Shannett Thompson – Kingsley Napley LLP

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The “Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers” now in its 7th annual edition is a professional directory developed to identify and highlight specialized legal experts serving the legal cannabis, hemp, and CBD industries globally.

Selection Criteria

To be included in the directory, individuals and teams undergo a research process that evaluates:

Industry Experience: How long they have worked specifically with cannabis businesses. Client History: The types of clients and vertical sectors (e.g., cultivation, retail) they have serviced.

Thought Leadership: Contributions to industry knowledge through articles, conference participation, and involvement with cannabis-related associations Why Cannabis Legal Specialists Are Required The global expansion of the legal cannabis industry has transformed a former black-market commodity into a multi-billion-dollar corporate juggernaut. However, this rapid evolution has created one of the most volatile and complex regulatory landscapes in modern history. Far from being a niche luxury, cannabis lawyers are a fundamental necessity for protecting business stability, driving economic growth, and advancing civil rights within the United States and across international borders.

The Fragmented Legal Landscape in the US

In the United States, the primary driver for specialized legal counsel is the staggering contradiction between state and federal law. While a vast majority of states have legalized medical or recreational adult-use marijuana, the federal government historically maintained its status as a prohibited Schedule I narcotic. Even with recent milestones—such as the Department of Justice moving to reclassify medical cannabis to Schedule III—the industry remains heavily constrained. This legal friction forces “plant-touching” businesses to navigate an obstacle course that mainstream businesses take for granted Banking and Taxation: Traditional banks routinely deny services to dispensaries out of fear of federal money laundering charges. Cannabis lawyers are essential for structuring compliant financial pathways and mitigating brutal tax penalties, like the legacy of IRS Section 280E. Interstate Commerce: Because crossing state lines with marijuana remains a federal offense, legal experts must ensure that supply chains, transportation, and logistics remain strictly within localized state boundaries.

The Global Maze of Compliance

On the international stage, cannabis legislation is an asymmetrical patchwork. Nations like Uruguay and Germany have legalized recreational use, others permit only medicinal frameworks, and many enforce severe criminal penalties. Global cannabis lawyers bridge these geopolitical gaps. Furthermore, global intellectual property (IP) is a battlefield. Because cannabis strains, specialized extraction technologies, and infused products cannot always secure standard federal patents or trademarks domestically, specialized attorneys must devise sophisticated international IP strategies to protect corporate assets from piracy.

Corporate Protection and Social Justice

Beyond high-stakes corporate maneuvering, cannabis lawyers serve two vital, ground-level functions:

Corporate Protection

Strict Operational Oversight: Attorneys guide cultivators and retailers through highly competitive licensing applications, rigorous seed-to-sale tracking, rigid packaging mandates, and evolving zoning laws.

Social Justice Equity

Undoing Historical Harm: Legal advocates champion social equity programs, working to secure expungements and restore voting rights for individuals disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.

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