Cannabis Practice Creates Ethical Traps, Conflicts for Lawyers

Ethical and legal snags abound for lawyers representing cannabis industry clients in the growing number of states where weed is legal, requiring extra due diligence to ensure compliance, attorneys familiar with the rapidly evolving business tell Bloomberg Law.

The land mine is federal law, which still outlaws pot. This requires attorneys to monitor ethics requirements and regulatory developments even more closely, and to fine tune their antenna about clients as firms consider expanding into the space. Tax, trade, intellectual property, local licensing, employment, and environment law are some areas to watch.

“This is an industry that has been stigmatized and ...