In an article in Bloomberg News on the growth of cannabis law practices across the country, two Akerman partners were quoted about the rapid growth of the cannabis industry, and the resultant need for attorneys to work with cultivators and entrepreneurs.
The growth potential of cannabis companies led Akerman to launch its cannabis law practice seven years ago, practice chair Jonathan Robbins told Bloomberg in the lengthy article, headlined “Cannabis Practices Sprout as Big Law Firms Follow the Money.”
“The minute that you see federal prohibition end, every law firm will jump in with both feet,” Robbins said. “They’re all going to have cannabis practices.”
Irán Hopkins, real estate partner in Los Angeles, noted that cannabis operators must cope with 18 agencies in California that regulate parts of the business, thus the demand for experienced lawyers to help.
“It’s the most highly regulated industry in the world today,” she said. “Anyone who commits to cannabis is doubling down on homework.”