Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers
Directory 2024/25
Welcome to the 5th Edition of the Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers 2024 – 2025 published by Cannabis Law Report & Cannabis Law Journal.
We have compiled the lawyers and law firms we believe, to be the top 200 cannabis practitioners & practices around the world via our annual survey of clients and lawyers in the cannabis legal services sector as well as our personal editorial decisions based on our reporting of the industry on a daily basis for the past eight + years. Read More
Thank you, Sean Hocking – Editor: The Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers
Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers – Plus 2024/2025
Neil M. Kaufman – Kaufman McGowan PLLC
Neil M. Kaufman, is the managing member of Kaufman McGowan PLLC, Corporate & Securities Counsel to the Cannabis Industry™ and one of the leading corporate cannabis law firms in New York and the USA. He combines over 40 years of practicing corporate and securities law at the highest levels with 10 years of extensive cannabis industry experience. Mr. Kaufman represents a wide variety of cannabis companies and investors in their ...
Daniel Haymann – MME
Daniel Haymann specialises in corporate and commercial law. Thanks to his extensive business experience, he has a good sense for new markets and understands the requirements for market launch and scale-up strategies. As an interdisciplinary and hands-on advisor, his focus is on investments, venture capital and financing transactions as well as regulatory issues in the healthcare and consumer goods sectors. He has been advising investors, start-ups, and vertically integrated companies ...
Shay Aaron Gilmore – The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore
Shay Aaron Gilmore is a leading cannabis business attorney in California and a recognized expert in corporate and commercial transactions throughout the cannabis supply chain. Shay works exclusively with cannabis operators and investors on regulatory, administrative law, real estate, land use, corporate, labor & employment, and intellectual property matters, providing advice and counsel honed to protect and expand access to cannabis. Shay has been recognized by The Los Angeles/San Francisco ...
Andrew Cooper – Falcon Rappaport & Berkman
After spending most of his over 30 years of practice as a trial and transactional attorney, handling primarily intellectual property, commercial litigation, and healthcare matters, and as General Counsel representing companies in markets such as salty snacks (as General Counsel for Robert’s American Gourmet, the manufacturer and distributor of the iconic “Pirate’s Booty”) and beer, wine and liquor (representing BH Group, the manufacturer and distributor of “Notorious Pink”), Andrew pivoted ...
Peter Homberg – In Memoriam
Peter Homberg, who joined international law firm gunnercooke at the beginning of this year, specializes in life sciences, IP and corporate law, and M&A transactions. He particularly advises companies in the pharmaceutical, diagnostics, medical device and biotechnology sectors on research and development contracts, collaboration agreements, cross-border IP licensing and IP strategies. He also has extensive experience in advising on compliance issues and advises companies extensively in the field of medical ...
Courtney N. Moran – EARTH Law, LLC
Courtney N. Moran, LL.M., Founding Principal of EARTH Law, LLC, and Chief Legislative Strategist for Agricultural Hemp Solutions, LLC, has a passion for policy reform and precedent-setting. She liaised with the offices of Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in drafting and negotiating the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, the language in the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalizing hemp in the United States. Courtney is a highly accomplished ...
Andrew DeWeese
Andrew DeWeese is a high stakes business trial lawyer, based in Portland, Oregon, and practicing throughout Oregon, frequently in Jackson and Josephine Counties. DeWeese has litigated hundreds of matters over the course of his distinguished career, with special emphasis on shareholder and partnership disputes and other complex commercial litigation. He has tried both jury and bench trials to verdict and has an enviable record of wins in private arbitration. He ...
Marie Sanchez – Nooa Avocats
Marie Sanchez advises clients in the life sciences sector (including clients in the pharmaceutical, medical devices, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, food supplements and veterinary drugs sectors) by offering bespoke guidance on regulatory issues, litigation and contractual matters. She also has an extensive practice in the cannabis sector, advising clients on regulatory and strategic issues related to both the medical cannabis and wellness hemp markets in France and representing them in commercial litigations ...
Mitchel C. Chargo – Hinshaw
Mitchel Chargo represents clients in a wide array of matters related to the state of Minnesota's newly enacted adult recreational use cannabis program, including regulatory and compliance matters, licensing, financing, commercial real estate, and corporate governance. He also represents a Native American entity in a Native American medicinal cannabis program and adult recreational use program, as well as clients in the hemp industry, including manufacturers of hemp products. Prior to ...
Shannett Thompson – Kingsley Napley LLP
Shannett Thompson is a Partner in the Regulatory Team at Kingsley Napley. She started her legal career, working in HMRC, Insolvency Team, ahead of her training contract in the NHS. Shannett provides specialist regulatory advice across a number of sectors, including professional services. Her diverse client base includes businesses, care homes, regulators, professional bodies, students, and individuals. She is adept at working across a number of regulatory schemes. Given she ...
Janet E. Jackim – Fennemore
Janet Jackim, who received the AV-Preeminent® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, focuses on real estate acquisitions and leasing; equity and debt financing; loan workouts; and cannabis acquisitions, dispositions, and other deals. Ms. Jackim supplements her legal insight with advanced technical, operational and financial acumen particular to the cannabis industry. Her problem-solving creativity aids in resolving complex issues for her rapidly-expanding cannabis clients. Ms. Jackim is particularly well-versed in the cannabis space. She ...
Alexander Buscher – Buscher Law LLC
Alex Buscher founded Buscher Law LLC in 2018 to provide legal advice to cannabis & hemp companies in Colorado and quickly realized most lawyers, bankers, and insurance companies were still not willing to take a risk on the legalized industry. This led to an expansion of practice areas in-house and an in-depth understanding of a wide array of separate yet interconnected areas of the law including business, real estate, asset ...
Richard Y. Cheng – Ritter Spencer Cheng, PLLC
Richard Y. Cheng, a managing member at Ritter Spencer Cheng PLLC and brings a wealth of experience and expertise in corporate transactions, regulatory, compliance matters, specifically to the cannabis and healthcare industries. Through his traditional healthcare practice, Richard ventured into the cannabis industry in 2013. His contributions to the cannabis industry have been significant, representing a variety of clients (e.g. cultivators, investors, manufacturers, retailers, healthcare providers, third-party business) and earning ...
Aaron Pelley – Gleam Law
Aaron Pelley is a pioneering attorney and Partner at Gleam Law, widely recognized as a trailblazer in cannabis and psychedelic law. With nearly 20 years of experience, he has been instrumental in drafting key legislation and establishing legal frameworks for emerging markets and high-risk industries. A Top 100 Trial Lawyer and multi-year "Super Lawyer," Aaron is a sought-after speaker whose legal insights have been featured in The New York Times, Vice News, and Newsweek. He currently serves ...
Sean J. McGowan – Kaufman McGowan PLLC
Sean J. McGowan represents emerging growth, middle market and public companies and investment firms in their corporate, securities, financing, borrowing, merger & acquisition and other legal matters. Mr. McGowan is: President of the Columbian Lawyers’ Association of Suffolk County. Secretary of the Confederation of Columbian Lawyers of New York State. Member of the Columbian Lawyers’ Association of Nassau County. Member of the New York State Bar Association and its Cannabis ...
David Feldman – Feldman Legal Advisors
David Feldman concentrates his law practice on corporate and securities law and mergers and acquisitions, as well as general representation of public and private companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and private equity and venture capital firms. David has represented a wide range of clients in the legal cannabis and psychedelics industries since 2013. He provides guidance on private placements, public offerings, loan structuring and fund formation for cannabis companies, as well as ...
Samantha Myers – Reed Smith
Samantha is a partner in Reed Smith’s Global Corporate Group who focuses on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and equity capital markets. Samantha has extensive experience of acting for companies and their advisers on IPOs and secondary transactions both on AIM and on the main market of the London Stock Exchange and on transactions involving the Toronto and Australian exchanges. She regularly advises on a range of domestic and cross-border ...
Tom Zuber – Zuber Lawler LLP
Tom Zuber, recognized by Chambers USA, is a founder and the Managing Partner of Zuber Lawler. In addition to personally managing relationships with more than 10 of the firm’s Fortune 1000 clients, as well as funds and government entities, Mr. Zuber has been representing leading cannabis clients since 2006. He’s represented cannabis companies in litigation, deals, IP, and regulatory matters across the country as well as internationally. Mr. Zuber is ...
Chelsie Spencer – Ritter Spencer Cheng, PLLC
Forbes Magazine dubbed Chelsie Spencer the “rare friendly face in the midst of a cutthroat CBD hurricane, the person you want on speed dial when things turn sour” for her work in the cannabidiol (CBD) industry. As head of the cannabis practice at Ritter Spencer PLLC, Chelsie represents clients in every facet of the cannabis and hemp industries, including dispensaries, growers, processors, manufacturers, retailers, and more for their business needs ...
Lauren Rudick – Rudick Law Group
Lauren Rudick is a prominent figure in the cannabis legal landscape, known for her leadership as the Founder and Managing Principal of the Rudick Law Group, with offices in New York City, Jersey City, and Latin America. With extensive experience in cannabis and hemp law and regulations, Rudick has played a pivotal role in advising and representing clients nationwide within the rapidly evolving cannabis industry and ancillary industries, including agriculture ...
Dr. Atthachai Homhuan – Tilleke & Gibbins
Dr. Atthachai Homhuan is one of Thailand’s leading experts on the law regulating cannabis and other hemp-related products. A licensed attorney with a PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology, Dr. Atthachai is sought after by the world’s leading cannabis companies to advise on all aspects of establishing and operating their business in Thailand. Since the liberalization of cannabis laws in Thailand in 2019, he has assisted numerous clients at various stages of ...
Ricardo Geada – Irwin Mitchell
Ricardo Geada is a regulatory partner advising UK and international businesses on compliance, investigations and market access, with a particular focus on the legal cannabis sector (medical and CBD wellness), vaping and other consumer products. I also have worked on matters pertaining to crypto/digital assets. Ricardos centres on designing compliant routes to market, navigating regulator scrutiny, and managing risk across the UK, EU and multi‑jurisdictional projects. Before joining Irwin Mitchell, ...
Susan Burns – S Burns Legal PLLC
With more than 30 years of experience, Susan Burns has forged a career as a no-nonsense business lawyer and global development consultant helping businesses in growth mode tactically use legal strategies to meet their needs. Serving a broad range of industries, Susan has been a partner to businesses tackling the burgeoning cannabis industry since the outset, supporting processors, manufacturers and retailers. She has also worked extensively with psychotherapy and health-related ...
Courtney Barnes, Esq – Feldman Legal Advisors
Courtney Barnes is a Partner at Feldman Legal Advisors PLLC and adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law. Courtney specializes in advising clients on regulatory compliance, risk management, and strategic operational matters relating to the production and distribution of highly regulated compounds in emerging industries. Her legal expertise includes providing bespoke regulatory compliance guidance, including licensing, distribution, and advertising strategy to consumer-packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers, retailers, and ...
Rod Kight – Kight on Cannabis
Rod Kight is a cannabis business law attorney, based in North Carolina and Mexico, Rod represents legal cannabis businesses throughout the world ...
Benjamin M. Rattner – Cermele & Wood LLP
Benjamin M. Rattner leads the cannabis practice at his law firm, Cermele & Wood LLP. He represents pre-operational and operational clients throughout the cannabis and hemp industries, along with numerous ancillary businesses. Ben routinely negotiates leases and land deals, drafts licensing and purchase agreements, and drafts the documentation necessary to form and operate cannabis businesses. He also counsels clients about brand protection, marketing, and advertising. Ben uses his background as ...
Daniel Rathner – Indicated Legal
Daniel Rathner is the founder and Director of Indicated Legal based in Melbourne, Australia. Daniel works with many businesses across the supply chain, including sponsors, cultivators, manufacturers, importers, distributors, medical practitioners and clinics, pharmacists and testing laboratories. Offering practical and strategic advice, Daniel assists his clients throughout the life of their enterprises, from corporate structuring and establishment, licensing, commercial contracts and deal flow through to corporate governance, regulatory compliance and ...
Luke S Zimmerman – Law Office of Luke S Zimmerman
Here at the Law Office of Luke S Zimmerman APC we believe in addressing our client’s issues by listening to their concerns, then evaluating the best manner to address the problem, and lastly offering a reasonable resolution that can be implemented with as much ease as possible. Whether it be forming a new business, registering a trademark, or navigating the confusing issues when developing a cannabis brand, the Law Office ...
Craig Small – Clark Hill
Craig Small has more than 17 years of experience practicing cannabis law and litigation. His main practice areas include M&A transactions, intellectual property protection, and regulatory compliance but his work with domestic and international cannabis clients has allowed him to assist them in a variety of additional legal issues they face such as real estate transactions, labor and employment issues, and litigation. Craig also serves as Vice-Chair of the firm’s ...
Featured Firms – 2024/2025
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