California Trademark Protection for Cannabis Businesses
A trademark is a word, name, or symbol used in commerce to identify and distinguish the goods and services of one company from those manufactured, sold, and/or provided by others. Trademarks help businesses create and maintain a unique brand and often represent a company’s reputation, brand identity, and goodwill. Trademark infringement occurs when another business […]
The Benefits of Market Expansion Through SB 398
For years, cannabis advocates, entrepreneurs, and legislators have worked, with limited success, to expand the regulated market in California. Most legislative proposals have taken a forceful approach with local jurisdictions, mandating cities and counties to regulate based on various factors, such as how their constituency voted on Proposition 64. These tactics resulted in strong pushback […]
New Year, Old Battles: California’s Latest Cannabis Legislation
With the COVID-19 pandemic throwing a wrench in their plans for cannabis policy last year, lawmakers and state regulators are pushing for big changes in 2021. The Newsom Administration is working towards a consolidation of the three licensing authorities (see the latest analysis by the Legislative Analyst’s Office). At the same time, legislators continue to […]
Building Your Brand: Trademarking Cannabis, Hemp, and CBD with USPTO
One of the most important business and legal considerations for companies is how to protect valuable intellectual property (“IP”) assets. But businesses in the cannabis space face unique challenges in protecting their trademarks and brands. A trademark is any visible indication that goods or services come from a given source (such as a brand, logo, […]
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”) May Be the Future of Cannabis and Hemp Business Growth, and Industry Consolidation
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies, commonly referred to as “SPACs”, have garnered significant public attention and investment capital in the past year and have made investments into a number of different industries, including cannabis. It is estimated that SPACs raised over $82 billion in 2020, which was a six-fold increase from 2019. Several SPACs have made […]
Meital Manzuri’s Article “Legal Consequences for Using or Acting as an Unregistered Broker-Dealer in the Cannabis Industry” published in California Lawyers Association’s Real Property Journal
This article discusses the rise of unregistered broker-dealers in the cannabis industry. The focus of this article is defining what are broker-dealers and the potential legal consequences for both the cannabis businesses who engage unregistered broker-dealers and the unregistered broker-dealers themselves. Read the article in the Real Property Journal Vol. 38 #4 (subscription required), or view […]
LA Update – What will 2021 licensing opportunities be in the biggest market in the world?
The first Cannabis Commission hearing of 2021 was packed with information for LA operators and applicants. Here are the key takeaways from the Executive Director’s Report impacting all applicants: Across the board, cannabis businesses are being impacted by the Office of Finance’s COVID-19 safety procedures. In an effort to reduce some of the impact, DCR […]
CA Cannabis License Citations and Suspensions: Your Regulatory Rights When Facing Enforcement and Disciplinary Proceedings
Due to the cannabis industry’s developing nature, licensed California cannabis operators may find themselves in violation of constantly-changing rules and standards implemented by cannabis regulators, namely, the California Department of Cannabis Control, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California Department of Public Health (collectively, the “Licensing Agencies”). From citations and fines to […]
State Agencies Enact Regulations to Improve Banking Access for Cannabis Industry
On February 1, 2021, regulations set forth by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Cannabis Control and Department of Public Health to implement Assembly Bill 1525 were approved by the California Office of Administrative Law and put into effect. The adopted regulations provide a mechanism for licensees to request that state licensing […]
Meital Manzuri Comments on Cannabis Policy Reform Under a Biden & Harris Administration
Meital Manzuri was recently quoted in A.J Herrington’s article “Post-Election Outlook for Federal Cannabis Legalization Uncertain,” which was featured in the November/December 2020 edition of Cannabis Connections of Maine. The article focuses on the potential changes to cannabis policy under the leadership of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Meital offered her insight on the topic: […]