The expertise of the team at Dentons extends from strategic counselling, risk mitigation, and compliance, to support with transactional and contentious mandates. Chicago-based Eric Berlin steers the department and dedicates his practice to assisting companies that sell products or services to the cannabis industry, testing labs, cultivators and processors with corporate transactions and litigation. Additional key contacts in Chicago include Joanne Caceres, who is noted for her regulatory work for cannabis, hemp, and emerging psychedelics-sector clients; and Michael Froy, who is frequently instructed by manufacturers, cannabis, and healthcare-sector clients. Los Angeles-based managing associate Lauren Estevez routinely counsels cannabis brands, CBD companies, investors, and ancillary businesses on regulatory compliance.

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Work highlights

Advised Medicine Man Technologies on its agreement to acquire certain assets of Sucellus, LLC, pursuant to which Schwazze will manage Everest Apothecary, Inc., a New Mexico not-for-profit corporation.
Advised Canopy Growth Corp. on a novel strategy to accelerate its entry into the US cannabis industry through the creation of a new, US-domiciled holding company, Canopy USA LLC.
Assisted Bright Green with regulatory licensing, its initial public offering on Nasdaq, and financing.