Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla Announces Cannabis Law Practice Group

On Jun 11, 2018

With investors and entrepreneurs increasingly eyeing cannabis business opportunities in New Jersey, the law firm of Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C., formally announced its Cannabis Law Practice Group, which is comprised of a team of attorneys with diverse experience in cannabis-related legal matters.

The team provides comprehensive legal counsel to cannabis businesses, drawing on its depth of experience guiding clients through the state’s medical marijuana laws and regulations and business formations.

The Cannabis Law Practice Group is co-chaired by Paul T. Colella, who focuses on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and business law, and Patrick S. Convery, who handles mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, business transactions, and financing matters.

“GH&C is uniquely suited to provide sophisticated advice and counsel to businesses in New Jersey’s cannabis industry. It’s an industry that touches on all of our core competencies,” Colella said.

“We have deep experience in corporate and business, real estate, environmental and other areas of the law, and providing counsel on cannabis-related matters is second nature to us.  We know the terrain,” Convery added.

The full-service law firm has been providing counsel to clients on cannabis-related issues, representing, for example, one of the state’s six original alternative treatment centers in a broad range of business and regulatory matters.

Specifically, the firm’s attorneys are experienced in guiding clients through the operating requirements of the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, are familiar with the proposed amendments to the statute and are involved in the effort to enact legislative reform to expand its scope.

The need for a cannabis practice area became increasingly apparent in recent months as the firm has fielded an increased number of inquiries by potential clients ranging from private equity funds and other investors to owners of property that could be used for cannabis growth or other facilities.

At the same time, New Jersey has been considering expansion of its medical-cannabis program and potential enactment of legislation permitting adult recreational use of cannabis. GH&C is prepared to counsel clients if either or both of these developments come to fruition.

The Cannabis Law Practice Group of GH&C is prepared to address the full range of legal issues facing businesses in the cannabis industry, including

• business entity and formation;
• financing, investment and venture capital;
• regulatory compliance and licensing;
• governmental affairs and legislative strategy;
• land use and zoning applications; real estate acquisition, development and financing; and leasing;
• environmental review and compliance;
• banking and financing regulations;
• employment practices;
• commercial litigation;
• intellectual property;
• healthcare and privacy, and
• government investigations.

To be successful in managing the complex legal landscape affecting the cannabis industry, businesses interested in the New Jersey market require the advice and counsel of an experienced, knowledgeable and creative legal team in all stages of the business life cycle.  This is especially the case for individuals who may not have business experience.

To access more business news, visit njbmagazine.com

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