Now that the State of California has legalized commercial cannabis for adult use, lawyers in San Francisco are confronting new challenges as the industry rapidly transitions into a fully legal, and heavily regulated market. The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) has been a leader in California for lawyers in the industry since June 2015 when it addressed in an ethics opinion whether a California lawyer may ethically represent a client in respect to a medical marijuana enterprise in California. BASF has now formed a Cannabis Law Committee as a resource for lawyers in the industry or for others trying to engage in the industry, as well as a voice on cannabis issues for legal practitioners in the space. The BASF Cannabis Law Committee inaugural event is the BASF Cannabis Conference, which, on October 4, will bring together lawyers, regulators, and experts in the cannabis industry for one half-day of mind-expanding CLE and camaraderie.
The BASF Cannabis Conference will offer practical guidance that attorneys can use to serve their clients whether those clients are in the cannabis industry or trying to figure out how to engage with the cannabis industry, while also providing critical insights and historical knowledge to improve lawyers’ conversations with the public concerning cannabis. The BASF Cannabis Conference will also be marked by a special collegiality as lawyers working in this space learn from each other and have the opportunity to socialize at the reception following the CLE panels. This time together will contribute in no small measure to a Bay Area cannabis bar that is more civil, cooperative, and engaged than its counterparts around the state and the country.
The BASF Cannabis Conference draws thought-leading practitioners and academics together for high-level and interactive discussions around issues affecting our practice and the law. Nicole Elliott, the Director of the San Francisco Office of Cannabis, will discuss how San Francisco is working with industry operators and their lawyers to carry out the will of the people. There will be a session focused on the history of cannabis prohibition in the United States, as well as a panel discussion on the hottest topics facing lawyers and their clients in the industry. John Steele, a widely-recognized expert in the law of lawyering and legal ethics, will close out the Conference by providing practical guidance to lawyers navigating professional responsibility issues specific to the practice of law in the cannabis space.
Following the conference, attendees are invited to a reception at the offices of Farella, Braun & Martel, where they can relax and get to know each other. Join us on October 4, 2018 to expand your horizons and deepen your expertise as the BASF Cannabis Law Committee presents BASF’s Cannabis Conference. We look forward to seeing you there!
For more details on the conference, and to register, please visit http://www.sfbar.org/calendar
