Cannabis

Blank Rome has been advising clients in sophisticated capital-raising transactions for more than 65 years. Our practice combines our attorneys’ experience in corporate, securities, and tax law matters with the crucial business acumen our clients demand. We understand the underlying business transaction as well as the complex regulatory framework that governs the way offerings are made in today’s marketplace.

Our cannabis team has experience representing financial institutions of all kinds, including banks, credit unions, investment bankers and investment companies, as well as merchant processors, in entering the cannabis industry with fully compliant services.

Our firm guides and counsels financial institutions from beginning to end on how to provide compliant financial services to cannabis-related business customers consistent with existing Bank Secrecy Act obligations and the 2014 FinCEN Guidance, including providing boardroom education for directors and executive teams as well as developing compliant cannabis lending programs.

We also assist on a wide spectrum of related issues, including conducting cannabis-related risk assessments, reviewing and customizing operating policies and procedures, and helping with vendor due diligence and contract negotiations. Our team can also provide audit assistance, advanced Bank Secrecy Act training for all levels of employees, and examination support designed to ensure your financial institution is prepared to demonstrate the risk-focused approach it takes when providing financial services to marijuana-related businesses.

The valuable relationships and connections that we have made within these industries, paired with our in-depth knowledge of the cannabis space, allow us to better guide our private equity clients toward the most advantageous opportunities.

Blank Rome’s national team of experienced privacy, security, and data protection attorneys have spent decades at the cutting edge of technology helping clients navigate the patchwork of data privacy laws and myriad of issues posed by digital technologies, IT, outsourcing, marketing, and data rights transactions in a variety of sectors from healthcare, pharmaceutical, and medical devices to the cannabis, food & beverage, e-commerce, consumer goods, financial services, and FinTech industries.

Our multidisciplinary team of leading cybersecurity and data privacy professionals advises clients on the potential consequences of cybersecurity threats and how to implement comprehensive measures for mitigating cyber risks, prepares customized strategy and action plans, and provides ongoing support and maintenance to promote cybersecurity awareness.

With decades of tax planning experience, Blank Rome’s tax attorneys have handled a wide variety of sophisticated transactions working alongside M&A and real estate teams on middle-market deals and those into the billions. We can also help you with federal, state, local, international, and cross-border tax implications as they relate to individuals, closely held companies, and multinational corporations.

Our tax attorneys have a proven track record of delivering value to our clients. We do this by making a few simple promises: (1) to understand your business goals and objectives in light of 280E’s huge impact upon the cannabis industry; (2) to use a common-sense and pragmatic approach—whether in crafting a solution to a complex tax issue, presenting an argument to a tribunal, or structuring a fee arrangement; (3) to deliver potential solutions in a cost-effective manner; and (4) to forge a strong and long-standing relationship through frequent and open communication.

All developing businesses need to have the right litigators in their corner. Strategic litigation is an indispensable tool for businesses of all kinds, and the cannabis industry is no exception. Our team has significant experience helping cannabis clients with shareholder disputes, construction litigation, fiduciary duty claims, as well as various regulatory enforcement actions.

Blank Rome’s litigation team is practical and aggressive, and committed to minimizing any business disruption that litigation can cause, while getting your case to trial or settlement with an efficient approach that maximizes your outcome. At every step, our team is here to help you weigh all of the risks and rewards and protect your interests from start to finish.

Success in the real estate industry depends in large part on outside forces. Economic booms and busts, rising and falling interest rates, and even an atmosphere of optimism or pessimism can mean success or failure for a project. Blank Rome’s real estate attorneys can help you build a strong foundation for your business to take advantage of (or withstand) all market fluctuations.

Our cannabis team has assisted clients with numerous real estate transactions, including real estate acquisitions and leasing, real estate financings, and loans, as well as helping clients with issues impacted by various national and state level cannabis laws and regulations.