Bradley Arant Boult Cummings issued the following announcement on July 17.
Bradley is pleased to announce the launch of its Cannabis Industry team, a multi-disciplinary group of attorneys dedicated to meeting the specific needs of cannabis industry clients, including hemp companies.
“As the cannabis industry in the U.S. has experienced rapid growth – especially after the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill that removed hemp from the schedule of controlled substances – Bradley is well positioned and committed to helping businesses navigate an array of legal challenges involving marijuana and hemp,” said Bradley partner Whitt Steineker, co-leader of the firm’s Cannabis Industry team.
Jay Wright, also a Bradley partner and co-leader of the firm’s Cannabis Industry team, added, “The challenges involved in the legal cultivation, processing, and distribution of cannabis also extend to a broad cross-section of businesses that provide services to or otherwise interact with cannabis companies.”
Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Jonathan M. Skeeters said, “Bradley’s Cannabis Industry team brings together attorneys from diverse practice areas who understand the emerging cannabis marketplace. Our team also has deep experience guiding highly regulated businesses through complex and often conflicting regulations and laws not only on the federal level, but across the many states where we have offices or where our clients are located.”
Bradley’s Cannabis Industry team lawyers possess deep understanding of the many unique legal and business issues that impact companies operating in this sector. In addition to closely monitoring industry trends and legislative developments to provide timely and proactive guidance to clients, the attorneys help businesses successfully identify and mitigate risk, as well as recognize opportunities for sustainable growth. The team’s experience and full range of services for industry clients cover matters involving banking, regulatory compliance, licensing, intellectual property, taxation, corporate transactions, dispute resolution, and litigation, among other areas.
Bradley’s Cannabis Industry team serves clients across all the firm’s offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia.
Following are among the firm’s specific services to cannabis industry clients:
Business licensing and permitting
Federal, state and local regulatory compliance
Corporate formation and restructuring
Corporate, securities, and financing transactions, including M&A and joint venture structuring
Real estate transactions, including commercial leasing
Construction, zoning and land use
Government advocacy and legislative lobbying
Economic development and incentives
Branding and intellectual property protection, including product label approvals and trademark protection
Commercial litigation and dispute resolution
Consumer protection and product liability litigation
Healthcare licensing and reimbursement issues
Labor and employment compliance and litigation
Drafting and negotiating contracts and operating agreements
Tax planning and strategy
Defense of enforcement, investigations, and administrative litigation
Privacy and data security, including information technology, financial privacy, and health privacy and security
Insurance coverage and policyholder disputes