Cannabis

Helping Cannabis and Hemp Businesses Grow Smarter, Stay Compliant, and Succeed*

The cannabis industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, shaped by a patchwork of state programs, shifting federal priorities, and now groundbreaking tribal initiatives. Entering the cannabis industry in jurisdictions in which it has been authorized requires an understanding and appreciation for the complex regulatory environment, which is constantly evolving and involves conflicts at the federal, state, and local levels of government. At Hinshaw, we help businesses, investors,  and sovereign nations navigate this dynamic landscape with clarity, confidence, and foresight, all of which have been developed through practical, boots-on-the-ground experience.

Hinshaw’s Cannabis Practice combines deep industry knowledge with the resources of a full-service Am Law 200 firm. Our team includes former in-house General Counsel to a state-registered cannabis medical marijuana manufacturer and the attorney who negotiated the nation’s first tribal-state cannabis compact which facilitates tribal cannabis operations off of the tribe’s sovereign territory. This real-world experience, paired with our firm’s strengths in corporate, healthcare, employment, litigation, and regulatory law, allows us to provide clients with comprehensive, end-to-end legal support.

Areas of Focus

Legal Support for the Future of Cannabis

As cannabis and hemp-derived products move further into the mainstream, Hinshaw is positioned at the forefront. We help clients across the ecosystem build strong foundations, scale responsibly, and protect their long-term interests in one of the most dynamic legal markets in the world.

*Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. This means that it is a federal crime to sell, distribute, possess, and/or use marijuana or marijuana-derived products, regardless of any state law that may authorize certain marijuana activity. As a result, state laws legalizing, decriminalizing, or otherwise authorizing cannabis activity are in conflict with federal law. Although federal enforcement policy guidelines may, at times, defer to state law and may further recommend enforcement discretion when a business or individual operates in compliance with state law that complies with federal enforcement priorities, businesses and individuals must understand that compliance with state law does not equate to or assure compliance with federal law. There is a risk that conflicting federal law(s) may be enforced in the future. It is also important to understand that federal marijuana policy may change at any time. No legal advice we give regarding marijuana law or policy is ever intended to encourage, guide, or assist clients in violating federal or state law.