Partner Blog: Legal Education – The Cannabis Regulatory Rounds Presented by INCBA

by Christopher Davis, International Cannabis Bar Association

The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) is excited to present the fourth iteration of our in-person educational partnership with the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Cannabis Business Summit and Expo.

This year, INCBA is thrilled to showcase a full day set of educational sessions on July 22, 2019 in San Jose, California that sets the bar for legal education in the cannabis industry and offers 6.5+ credits of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) in select jurisdictions. Already renowned for presenting the highest-quality legal education in the legal cannabis, INCBA has continued to refine and enhance our in-person educational offerings, and we have something special in store for our attorneys at NCIA’s #CannaBizSummit this year.

Instead of focusing on substantive topic areas (like IP, finance, or real estate), we have decided to offer a special set of sessions focused on regulatory issues that face each business type that operates in this unique industry. Loosely based on license type, our educational sessions will focus on specific stops on the vertical stream of commerce, beginning with specific issues related to cultivators, moving through multi-state manufacturing and distribution, and then addressing to E-commerce. We will take a close look at the current bottleneck in many jurisdictions – testing laboratories – and at labor and workforce considerations that affect businesses across all the above license types. In short, we are giving you what you need to know to serve your clients in the cannabis industry no matter where their focus lies.

And, just to make sure you get those valuable nuggets of information, we have made sure that every panel features a regulator that can speak directly to the concerns that you must address when advising your client. INCBA has become known for featuring the top practitioners in the country on each of our panels, and now you get to watch them discuss their approach to regulation with the people in charge of enforcement.

In addition, INCBA is excited to present the most substantively and jurisdictionally diverse set of panels that we have ever featured. No more than two attorneys from any given state sit on a panel, which means that we will be covering topics that are relevant across state lines. And, because California’s regulatory system has come online this year, it serves as the perfect foil to compare and contrast differences in jurisdictions, failures and successes of regulatory structures, and the major pain points your clients face – no matter from what state they hail.

To make sure we end the day on the right note, and to ensure that you have the opportunity to create the lasting connections that will serve you throughout your practicing career, INCBA will be hosting one of our signature after-parties at the beautiful Mosaic Restaurant and Lounge at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown San Jose. After a long day of education, come to Mosaic to network with some of the best cannabis attorneys around. The party includes light bites and drinks, as well as Bocce ball and Giant Jenga. Find the panelists you enjoyed the most, see old friends, and make new ones to lay the foundation for a lifelong successful practice in this special industry.

As the first (and only) specialty bar association that exclusively serves the business needs of the cannabis industry globally, INCBA is the hub where cannabis industry lawyers come together to connect with each other, share information, and learn the tools necessary to further their clients’ interests in the legal cannabis industry. As Steve Shain of Hoban Law Group recently proclaimed – “It’s not whether you can afford to be here, it’s whether you can afford to not be here.”