Try our Advanced Search for more refined results
Cannabis
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
April 26, 2024
CBD Co's CEO Agrees To Pay $350K To End SEC Suit
The one-time chief officer of cbdMD Inc. has agreed to pay $350,000 to end a civil enforcement action brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accusing him of defrauding investors of a private investment fund he managed.
-
April 26, 2024
UPMC To Face New Trial Over Claims It Missed Man's Stroke
A Pennsylvania appeals panel has ordered a new trial over a man's claims that he was left with permanent brain injuries after doctors at UPMC Bedford Memorial failed to diagnose a stroke in progress, saying he should have been allowed to rebut a new theory the hospital first presented at trial.
-
April 26, 2024
RJR Gets $12M Judgment Tossed In Tobacco Death Suit
A Florida appeals panel on Friday threw out a $12 million judgment against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in a wrongful death suit by the wife of a smoker, saying the evidence didn't support the jury's finding in the wife's favor on her conspiracy to fraudulently conceal claim.
-
April 25, 2024
NY Pot Regulator Seeks Dismissal Of Bias Suit
New York's cannabis regulator on Wednesday asked a federal judge to toss a lawsuit litigated by a conservative legal organization that alleges that the state's social equity licensure program discriminates against white men, saying the plaintiffs lack standing.
-
April 25, 2024
Dems Press DEA To Move Quickly On Rescheduling Marijuana
A coalition of Democratic U.S. senators and House members are urging the U.S. Department of Justice to complete swiftly its review of marijuana's legal status and remove the drug from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
-
April 25, 2024
Mich. Pot Group Says Suit Against Town Was Properly Pled
A group of residents of Lima Township, Michigan, have asked a federal court not to throw out their suit claiming that the township's trustees abused their power by blocking any progress on opening a cannabis dispensary, saying the complaint clearly pleads that their 14th Amendment rights were violated.
-
April 25, 2024
3 Things Attys Should Know About Pa.'s $48B Spending Plan
Several areas of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed $48 billion budget for 2024-2025 could result in more work for the legal industry, including more opportunities for crafting economic development deals, getting a recreational cannabis industry off the ground, and speeding up environmental permit applications, experts tell Law360.
-
April 24, 2024
DEA's Upcoming Decision On Cannabis Likely To Be Litigated
The potential loosening of federal restrictions on marijuana is likely to be litigated for years, and the pro-legalization camp would do well to pool resources to build the most persuasive evidentiary record it can, a leading cannabis advocate said Wednesday.
-
April 24, 2024
FDA Can Keep Most Docs Hidden From Juul's FOIA Request
A District of Columbia federal judge has largely sided with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a suit by Juul Labs Inc. seeking documents related to the FDA's decision to ban its products, saying the bulk of the files fall under a privilege that protects predecision deliberations.
-
April 24, 2024
FDA Seeks Max Fines Against Shops Selling Elf Bar Vapes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued another round of complaints and civil penalties to 22 brick-and-mortar and online sellers of illicit e-cigarettes, including the highly popular Elf Bar brand, according to an agency announcement that noted more than 100 retailers have been hit since September.
-
April 23, 2024
Residents Say NJ Township, Grower Rushed Land Use Permits
Residents of a New Jersey neighborhood are hopping mad about plans to put a cannabis growing facility a stone's throw from their residential street, telling a state court that the local township didn't properly assess the site plan for the project before approving it.
-
April 23, 2024
Do Not Remand FDA Cigar Rule Without Vacatur, DC Circ. Told
The New Civil Liberties Alliance is urging the D.C. Circuit not to remand a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule regulating premium cigars without first vacating the regulation, saying federal agencies cannot enforce rules that have been declared unlawful.
-
April 23, 2024
9th Circ. Won't Reinstate Pilot After High-Flying Pot Deliveries
The Ninth Circuit won't undo the Federal Aviation Administration's decision to revoke the pilot certificate of a pilot who transported cannabis within the state of Alaska, saying the state's legalization of cannabis doesn't block the FAA's rules and regulations.
-
April 22, 2024
Ayahuasca Church Settles Religious Freedom Suit With Feds
A Phoenix-based church that uses the psychedelic ayahuasca as a sacrament announced Monday that it had reached a legal settlement in Arizona federal court with a slew of federal agencies to ensure its religious right to access the federally controlled substance.
Expert Analysis
-
Considerations For Evaluating IP Risks In Cannabis M&A
Due to the patchwork of state cannabis laws in the U.S., investors and businesses acquiring intellectual property must assess whether a trademark portfolio possesses any vulnerabilities, such as marks that are considered attractive to children or third-party claims of trademark infringement, say Mary Shapiro and Nicole Katsin at Evoke Law.
-
9th Circ. TM Ruling Expands Courts' Role In Application Cases
The Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling in BBK Tobacco v. Central Coast Agriculture is the first time a federal appeals court has explicitly authorized district courts to adjudicate pending trademark applications, marking a potentially significant expansion of federal courts' power, says Saul Cohen at Kelly IP.
-
For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
-
Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
-
4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
-
3 Health Insurance Paths For Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
Ahead of potential U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals for psychedelics as insured treatments, attorneys at Husch Blackwell review pathways for these drugs to achieve coverage as treatments for complex mental health conditions.
-
Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
-
Fears About The End Of Chevron Deference Are Overblown
While some are concerned about repercussions if the U.S. Supreme Court brings an end to Chevron deference in the Loper and Relentless cases this term, agencies and attorneys would survive just fine under the doctrines that have already begun to replace it, say Daniel Wolff and Henry Leung at Crowell & Moring.
-
Series
NJ Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1
Early 2024 developments in New Jersey financial regulations include new bills that propose regulating some cryptocurrency as securities and protecting banks that serve the cannabis industry, as well as the signing of a data privacy law that could change banks’ responsibility to vet vendors and borrowers, say attorneys at Chiesa Shahinian.
-
Former Minn. Chief Justice Instructs On Writing Better Briefs
Former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea, now at Greenberg Traurig, offers strategies on writing more effective appellate briefs from her time on the bench.
-
Stay Interviews Are Key To Retaining Legal Talent
Even as the economy shifts and layoffs continue, law firms still want to retain their top attorneys, and so-called stay interviews — informal conversations with employees to identify potential issues before they lead to turnover — can be a crucial tool for improving retention and morale, say Tina Cohen Nicol and Kate Reder Sheikh at Major Lindsey.
-
Opinion
Intoxicating Hemp Products: It's High Time For Clarity
Thanks to ambiguity in the 2018 Farm Bill, intoxicating hemp cannabinoid products are largely unregulated and are widely available without restrictions on who can buy the products, and although there are several possible solutions, voluntary industry action by good actors is the best option, say Andrew Kline and Tommy Tobin at Perkins Coie.
-
What Rescheduling Could Mean For Cannabis Bankruptcies
Bankruptcy courts have historically been closed for cannabis-related businesses, but recent case law coupled with a possible reclassification of cannabis provides cautious optimism, say attorneys at Duane Morris.
-
Series
Spray Painting Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My experiences as an abstract spray paint artist have made me a better litigator, demonstrating — in more ways than one — how fluidity and flexibility are necessary parts of a successful legal practice, says Erick Sandlin at Bracewell.
-
Opinion
Judicial Independence Is Imperative This Election Year
As the next election nears, the judges involved in the upcoming trials against former President Donald Trump increasingly face political pressures and threats of violence — revealing the urgent need to safeguard judicial independence and uphold the rule of law, says Benes Aldana at the National Judicial College.