Maryland is one of several states in the past few years to legalize the sale of medical cannabis, and local entrepreneurs are eager to obtain their licenses. Permission to sell, however, is only one detail among a larger set of challenges, opportunities, and questions facing cultivators, dispensary owners, health care providers, and other stakeholders in Maryland’s cannabusiness community.

To serve this diverse group of business owners, Offit Kurman’s team of legal service providers have established a new Medical Cannabis Practice Group. Group members bring knowledge and experience in regulatory guidance, health care compliance, intellectual property, employment, tax law, and more.

In an interview with Michael Reider of Bmore films, Darren Weiss, a Medical Cannabis attorney with Offit Kurman and a co-founder of the firm’s Medical Cannabis Practice Group, offers his perspective on the current state of the cannabis industry in Maryland, as well as what cannabusinesses should look for in a legal partner.

Darren was a featured speaker at the Maryland Cannabis Industry Association’s (MDCIA) first annual conference and symposium.

Welcome, Darren. Can you tell us about yourself and your role at Offit Kurman?

DARREN WEISS: My name is Darren Weiss. I’m an attorney here in Maryland with Offit Kurman and we have a large multidisciplinary group of attorneys that are part of our Medical Cannabis practice group.

What kinds of questions are you getting from people looking to start a medical cannabis business?

The questions that I am getting are different in various jurisdictions. Here in Maryland, there are a lot of folks who are running up against financial issues. They put their financing packages together, and then they’re waiting. They’re trying to figure out: “How do I ensure that if I get my license, if I get that Stage One award, that I’m going to be able to convert that into an operational business?”

What do cannabusinesses need to know about legally protecting themselves in this emergent and constantly changing landscape?

One thing that I would like to add, and am stressing to clients certainly in the state of Maryland, is to understand the difference between those who help you put a team and an application together from a consultant side, from a legal side, from an accounting side, and those who know and have experience in setting up businesses. There are no areas that our firm is not working with because we have a truly multidisciplinary team and folks that can handle each aspect of the industry

To find out more about medical cannabis laws, regulation and legislation please contact Darren at dweiss@offitkurman.com or 410.209.6423.

ABOUT DARREN WEISS

A frequent author and speaker on legal issues affecting the legalized cannabis industry, Darren H. Weiss is a cannabis industry thought leader and a seasoned business counselor and litigator. Mr. Weiss has built his practice working with businesses to maintain, preserve, and protect their most valuable assets. A passionate and experienced legal advocate, Mr. Weiss’s practice focuses on medical cannabis and employment law His cannabis law practice includes regulatory and compliance work, business transactions and corporate guidance, and labor and employment. Mr. Weiss’s employment practice spans from advice and counsel to defense of collective and class action litigation, charges of harassment and discrimination, and enforcement of restrictive covenants. Mr. Weiss represents clients in a wide variety of industries, including medical care, manufacturing, professional services, and financial services.

ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN

Offit Kurman is one of the fastest-growing, full-service law firms in the Mid-Atlantic region. With over 120 attorneys offering a comprehensive range of services in virtually every legal category, the firm is well positioned to meet the needs of dynamic businesses and the people who own and operate them. Our eight offices serve individual and corporate clients in the Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Northern Virginia markets, as well as the Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City metropolitan areas. At Offit Kurman, we are our clients’ most trusted legal advisors, professionals who help maximize and protect business value and personal wealth. In every interaction, we consistently maintain our clients’ confidence by remaining focused on furthering their objectives and achieving their goals in an efficient manner. Trust, knowledge, confidence—in a partner, that’s perfect.

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