fail to show how they deceived him.

  • April 08, 2024

    Feds Say Cannabis Cos. Can't Challenge CSA Pot Ban

    The U.S. government is urging a Massachusetts federal court to throw out a suit by several cannabis companies alleging the ban on cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act is unconstitutional, saying they don't have standing to sue because their activities aren't being prosecuted.

  • April 08, 2024

    Cannabis Co. Says DEA Administrative Procedure Is Illegal

    A Rhode Island cannabis company sued the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration claiming the agency is subjecting it to an illegal proceeding before an administrative judge.

  • April 05, 2024

    NJ Smoking Law Violates Casino Workers' Rights, UAW Says

    A law preventing smoking in certain indoor workspaces violates New Jersey's Constitution by excluding casino workers, the United Auto Workers alleged Friday in a state court suit against the governor and state health department commissioner.

  • April 05, 2024

    Mo. High Court Affirms Co.'s Medical Pot License Denial

    The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the denial of a company's application for a medical marijuana cultivation facility license, finding that its submission missed the mark by not including a certificate of good standing from the secretary of state.

  • April 05, 2024

    Calif. Judge Faces Two New Ethics Charges

    A California state judge facing a plethora of ethics charges is now facing additional allegations related to his participation in an online debate and comments he made during a court hearing.

  • April 05, 2024

    Calif. Cannabis Delivery Workers Vote To Authorize Strike

    California cannabis delivery company Eaze Technologies and its subsidiary Stachs LLC face a possible work stoppage just ahead of the April 20 weekend, after the union representing drivers announced they have rejected the companies' contract proposal and secured strike authorization from its members.

  • April 04, 2024

    After Voiding 'All Agency Regs' On Pot, NY Judge Backtracks

    After a New York state judge voided such a wide swath of rules governing the state's nascent recreational marijuana market that a state senator said the ruling effectively threw "out all agency regulations," the court on Thursday issued a narrower order that nullifies only certain marketing restrictions.

  • April 04, 2024

    Hawaii Cannabis Legalization Bill Dies In State House

    An effort to legalize adult-use marijuana in Hawaii is effectively dead for this legislative session after Democrats in the state House of Representatives announced they would not deliberate any further on a proposal that had already cleared the state Senate this year.

  • April 04, 2024

    NYC Sues 11 Vape Shops Over Sales Of Flavored E-Cigarettes

    The city of New York on Thursday sued 11 e-cigarette wholesalers, saying they're in violation of both city and federal regulations by selling disposable, flavored vapes, which the city said are responsible for a boom of youth vape use.

  • April 04, 2024

    Feds Take $5.7M Worth Of Ore. Properties Used To Grow Pot

    Federal prosecutors in Oregon say they have finalized asset forfeiture proceedings against 14 properties, together worth $5.7 million, used to cultivate marijuana that was transported and sold in states where the drug remains illegal.

  • April 03, 2024

    Fla. Magistrate Nixes Recusal Bid In CBD Co. Securities Suit

    A Florida federal magistrate judge has shot down an effort to have her disqualified from a securities fraud case against a CBD company for remarks she allegedly made during a March settlement conference, saying the plaintiffs' arguments in favor of recusal were "legally insufficient" to establish bias.

Expert Analysis

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Regulatory Shift May Offer Lifeline To NY's Cannabis Industry

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    Recent developments may help to open up the regulatory log jam and increase the number of licensed dispensaries in New York state, and can eventually allow the licensed cannabis market to win out over unlicensed dispensaries, say attorneys at Davis+Gilbert.

  • Why Hemp-Synthesized Intoxicants Need Uniform Regs

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    State laws regulating hemp-synthesized intoxicants are a patchwork with little consistency between any given state, and without the adoption of a uniform regulatory framework, producers and consumers alike will need to be very cautious, say Dylan Anderson and Seth Goldberg at Duane Morris.

  • Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence

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    Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: The UK

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    Following Brexit, the U.K. has adopted a different approach to regulating environmental, social and governance factors from the European Union — an approach that focuses on climate disclosures by U.K.-regulated entities, while steering clear of the more ambitious objectives pursued by the EU, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes

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    Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.

  • Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys

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    Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.

  • State Regs Sow Discord Between Cannabis, Hemp Industries

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    Connecticut, Maryland and Washington are the latest states choosing to require intoxicating hemp products to comply with the states' recreational marijuana laws, resulting in a widening rift between cannabis and hemp as Congress works on crafting new hemp legislation within the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill, say attorneys at Wilson Elser.

  • Series

    Playing In A Rock Cover Band Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing in a classic rock cover band has driven me to hone several skills — including focus, organization and networking — that have benefited my professional development, demonstrating that taking time to follow your muse outside of work can be a boon to your career, says Michael Gambro at Cadwalader.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'

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    The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.

  • Opinion

    Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform

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    The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.

  • Landmark Ark. Ruling Is Welcome News For Hemp Industry

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    An Arkansas federal court's recent ruling in Bio Gen v. Sanders creates a road map for plaintiffs to attack state laws that restrict hemp, making it one of the most important cases to date addressing the 2018 Farm Bill and state laws regarding hemp, says Rod Kight at Kight Law.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Japan

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    Japan is witnessing rapid developments in environmental, social and corporate governance policies by making efforts to adopt a soft law approach, which has been effective in encouraging companies to embrace ESG practices and address the diversity of boards of directors, say Akira Karasawa and Landry Guesdon at Iwata Godo.

  • How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing

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    Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

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