Royal Oak, Mich., August 1, 2017 – Howard & Howard, a Royal Oak, Mich.-based law firm, has announced the official formation of its Cannabis Industry Group. The newly formalized group provides a broad range of services to clients operating in the rapidly expanding legal medical and adult use cannabis industry.
“Our cannabis group offers services required by the businesses starting-up or already operating in this vibrant new industry,” said firm President and CEO Mark Davis. “That includes venture capital, financing, real estate, intellectual property licensing, regulatory compliance and an entire suite of related business services.”
According to Arcview Market Research, the medical and adult use marijuana industry is the country’s fastest-growing with 2016 total revenues estimated at about $6.7 billion. As more states roll-out medical and adult use regimes, continued growth is expected with experts estimating revenues topping $20 billion by 2021.
Davis said the firm has been working with medical cannabis companies and ancillary businesses for several years, including representing General Hydroponics, Inc. and Bio-Organic Solutions in their acquisition by Hawthorne Gardening Company (a subsidiary of Scotts Miracle-Gro).
“With the industry’s rapid expansion and our background in the industry, we felt the time was right to formalize our firm’s offerings to the cannabis industry and create a discrete, focused group.”
The firm’s Cannabis Industry Group provides guidance for businesses in the medical and adult use segments, including:
- Licensing for Cultivation, Processing, Testing, Transporting and Dispensing
- Whole Sale and Retail Hydroponic Sales and Related Mergers and Acquisitions
- Entity Formation
- Zoning
- Tax
- Understanding Federal vs. State law Conflicts
- Interacting with Local Municipalities
- Investing in Medical Marijuana Facilities
- Patent and Trademark Protection
- Contract Negotiations and Drafting
- Sales and Leasing Transactions
- Business Plan Development
- Regulatory Compliance
- Application Assistance
- Business Connections
- Insurance
- Banking
- Anti-Money-Laundering
- Litigation
The Cannabis Industry Group includes attorneys with prior experience in the medical cannabis segment and the highly-regulated gaming and liquor industries.
Howard & Howard has offices in Michigan, California, Nevada and Illinois, all states which have legalized medical and/or adult use of cannabis.
“This multi-billion dollar industry is becoming one of the most highly-regulated in the world and will require a wide range of legal services which we can provide,” said Davis.
“The is an exciting and increasingly complex industry with varying laws and regulations from state-to-state. We’re looking forward to continued growth with our cannabis industry clientele throughout the country,” said Davis.
About Howard & Howard
Founded in 1869, Howard & Howard is a full-service law firm with a national and international practice that provides legal services to businesses and business owners. The firm has offices in Michigan (Ann Arbor and Royal Oak); Illinois (Chicago and Peoria); Las Vegas, Nevada; and Los Angeles, California. Howard & Howard’s major areas of practice include: bankruptcy and creditors’ rights; business and corporate; commercial litigation; employee benefits; environmental; estate planning; franchising; intellectual property; labor, employment and immigration; mergers and acquisitions; real estate; securities; and tax. Our distinguished backgrounds provide us with a solid understanding of the industries we serve, including, automotive and industrial; cannabis; commodity futures; construction; energy and utilities; financial services; gaming; healthcare; and hospitality. For more information, please visit the firm’s website at www.howardandhoward.com.
Kady Volmering
PR and Communications Coordinator
248-723-0331
kvolmering@howardandhoward.com