Barton LLP’s Cannabis Law team is equipped to advise businesses at several points of the cannabis supply chain, from cultivators, extractors, and processors to retailers, distributors, and dispensaries. Our attorneys can provide guidance regarding state and federal laws and regulations, particularly for the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut corridor, as well as critical business considerations such as:
- applications for appropriate licenses and, where indicated, zoning variances;
- labeling and marketing concerns, including trademarks and copyrights;
- federal and state tax issues, including how and when to pay taxes in a cash-based business;
- labor and employment matters (including employment classification, tax withholding, and benefits implementation);
- compliance with privacy and cybersecurity regulations, laws, and business practices;
- advice in obtaining insurance and assistance in completing applications for coverage in a rapidly hardening market for the cannabis industry;
- counsel for commercial leases for dispensary and warehouse spaces; and
- commercial dispute mediation and litigation.
These ancillary issues are critical for emerging companies in the cannabis space yet are often overlooked until the client is ready to open its doors, at which time it is often very late to get its legal rights house in order for the cannabis business to proceed successfully. In addition to the services noted in the preceding paragraph, our team can assist with corporate formation, financing, and contractual negotiations. We also represent vendors and other third-party business partners to the cannabis industry, as well as those looking to invest in cannabis-related businesses.
Barton LLP also recognizes that the growth of the cannabis industry is both a national and international phenomenon. Our clients require timely advice at the local, state, and federal level throughout the United States and, more frequently than may be thought, internationally. Our firm can help provide cross-border assistance through our active membership in the International Society of Primerus Law Firms, an international network of top-rated, independent law firms. Through Primerus, Barton partners with nearly 200 law firms in more than 40 countries, including in every state in the U.S., as well as in Canada and Mexico. This partnership allows us to get the answers and advice that our clients need to smoothly conduct their cannabis-related businesses no matter what the geographic realities and locations are for them and their businesses.
